Judge: Imagine School principal can stay
SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com
Imagine School at North Port principal Justin Matthews explains the number of issues he has brought to the attention of the charter school's parent company, Imagine Schools Inc., during testimony at a Tuesday hearing in Sarasota.
SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com
Barbara McKeathon, president of the governing board of Imagine School at North Port, testifies Tuesday how the school was renamed by the board so it could access emails after the emails were pulled by parent company Imagine Schools Inc. the weekend of Feb. 15.
SARASOTA COUNTY — A judge on Tuesday ruled that embattled principal Justin Matthews can remain at Imagine School at North Port after the school’s parent company, Imagine Schools Inc., filed an emergency injunction to remove him and a five-member governing board, which tried to create a new school at the campus two weeks ago.
“Court notes show this issue has the capacity to cause, and already has caused, disruption of both students and parents who are the unintended casualties of this lawsuit,” 12th Circuit Judge Charles Williams said before a packed courtroom at the Sarasota County Courthouse, adding there is “undue stress which will not serve the public interest.”
