Manatee Performing Arts Center
Manatee High School assistant coach Rod Frazier is seen on the sideline during the 2011 State Football Championship in Orlando.
HERALD-TRIBUNE ARCHIVE / 2011 / THOMAS BENDER
Published: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 11:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 11:50 a.m.
Manatee High assistant football coach Rod Frazier, who was under school district investigation after police charged him with groping several students and staff last week, resigned today.
In a brief letter written to Superintendent Rick Mills and dated today, Frazier resigned effective immediately.
"I feel my resignation is in the best interest of all involved, including the school system and Manatee High," Frazier, 35, wrote.
According to a district press release, Mills has accepted Frazier's resignation.
Frazier's resignation comes a week after the state filed seven counts of battery and three counts of interfering with a student's attendance. On Tuesday, the school district resumed their own investigation, led by newly hired investigator Troy Pumphrey, as to whether Frazier could remain employed by the district.
The assistant football coach and Manatee High liaison has been under scrutiny since Feb. 8, when he was put on paid leave one day after the Herald-Tribune ran a story detailing the school district's quiet inquiry into groping allegations made against him.
That same day, Bradenton Police began an investigation that included more than 50 witnesses, including students, faculty and parents. On April 2, the police recommended to the State Attorney's Office that Frazier be charged with battery.
The police also recommended that four school administrators be charged with failure to report child abuse and lying to police. Those administrators includes former assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, former school investigator Debra Horne, and Manatee High assistant principals Gregg Faller and Matthew Kane, who has since transferred to Southeast High.
The State Attorney has not yet decided whether to charge them.
The mother of a girl who wrote a letter to Manatee High in January alleging inappropriate behavior by Frazier said Friday she is relieved he stepped down.
?I think that's awesome that he quit,'' she said. ?But the question still remains by him quitting does that mean he still able to get another job at another school district?
?Half the battle is keeping him away from girls.''
Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan could not immediately be reached for comment.
"I have accepted Mr. Frazier's resignation today in the interest of moving our school district forward," stated Superintendent Rick Mills in a press release. "We have an obligation to our School Board, community and the Florida Department of Education to conclude our internal investigation and we will proceed on that front."
Upon receiving the resignation, the school district has also banned Frazier from stepping on school property.
If the school district determines that Frazier violated codes of conduct that could threaten his coaching certificate, they could make a report to the state Department of Education. The department could opt to conduct its own investigation as to whether Frazier could keep a coaching certificate, which could affect whether he could coach in a school system again.
Reached this morning, Frazier?s attorney Eddie Mulock said that he had advised Frazier that resignation might be in his best interest.
?The resignation letter speaks for itself,? Mulock said. ?He thought it was in the best everybody to eliminate this issue so he can stay focused and defend himself against these false charges.?
Mulock said that what has become a high-profile and much speculated upon case may have made it impossible for Frazier to rejoin a school community, even if he is cleared of charges.
?He?s ruined. He?s finished,? Mulock said. ?No matter what happens in the trial because of how you all have made him out to be.?
Staff writer Chris Anderson contributed to this report.
Source: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20130726/breaking/130729749
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