Imagine School principal cleared of wrongdoing

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Citing a lack of evidence, the State Attorney’s Office has decided not to file charges against Selenia Quinones, the Imagine School at Lake- wood Ranch principal accused of failing to report child abuse.

Quinones, who had been maintaining her duties from off campus since Nov. 4 while the state conducted its investigation, returned to campus Monday.

Imagine’s board informed staff and teachers of Quinones’ return Dec. 6, the same day the state revealed its decision.

“If I had any doubts about the Imagine School at Lakewood Ranch, I would not have my second-grade son enrolled there,” said Bob Wilson, the Imagine School board chairman who led an internal investigation. “The quality of education has not suffered and will not suffer.”

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Quinones in October after a parent reported a student performed oral sex on her son and others at school in April.

The sheriff’s office recommended Quinones be charged with one felony count of failure to report child abuse — punishable by jail time and a $5,000 fine — in reference to an April incident at the school.

The children involved were younger than 5 years old at the time of the incident and were not subject to charges because of their age.

An internal report by Imagine’s governing body denies the alleged oral sex occurred. However, the state’s report, conducted by Assistant State Attorney Brian Chambers, says oral sex did occur. But Quinones claimed to know nothing about it, due to what she told investigators was a misunderstanding.

Both the state and school reports confirm an incident occurred at the school April 11. On that day, a student reported to his pre-kindergarten teacher that some male students were showing their genitals.

The state confirmed Quinones responded appropriately to that incident.

In July, a parent of a child in that class who was not involved in the exposure incident, reported to Quinones that oral sex did occur that day.

“When the defendant (Quinones) was informed oral sex took place, she wrongly believed the parent was mistaken and was confusing the incident with the exposure incident,” the state’s report reads.

Ultimately, the state could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that “the defendant believed oral sex occurred and then willfully ignored her obligation to report the act.”

Attorney Damian Mallard said his client, the family of one of the victims, plans to sue Imagine Schools and Quinones in civil court, where the burden of proof is less.

“The family is shocked about the school’s attempt to sweep this under the rug,” Mallard said.

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].