and tonight's local teen news
investigation a principal is accused of
taking advantage of women who worked in
his school tonight a lawsuit is moving
forward against the Broward School
District after one woman says officials
did nothing to protect her from a
principal with a known disciplinary
record for harassing other female
employees lieutenant Amy Viteri talked
to one of those women and asked the
principal about those allegations say
they have dealt with inappropriate
touchy or sexual comments all of the
hands of the current principal at
Riverland elementary mostly guilt
attorney Melissa mihawk represents a
former guidance counselor at River land
who filed a lawsuit against the school
district because of Gil's behavior in
the complaint that counselor charelle de
Branch McKenzie says Gil harassed her
daily the suit alleges he touched her on
multiple occasions on her buttocks
saying oh I'm sorry but it felt good
saying let me get that right there
referring to a sex act adding let me
kiss you right there on your neck when
she told him to stop she said guilt
threatened to Humble her saying in my
country women bow down
mr. peel told her that if he was
contacted by other principals for a
reference for her that he would provide
a negative reference and that she was
not going to be able to obtain a
position as an assistant principal the
school board chose not to discipline Gil
writing as their determination
insufficient evidence
it was Branch Mackenzie who was
transferred out of Riverland a bad
behavior even while he was at the
previous school where there wasn't just
one allegation of inappropriate behavior
there was multiple allegations the
district had already disciplined Gil for
similar complaints at his two previous
schools dating back at least to 2008 in
2010 he served a five-day suspension and
the district removed him as principal of
sunrise middle school nearly two dozen
women reported sexual harassment and a
school board investigation one teacher
stated Gil ran his finger down her back
saying this is how I met my wife he
allegedly told that same teacher who is
too
Achan he liked all kinds of cake
especially Jamaican chocolate kind of
run his hand down my back or just
horizontally along my bra strap
he made my skin fall one former teacher
agreed to speak with us but asked that
we conceal her identity for fear of
retaliation
she says she quit teaching after her
experience with Gil who she says once
cornered her in a closed room and
propositioned her you know he told me
that I had planning for another 30
minutes and we had time she says she
would hide under her desk when working
alone to avoid interactions with Gil who
would try to intimidate her when she
didn't respond favorably he walked over
to me and he said don't forget in 2008
at Margate middle school staff
complained of Gil then an assistant
principal pushing against them and
simulating sex with a humping motion a
second area complained Gil slapped her
daughter on the butt when questioned Gil
denied all the allegations following his
suspension the district moved him to
Riverland in 2011 I'm where channel 10
my name's Amy Viteri
we asked Gil in person about the lawsuit
and complaints against him because some
of the allegations in here disturbing we
left egg Gil's request so is any of this
true no but the former teacher says too
many women have a similar story not
chalked at all I'm disappointed
I believe these women and it's sad that
it's gone for this plant in Fort
Lauderdale
Amy Viteri local 10 News well late this
afternoon we got a statement from the
Broward school spokesperson which read
in part immediately upon receiving the
complaint being referenced the
district's equal educational
opportunities Department opened an
investigation on September 18 2012 the
findings of the investigation were
reviewed by the Professional Standards
Committee On June 5th 2013 which
determined there was not enough evidence
to support the allegations the attorney
we spoke with says she expects a jury
trial to be scheduled in the next couple
of months