A former assistant principal at a Cape Coral charter school faced serious allegations of inappropriate conduct with a student.
Jason Punyahotra, who worked at North Nicholas High School, is accused of altering a student’s grades and test scores in exchange for inappropriate contact.
On Monday, Punyahotra pled not guilty to charges of inappropriate conduct with a student as a figure of authority and tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant. Both charges are felonies.
According to the police report, the investigation began with a tip received through the Fortify Florida app, a tool used to report suspicious activity at schools. Investigators say a student reported something unsettling to the police.
“It’s disgusting. Okay? Totally disgusting,” said Cape Coral grandfather Glen Gard upon learning about Punyahotra’s arrest on Tuesday. “I’d be furious. I would be furious. I might even be the one to lead the charge with the parents to go in there and make sure something’s done immediately,” said Gard. “Immediately pull them out of the school, make sure that there is a plan in place and that everybody understands it and agrees to it before I would let them go back to the school.”
Principal Jeff Dudek of North Nicholas High School sent an email to parents that said Punyahotra would not return to the school.
“As soon as we were made aware of the allegation last spring, the staff member was immediately placed on administrative leave and later terminated,” said Dudek in the email.
The email went on to say, “We have fully cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so as this matter progresses.”
The investigation, detailed in a 38-page affidavit, involved interviews with former students. Some accused Punyahotra of inappropriate behavior, including spending time alone with students in classrooms and making them uncomfortable with his touch.
One interviewee said Punyahotra and an unnamed student had sex in front of a Publix, but there are conflicting stories when it comes down to the deals.
According to the affidavit, this was not the first incident involving Punyahotra. In 2018, while working at Caloosa Middle School, he was accused of touching an eighth-grade student’s thigh. The case was closed when the student’s parents chose not to cooperate with the investigation.
“I think we need stiffer background checks, stiffer rules, whatever, but it needs to stop,” said Gard. “And if we have to make examples of people by putting them away, let’s do it.”
WINK News reached out to North Nicholas High School regarding policy changes following the incident.
Principal Dudek responded, saying, “No policy changes are necessary because North Nicholas High School has long maintained a robust background screening process for all staff and we act swiftly and decisively in response to any allegation, as we did in this case.”
Punyahotra was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court in October.
WINK News reached out to the attorney for Punyhotra but have yet to receive a response.