Hernando Today
Coach's Past Would Have Raised Red Flags
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Published: May 17, 2008
BROOKSVILLE - The Hernando High School track coach who resigned last Monday amid allegations of touching and text messaging students inappropriately would not have been hired under the district's current hiring standards, officials say.
Eric Riggins, 31, a paraprofessional and track coach, was suspended with pay last month after Hernando County School District officials launched an investigation. Officials recommended his termination May 2, and he resigned two days later.
With testimony from dozens of students and parents, he is accused of inappropriate contact that includes touching a student's "private parts," sending sexually suggestive text messages and making lewd remarks via phone and in person.
Riggins has denied all allegations.
But his previous history of arrests, irrelevant when he was hired five years ago, would be unacceptable by today's standards, district officials say.
Records show Riggins pleaded no contest in 1998 to a charge of aggravated assault and received five years of probation. Two years later, two charges of possession or sale of marijuana were dropped against Riggins because of a witness problem.
Since passage of the Jessica Lunsford Act in 2005, school districts across Florida have been forced to tighten their background screening requirements for new employees.
School board attorney Paul Carland said that while he has not looked at Riggins' specific case, a previous charge of "aggravated assault" would be enough to eliminate any applicant from being hired.
"That offense would cause you not to be hired," he said.
Other offenses that would raise red flags under the district's current screening process include charges of adult abuse, vehicular homicide, felony theft, resisting arrest with violence and "a laundry list of criteria that you can't have on your record to get hired," Carland said.
In 2006, the Florida Department of Education cited Riggins' arrests when denying his application for certification as a coach, but later reached a settlement in which Riggins was granted certification with conditions, including a $250 fine and a letter of reprimand.
Now, since Riggins' resignation last week, the district considers his case closed.
"He's got nothing to do with us anymore," Carland said. "I'm not aware of any policy changes being made because of (this) case."
Students also said Riggins showed up at several students' hotel rooms after prom at 3 a.m. in Clearwater, asking if there was a party - a clear violation of the district's ethics guidelines.
District officials said the ethics guidelines apply to all facets of teachers' lives, particularly popular social networking sites such as MySpace. Comments made on Riggins' MySpace pages, and those of his students, were used as evidence against him in the district's investigation.
"Teachers always have to be conscious of their conduct, even when they're off-duty, because they are subject to state ethics requirements at all times," Carland said.
Riggins was accompanied by Tampa-based attorney Laguerra Champagne throughout the district's investigation. He is continuing to use her services while the Hernando County Sheriff's Office completes a criminal investigation.
While sheriff's office officials have not officially confirmed or denied that they are investigating Riggins, district officials confirmed that a criminal investigation is being conducted.
Champagne said she cannot comment.
"I'm unable to talk about it further since it's an open investigation," she said.
Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( SpringHillConcernedCitizen ) on May 17, 2008 at 6:19 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Now lets' see?! His past WOULD/SHOULD have raised a red flag. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!
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