Haines, FLORIDA

Jan 3, 2007 -
Fidel Vasquez,
29, a Haines City High School teacher, was arrested on one count of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. (A student at the high school.) It was euphemistically called "a "romantic relationship" with a student."

Jan 4 - The Orlando Sentinel picked up the theme and headlined the story "Teacher accused of affair"

Jan 14, 2007 - The school board voted to fire Vasquez. Vasquez is accused of having a yearlong relationship with the student."

Mar 18 - The school board may have voted to fire him. but Vasquez is still certified to teach.
No other updates available.

June 25 - Vasquez pleaded guilty (June 21) to having sex with a minor and been sentenced to 5/12 years state prison, followed by 9 and a half years of sex offender probation.

TT - The saddest part of this is that Vasquez, apparently, graduated from this school. The school is rated a 3 at Greatschools.com He had a year-long sexual fling with a 17-year-old student instead of trying to make a difference. This is what one parent wrote about the school at Greatschools.com

Absolutely horrible school! I wish I had the resourses to send my children to a private high school, but since I don't they suffer through this one.

My daughter comes home talking about constant fights daily. I visit the school, they want no parent partisipation. No dress code makes it look like Sodom & Gommarah in there. I walk through there and students walk into me, no respect.

No learning - at 17 my daughter has no clue what the Civil War is. What are Florida schools teaching our children? Nothing! All Haines City schools are C-D rated and no hope of improvement in sight. It's time for a change.

Children who should be retained are shoved ahead. It's beyond me how some make it through college from HCHS. My sons aced their 'advanced classes', graduated high honors. My daughter needs extra help, it isn't there for her. She asks teachers for help, they flunk her instead. Yet she isn't retained.

What's wrong with this picture? Will this school improve for my grandchildren? "

You can hear the pain.