WHISTLEBLOWER RETALIATION: JOEL BOLANTE COMMITTED SEXUAL HARASSMENT -- FLAGLER COLLEGE COVERED IT UP, FIRED VICTIM, WRONGFUL TERMINATION LAWSUIT ALLEGES

FLAGLER COLLEGE allegedly fired a highly-rated professor who reported about sexual harassment of herself and students by Professor JOEL BOLANTE, who has since been promoted as director of its "Public Administration" program, which receives local government funds to educate government employees. BOLANTE is the former UnderSheriff of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Department, who was intimately involved in the coverup of the September 2, 2010 murder of Ms. Michelle O'Connell in the home of St. Johns County Sheriff's Deputy JEREMY BANKS.

FLAGLER COLLEGE has no tenure, no union and lacks respect for free speech: it has been run like a big 'ole Southern plantation, under the thumb of WILLIAM LEE PROCTOR, Chancellor, former state representative and Republican Lord of All He Surveys.

 So it's not at all surprising that when one of its Public Administration professors, former St. Johns County UnderSheriff JOEL BOLANTE was accused of sexual harassment, Flagler College did no investigation and fired the alleged victim. Now the case is pending in St. Johns County Circuit Court, awaiting a jury trial before the Honorable R. Lee Smith.

The lawsuit was recently amended, with some 130 pages of documents on the Circuit Court's website, alleging civil rights violations and breach of contract.

Flagler College allegedly promoted JOEL BOLANTE was promoted after the sexual harassment allegations. I've reached out to Flagler College President Joseph Joyner and will report his comments if he calls me back.


(Photo credit: Flagler Live)

There's Sheriff DAVID SHOAR's then-UnderSheriff, JOEL BOLANTE, center, alleged tortfeasor, with 7th Circuit State's Attorney RALPH JOSEPH LARIZZA, left, helping pick Dr. PREDRAG BULIC, M.D., (the 23rd District Medical Examiner who helped cover up the September 2, 2010 murder of Michelle O'Connell in the home of Sheriff's Deputy JEREMY BANKS, at the behest of Sheriff DAVID SHOAR, who legally changed his name from "HOAR" in 1994).

FLAGLER COLLEGE was founded with funds from the heirs of HENRY MORRISON FLAGLER, the Big Oil baron who founded Florida East Coast Railroad and was responsible for the business plan of Standard Oil Company, now Exxon, which created the international oil cartel and bears responsibility for global climate change.

It actually has a "Vice President" in charge of "Marketing and Communications."

Imagine what that says about the place -- a "Vice President" for "Marketing?"

Here's an article from News4Jax:

Ex-Flagler College professor claims she was fired after reporting misconduct allegations

Lawsuit seeks more than $15,000

By Frank Powers - Assignment manager

Posted: 7:40 PM, November 08, 2019Updated: 7:45 PM, November 08, 2019

• Shares: 34

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - A former assistant professor at Flagler College is suing the private school, claiming she was fired in retaliation after she accused another faculty member of sexual misconduct.

According to the lawsuit, in Feb. 2018, Tina Jaeckle brought to the school's attention allegations of sexual misconduct by Joel Bolante, who at the time was Flagler's director of investigations into sexual misconduct. Jaeckle told the school that Bolante "maintained inappropriate sexual relationships with students, which created a power imbalance between professor and student thereby creating a discriminatory and hostile education environment on the basis of sex."

Bolante joined Flagler College after retiring from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. The lawsuit says multiple third parties warned the school about Bolante's behavior, but that an investigation was never conducted.

According to the suit, an investigation into Jaeckle was opened a month after she came forward with the allegations against Bolante. The investigation into Jaeckle said her class attendance was poor, that she was canceling classes to attend outside activities and was teaching at another institution without prior approval. Jaeckle was not interviewed by Flagler College, and was fired in June 2018.

In 2017, she had a performance review that gave her a 5/5 and noted "very meaningful contributions to the criminology program," and she was reappointed to the faculty. Jaeckle had been a professor at Flagler College since 2003, records show.

The lawsuit seeks in excess of $15,000. A response from Carol Branson, Flagler College's vice president for marketing and communications, reads:

"This is an active legal proceeding, so unfortunately, I am unable to provide a comment on the lawsuit at this time."

Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

Here's Dr. Jaeckle's bio:

Dr. Tina Jaeckle

• Assistant Professor in the Social and Behavioral Sciences at Flagler College

Dr. Tina Jaeckle received Bachelor of Science Degree from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida in Criminology and Sociology in 1990 and completed a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Houston in 1995. She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida for approximately 18 years. Dr. Jaeckle also completed a second Master's of Science Degree in Criminal Justice with a specialty track in the Behavioral Sciences from Nova Southeastern University. In 2007, she completed a Ph.D. in the Humanities and Social Sciences with a major in Conflict Analysis and Resolution (specialty in conflict and crisis management) from the same institution. Dr. Jaeckle is presently an Assistant Professor in the Social and Behavioral Sciences at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. She is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family and Dependency Mediator and a Primary Trainer and Substantive Expert in the areas of family dynamics, domestic violence, child abuse, and effectively managing crisis issues within high-conflict families. Dr. Jaeckle is board certified in both emergency crisis response and bereavement trauma through the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and holds Diplomate status with the same organization. Additionally, Dr. Jaeckle is a member of the American Red Cross Mental Health Crisis Team; serves as the mental health training consultant for the St. Johns County Sheriff's Department and crisis hostage/negotiation unit and crisis intervention team; is a visiting professor at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia; serves as the chair of the crisis intervention section of the Association for Conflict Resolution; and is an active member of the FBI's Future's Working Group and the Homicide Research Working Group. She completed her dissertation research on the trauma and cultural representations of conflict and crisis among the Sudanese Dinka political refugees who have resettled in Jacksonville, Florida. Contributions to the National Center of Crisis Management  It is my intention to serve on the Speaker's Bureau for the National Center for Crisis Management as well as provide at least one article for publication online or in the organization's regular journal magazine. I am also open to discussing additional opportunities as appropriate. Tina Jaeckle, Ph.D., L.C.S.W Dr. Tina F. Jaeckle Ponte Vedra Beach, FL  Profession: Clinical Social Work; Trainer Certifications Diplomate, American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress Fellow, National Center for Crisis Management Board Certified in Emergency Crisis Response Board Certified in Bereavement Trauma