ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A former principal at Jones High School who resigned amid allegations he changed school grades for some students was involved in a previous investigation, 9 Investigates learned.
Roderick Waldon resigned in May; last week it was discovered he changed grades for 15 students.
The allegation was reported as an “employee complaint” six months after Jones was appointed as the principal in 2015.
Eyewitness News learned it was an alleged confrontation with a teacher over a class assignment. The dual enrollment instructor claimed Waldon was aggressive and intimidating in tone after he learned the teacher directed a student to be reassigned.
Waldon denied he was disrespectful and said he simply informed the teacher he was not allowed to deny a student entrance to class.
A district investigator ruled the outcome, "unconfirmed."
Eyewitness News has already reported that Waldon admitted to district investigators that he changed the grades of 15 students to keep them eligible for sports or honor clubs. A spokesperson for the district said all the grades were corrected and two track athletes were kicked off the team.
Orange County Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins said in a statement that she believed the principal “really thought he was doing something to assist students,” but it was “highly inappropriate and unacceptable.” Jenkins said Jones High School will "forge on" and wished Waldon "well in the future.”
Eyewitness News wanted to know if the district would offer Walden a recommendation to work elsewhere, but a spokesperson for the district said Jenkins statement would be the only comment from the district.
The teacher’s union called the allegations surrounding Jones, “Despicable,” and said “this behavior teaches students it's "OK to cheat to win, and it is inexcusable.”
The NCAA told Eyewitness News once it was notified by district officials, it deferred to authorities in Central Florida and did not open an investigation.
Eyewitness News is also waiting for the Florida High School Association to tell us what it concluded from its investigation that involved at least two student athletes kicked off the track team.
Cox Media Group
