Daniel Bennett, a 20-year veteran teacher and former president of the Brevard Federation of Teachers, is facing possible termination after failing to report an allegation that two students engaged in sexual activity at Space Coast Junior/Senior High School in September 2022. The Brevard County School District says Bennett was responsible for supervising the students during the incident, which occurred while they were on campus. Bennett did not attend a Tuesday School Board meeting, but his attorney, Mark Levine, told the board that both the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Children and Families have cleared him of wrongdoing. "The sheriff’s office cleared him as of 4:30 p.m. Monday," Levine said. However, the district’s internal investigation is still ongoing.
Bennett’s attorney claims the allegation came to light in January 2023, four months after the incident. Levine said Bennett investigated the claim when it was first raised and took steps to address it. The school board has placed Bennett on paid administrative leave while the case is reviewed. He still faces possible termination, according to district officials. School Board member Katye Campbell said the central issue is Bennett’s failure to report the allegation. "The most egregious error was the non-reporting," Campbell said. She added that the district is focused on ensuring staff follow protocols for reporting incidents involving students.
Levine argued that Bennett acted when the allegation was first brought to his attention. "This rumor was investigated and discussed by Mr. Bennett when it first came to his attention in January of this year," he said. However, the district maintains that Bennett’s failure to report the incident promptly is a serious violation of policy. The school board has not yet decided on disciplinary action but said the process is continuing. "I don’t think we would be having this conversation if there wasn’t something that should have happened that didn’t happen," Campbell said.
The case highlights tensions between district protocols and individual teacher responses. Bennett’s attorney has repeatedly emphasized that no criminal charges were filed against him, but the school district says its internal rules require immediate reporting of such allegations. The outcome of the investigation could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future.