Robert Gagnon wants $5 million from Manatee schools or a job

BRADENTON -- After filing a defamation lawsuit against the Manatee County School District, former interim superintendent Robert Gagnon is now threatening to pursue a $5 million lawsuit against the Manatee County School Board and others unless he gets his job back.

The district was served Monday, staff attorney Mitchell Teitelbaum confirmed with no comment on the pending litigation.

The letter is addressed to all five board members; Board Attorney James Dye; Teitelbaum; Superintendent

Rick Mills; Don Hall, deputy superintendent of operations; Diana Greene, deputy superintendent of instruction; the Bradenton Police Department; suspended professional standards investigator Troy Pumphrey; former school board member Julie Aranibar; former interim Superintendent Bill Vogel; and John Powers, a claims adjuster.

The letter offers an option to circumvent the lawsuit: Offer a public apology, reinstate Gagnon and begin negotiations on a final settlement, or pay him $5 million.

If no action is taken within 30 days, Gagnon and his lawyers will begin the litigation process, according to the letter from John Romano, Gagnon's attorney.

"This is a one-time attempt to resolve this case -- and one time only," the letter states.

Rod Frazier investigation

The letter claims school district officials and the Bradenton Police Department turned the investigation into Roderick Frazier's inappropriate interactions with students into an investigation of Gagnon.

"Their personal vendettas were the driving force behind the investigations that took place," the letter states.

The letter says Gagnon's legal claims are based on those actions, including breach of contract, intentional interference with business relations and infliction of emotional distress and negligence.

Gagnon has already filed a defamation lawsuit against the district and Aranibar seeking in excess of $15,000.

Gagnon claims the district communicated knowingly false and defamatory information about him to several third parties, which interfered with his ability to get a job and inflicted emotional and physical distress.

Gagnon wants a jury trial and money for past and future losses, missed employment opportunities and damage to his reputation.

The district has yet to be served with Gagnon's defamation lawsuit, according to Teitelbaum.

In the Frazier case, Gagnon was acquitted of one felony count and one misdemeanor count of failing to report child abuse. Gagnon was also cleared by an administrative judge, who said the district failed to show enough evidence Gagnon violated any law, rule or school board policy.

The board has since reimbursed Gagnon for back pay and legal fees. The district did not renew Gagnon's contract.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter @MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published February 25, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Robert Gagnon wants $5 million from Manatee schools or a job ."