Manatee principal returns to work after COVID-related suspension. New details arise

Principal Paul Hockenbury has returned to Kinnan Elementary School after a suspension that followed his decision to get tested for COVID-19 and continue working on campus. He then tested positive in mid-August, just before students arrived for the new school year.

According to new reports obtained through a public records request, Hockenbury visited a second school during the same time period, and the longtime district employee has one prior disciplinary memo in his file.

Hockenbury did not respond to a reporter’s questions on Friday.

The Bradenton Herald reported on the events leading up to his suspension in late August, referencing an internal newsletter sent from the principal to his staff and later obtained by the newspaper.

“This is due to a violation of a district procedure put into place on 8/10,” Hockenbury said in the newsletter, announcing his suspension to school employees. “More specifically, I came to work for two days after being tested for COVID after work on 8/12. I did not have symptoms but could have possibly been exposed the week prior.”

The newsletter goes on to say that Hockenbury tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 16, one day before students returned to campus. The district sent a notice to school employees on the same day that Hockenbury tested positive, reporting a confirmed case and a “small number of direct exposures” on campus, though it stopped short of naming the principal.

“I was focused on school being ready to open and was shocked to receive a positive result . . . I still did not have any of the common symptoms associated with COVID. I apologize for my actions and should have obeyed district policy. I do not agree with my punishment.”

According to Hockenbury’s newsletter, district policy requires employees to stay home as they await test results, but the Bradenton Herald was unable to verify the reason for his suspension.

In response to a records request, the school district provided a heavily-redacted copy of its internal investigation into Hockenbury, citing laws on private medical records and investigations.

“It was alleged that Mr. Hockenbury violated District protocols regarding the (redacted) and subsequently jeopardized (redacted) of his staff,” the report states.

While a majority of the report is unreadable, a small portion revealed that Hockenbury also visited Williams Elementary School for a church service on the morning of Aug. 16, the day he reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Michael Rio, the executive director of elementary education, sent a letter of reprimand to Hockenbury on Aug. 30.

“Had students been on campus, this action would have been reported to the Florida State Department of Education,” the letter reads. “You could have risked losing your educator’s license. Your (redacted) also demonstrated a lack of leadership.”

Along with the reprimand letter, a district committee recommended that Hockenbury be suspended for five days without pay, and as of Friday, he was back at Kinnan Elementary, according to district spokesman Mike Barber.

Hockenbury, an employee of the school district for more than two decades, had one prior disciplinary memo in his file. While the letter was heavily redacted, it seems the issue was related to hurricane preparations in 2017.

“Despite being directed to do so, Paul Hockenbury failed to report to District shelter duty,” the letter states. “He was duly warned that the failure to do so was ‘insubordination.’ Paul Hockenbury understands that when he failed to report to the assigned shelter on the specific times he was scheduled, he caused hardship to staff and put others at risk.”

“Mr. Hockenbury needs to provide strong leadership in all situations, and it is absolutely crucial in emergency situations,” the letter continues. “I strongly believe Mr. Hockenbury should never exhibit this type of poor judgment and leadership again. Arrangements will be made for transportation should this situation arise.”

This story was originally published September 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.