Bryan Schewitz, a 60-year-old substitute teacher at Matanzas High School in Flagler County, was arrested October 16th on a charge of child abuse without great bodily harm. Witnesses told investigators Schewitz was forceful moving a student with disabilities into a chair during a behavioral episode, and one said they saw him kick the student and asked about a large mark on the student’s leg. Schewitz claimed the kick was accidental and described trying to manage the student’s behavior. The student told deputies Schewitz kicked him, and the sheriff’s office said Schewitz made a comment about the gloves coming off. He was released on a $2,500 bond.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly weighed in directly: “It is never OK for a faculty member to strike a student, especially out of anger or frustration.” The case lands on Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore’s desk at a moment when districts everywhere are short on substitutes and quick to fill classrooms. That matters, because training and oversight for the people working with students with disabilities can’t be an afterthought.
For families across the Suncoast, this is a reminder that protections for vulnerable students depend on the adults in the room, and on witnesses who speak up. The district hasn’t detailed any staffing changes yet, but the conversation about vetting, training, and accountability is one parents will be having at dinner tables from Sarasota to Bradenton to here in Flagler. What would make you feel confident that your child is safe with a substitute? Share your thoughts with us.
