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Texting Puts Teacher In Bind

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By VALERIE KALFRIN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2007

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County School District does not know the contents of more than 500 text messages a suspended Plant High School music teacher sent to a student, but found the behavior inappropriate anyway.

The school board on Tuesday suspended John Sinibaldi, 46, without pay pending his dismissal.

During the 2006-07 school year, he sent more than 525 text messages to one student during and after school hours, which the district in a letter said "went beyond the acceptable standards, scope and sequence of your responsibilities as a classroom teacher."

School district spokesman Steve Hegarty said there was no police investigation into the messages, which, according to the letter, were sent to a member of the high school band. Sinibaldi's phone records showed the frequency of the messages but not the content, Hegarty said.

"It doesn't matter at that point what the messages are. The frequency of the messages was a concern," Hegarty said.

Sinibaldi also ran afoul of the school board by allowing a middle school student to participate in the high school's band program, despite being directed not to, the letter states.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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