Ex-principal and activities director are suspended without pay following twerk tour
A School Board member said he was pained by the anguish suffered by Jacob Shaw, the basketball coach who took the fall for the event but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
The former Miami Beach High principal and the activities director who were involved but not initially blamed for hosting a “twerk tour” at the school last spring have been suspended without pay.
The Miami-Dade County School Board on Wednesday approved the discipline of former Principal Maria T. Rodriguez and Activities Director Maylee Ann Costa. The district had removed Rodriguez as the
Beach High principal in December and moved her to the North Region Office, where she remains as “principal on special assignment.”
One board member said he was pained by the anguish suffered by Jacob Shaw, the basketball coach who publicly took the fall for the event but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
In February 2020, Shaw arbe ranged for celebrity twerker Nastya Nass to hold a twerking workshop for adults. In exchange, Shaw would be able to raise enough money to send his varsity Hi-Tides to a basketball tournament in Las Vegas.
Shaw got approval from Rodriguez, the principal, and arranged the event with Costa, the activities director. They arranged for the air conditioning to be on and the alarms to off for the weekend of Feb. 22-23, 2020.
According to Shaw, a school janitor was paid extra to clean up after the 300 people who attended the event and Rodriguez asked for her cut. He said he gave $1,300 to her in an envelope, according to his investigative file. In text messages, Costa joked that she expected her “cut.”
While Shaw took the fall publicly, Rodriguez and Costa were quietly placed under investigation. Shaw was reassigned away from campus while Rodriguez and Costa were initially allowed
to remain in their jobs. Rodriguez is listed as the complainant who opened the investigation into Shaw.
FORMER BEACH HIGH PRINCIPAL SUSPENDED FOR SEVEN DAYS
On Wednesday, Rodriguez, the former Beach High principal, was suspended without pay for seven days. She was reprimanded for misconduct in office and found to be in violation of a School
Board policy regarding the use of district facilities. According to district records, she makes $142,617 annually.
Reached by the Herald, Rodriguez said, “No, at this point, no comment.”
Costa, who goes by Ms. Mac, was suspended without pay for three workdays for misconduct in office and violation of School Board policy regarding use of district facilities. According to district records, she makes $47,625 a year.
Costa did not return requests for comment.
The Miami Herald has requested Rodriguez and Costa’s full investigative files, which were exempt from public disclosure until disciplinary action is taken.
BASKETBALL COACH WAS CLEARED
In November, the district’s Office of Professional Standards cleared Shaw and closed out his investigation as “no probable cause.” He is back at Miami Beach Senior High working as a paraprofessional and coaching varsity basketball.
“I feel as though the truth has finally prevailed and that I am owed an apology from all,” Shaw told the Herald. “Most don’t understand that these investigations take a major toll on our mental health, especially when you know you didn’t do anything wrong.”
He said the whole situation could’ve been avoided if Costa spoke out at the very beginning and got the proper approvals from Rodriguez. Under normal circumstances, an
event requires signed documents before it can be held.
“But in this case, an alliance was more important to her than the truth,” Shaw said.
Three other investigations were opened against Shaw, who said Rodriguez should’ve given him the
professional courtesy to discuss the complaints before being told he couldn’t report back to campus.
“it is absolutely ridiculous and disgusting behavior from a principal,” he said.
School Board vice chair Steve Gallon said he did
not know Shaw personally, but said that Shaw is vindicated after being “falsely accused and publicly lambasted.”
Citing “history and some trend data,” Gallon questioned whether Shaw would’ve received the same punishment if he were found guilty.
“It just personally pains me to contemplate and reflect on the anguish this individual went through,” he said.