Human Feces-Not Just for Toilet Disposal Anymore: Feces Throwing Principal Probably Able to Keep Job

After Confessing, Asst. Principal Maria Pantalone on Track to Keep Her Job

T. H. Pankey
Human Feces-not just for toilet disposal anymore. Assistant Principal Maria Pantalone, in an act almost unconscionable to most human beings, admitted to throwing feces at a child on July 30, 2006. And this after vehemently denying to reporters and the public at the time that anything happened. The 12 year old she threw the human excrement at wasn't a student of hers at Keale St. Junior Public school and Mountview Alternative school where she taught and administered. A court publication ban was issued to protect the identity of the "children," as there were two children named in the case, as well as for the purpose of stopping any reporting on details that might lead to their identification.

Maria Pantalone was suspended with pay from her elementary school assistant principal position in Aug 2006. And she had to sign a release forbidding her to have contact with anyone under the age of 16. She has been on re-assignment ever since at school board offices in Toronto and has had no contact with students since the incident took place. Once the school board completes its own investigation she could return to the very duties she was doing at the same school prior to the incident. "It's quite possible she could end up back at her old position," said Grant Bowers, a lawyer for the Toronto district.

Maria Pantalone is sister to the Toronto Deputy Mayor, Joe Pantalone. The Justice handling the case, Justice Howard Borenstein, in agreement with the Crown prosecutor John Ball and Pantalone's defence attorney Michael Caroline, granted Pantalone a full discharge on assault charges, saying she has suffered enough throughout this ordeal. In his ruling the Judge said, "Pantalone was publicly embarrassed, if not humiliated, and suffered more than most." Additionally, Pantalone entered into a peace bond not to have contact with the two children.

According to what scant media reports available, Pantalone testified that "she couldn't take it anymore and that it was a total, total frustration." With the Judges' ruling she will be spared a criminal record. However she did have to plead guilty to one assault charge as there were two brought against her for each of the children. She told the court "it won't happen again." Thereafter, the Judge's absolute discharge spared her a criminal record.

According to newspaper reports, 20 letters of support were sent in to the Justice as a testament to her character. All of the letters referenced this as being 'a momentary lapse of judgment" on her behalf, and that this was not her normal behavior. I would think not.

In an ironic way the actions by the principal are rather funny since the detailed rules at the elementary school she worked at state "show respect for yourself and others," and "keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself." Sage advice in the ears of the children where she taught. Not so sage for her though. In all fairness, we really don't know the circumstances surrounding the case. However one has to think, next-to-nothing should cause a person to grab human feces and throw it at someone else. Say, even in an extreme case, such as if they were throwing it at you.

Public reaction to the outcome to the case has been mixed as you would expect. With some folks saying her punishment has been a paid vacation from work. While others, such as the city Mayor David Miller, express their support for her.

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Lifetime lover of lemonade, iced tea, cafe au lait, and especially food had in New Orleans and New York, T. H. Pankey has worked in a number of restaurants--including one of the oldest and finest dining esta...   View profile

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  • 49 Yr old Asst Principal Throws Feces at Child

20 Comments

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  • Rebecca Foster 6/28/2008

    More facts would have been good, but network TV news often reports news with scanty details.

  • Laura Childs 7/6/2007

    Absolutely mind blowing! Her supporters should look at this from the perspective "what if she'd thrown it at my child?" - I think they'd be singing a different tune then! Children are treasures and not to be so lowly regarded.

  • Keith Stieneke 6/5/2007

    That was very bizarre behavior from an educator but then educators are humans and unfortunately flawed. There was a teacher that I had in grade school, second grade to be exact, who was always a little bit mean spirited in my opinion. Twenty years after I graduated high school she was fired for making a child dig through the trash can and pull out a sandwich he threw away and then eat it. How do educators think they can get by with such behavior?

  • Herstory 5/5/2007

    Connections mean everything, don't they!? Many a public educator is fired for less... Please tell me I am not the only person who remembers the Mass. teacher who was fired for wearing a necklace with a cross on in to the public school where she taught... Hopefully, Maria will appreciate the gift she's received.

  • Kelly Keltner 4/23/2007

    Wow. This one slipped right under my radar. Perhaps it's my bathroom fear, but seriously - wow. That's just about all you can say for it. Wow. But not a good wow. A truly bad wow.

  • Jean Riva 4/15/2007

    What a weird thing for a principal to do!! No matter what evolved this behavior, an adult should be more in control of her or his self, espeically working around children!! T.H. Pankey, you sure write about a wide range of interesting topics.

  • Doran Roggio 4/15/2007

    Would have liked to have more detail from this story. Though good writing on what was included, more information is needed to satisfy my curiosity. For example, how did she happen to get her hands on human feces. Was she being ridiculed in the rest room or what. Though it appears to be a horrific deed, more facts would have enabled one to understand what would make a teacher stoop to such a degrading position.

  • pquinn 4/13/2007

    Charlotte, I disagree. I think it's weak reporting. The author admits admit knowing few of the specific details surrounding the incident and yet is eager to pass final judgment on the person. That's op-ed, not reporting.

  • bob 4/9/2007

    Kid probably deserved it.

  • Charlotte Kuchinsky 4/9/2007

    Good reporting about a truly sickening story.

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