The safety and well-being of our children are of the utmost importance, and unfortunately, not even our schools seem immune from predators.
In a shocking turn of events, the principal of Destiny Leadership Academy in Ocala has been arrested for physically and emotionally abusing a student.
According to a report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Dontay Akeem Prophet, 33, was seen on surveillance video preventing a student from leaving a classroom. He physically assaulted the child, using a charging cable to strike him and putting him in a chokehold. The video also shows Prophet slapping the child’s face and twisting his ankle, causing the child to fall to the ground.
During questioning, Prophet attempted to justify his actions by claiming he was trying to prevent harm to the child. However, the camera footage clearly shows that he was lying. It is disturbing to see someone in a position of authority and trust, like a school principal, abusing their power and physically harming a child.
BREAKING: Dontay Akeem Prophet, the principal of Destiny Leadership Academy in FL, was just arrested for false imprisonment and aggravated child ab*se.
He was caught on security video trapping a student in a classroom where he continuously ass*ult*d him.
Dontay had multiple… pic.twitter.com/fu9ZDRdxMF
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 13, 2024
This is not the first time Prophet has been arrested for such heinous acts. In 2019, he was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior of a minor under the age of 16 when he was a behavioral specialist at South Ocala Elementary. He had invited a student to his home and sexually abused him. And to make matters worse, he later violated his probation in 2023.
It is deeply concerning to know that this man was allowed to work with children, especially after such a serious charge in 2019. This raises questions about the hiring and background check processes of the school and the Marion County School District. It is also alarming that Destiny Leadership Academy accepts tuition payments from the state’s Step-Up-For-Students voucher program, which means that taxpayer dollars may have been used to fund a school that employs a known predator.
As parents, we entrust our children to schools and educators, expecting them to provide a safe and nurturing environment. It is devastating to learn that our trust has been betrayed by someone who should have been a role model for our children. We commend the Marion County Sheriff’s Office for their swift action and call on the authorities to thoroughly investigate this case to ensure justice is served.
An elementary school principal in Ocala, FL was arrested Saturday for abuse of a child after choking a little boy, hitting him with a cable and slapping him.
This went on for 40 minutes.
Dontay Akeem Prophet was previously charged with sexually assaulting a boy yet he was hired… pic.twitter.com/oqKvbiVy0E
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 14, 2024
