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

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.