Donald Eugene Hardyman, a former assistant principal at W.S. Neal Middle School, was arrested August 30 after an investigation into altercation between Hardyman and a student.
Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson reported that sheriff’s officers were called to the Escambia County Board of Education’s Central Office August 9 to investigate a complaint of the altercation.
The results of the ECSO investigation were presented to a grand jury, which handed up an indictment against Hardyman for torture or willful abuse of a child who is not a member of his family.
Hardyman, whose resignation was accepted by the BOE at its last meeting, was reportedly released on bond. The investigation is ongoing.