LAKELAND – Lakeland City Commissioner Justin Troller has parted ways with the Polk County School District, ending a career marred by accusations of inappropriate behavior with a student.
Troller submitted his resignation in a Dec. 15 letter to district officials that gave his last day as Dec. 31. He had been barred last year from having student contact and was most recently working at a district office near the Bartow Municipal Airport.
In the letter, he reflected on his 15 years of teaching at Lakeland High School, ending with his role as athletic director.
“It has been an amazing journey,” Troller, 40, wrote. “I began as a math teacher and progressed through different departments, finding myself blessed with my current role of athletic director…The last year has given me time to reflect on my career and the many issues that continue to effect public education.”
Troller added: “Numerous opportunities outside of education have presented themselves, and I am extremely excited for the next chapter of my life.”
Troller lost his job as athletic director at Lakeland High School in the wake of an investigation by the Polk Sheriff’s Office of inappropriate communications with a 17-year-old male student in 2016.
Troller was suspended without pay March 13 and was reinstated in early October after Polk School Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd withdrew her recommendation for termination of employment.
No criminal charges were filed against Troller, but a Sheriff’s report detailed late-night Snapchat communications between him and the student.
The student told school officials and investigators that Troller asked him “what’s your size” during a Sept. 21 late night Snapchat conversation. The student told detectives that Troller did not directly mention body parts.
Byrd could not be reached late Thursday afternoon for comment.
In her October letter to Troller, explaining her reversal on terminating his employment, Byrd wrote: “As a result of the further development of facts pertaining to those allegations, and on the advice of the professionals working with the administration, the superintendent’s recommendation for the termination of your employment is withdrawn.”
At the time, Troller’s annual salary was just under $46,000. He’d been hired by the district in March 2002.
In a statement addressing her decision, Byrd said Troller would be reassigned to a position where he would have no contact with students. “As long as I am superintendent, I will put the safety of our students above all else. For this reason, Mr. Troller will never again work in a school-based position within our school district.”
Troller wouldn’t comment Thursday about the details of his resignation, saying only that he’s excited about new opportunities of employment.
Of the allegations that led to his removal from having student contact, Troller said: “I’ve been cleared by every agency under the sun. The facts are the facts. It was all a witch hunt. That’s why there were no charges.”
Eric Pera can be reached at eric.pera@theledger.com or 863-802-7528.