Polk County Sheriff’s Office UPDATE in reference to the protest at Kathleen HS on Monday, September 27th, Tomaris Hill, a teacher at Kathleen HS, was arrested for his role in the matter.
Arrest Affidavit –
Tomaris Hill has been teaching at Kathleen High School for three years. He teaches World History and African American Studies. He is often referred to as “Coach T”. Daraford Jones is the Principal for Kathleen High School. Students start arriving at school at 0630 hours and school starts at 0700 hours. Kathleen High School has a student enrollment of approximately 2,000 students.
Generation of Gentlemen is a school club where students are taught etiquette, life skills, professional skills, and public speaking. Tomaris Hill has been the school sponsor for the club for three years. Tomaris communicates with the members of Generation of Gentlemen via a group text. Tomaris was coordinating school fundraisers for the Generation of Gentlemen. On 09/10/2021 Tomaris was directed by Kathleen High School’s Principal Jones, via email, to cease and desist the fundraisers due to him being in violation of Polk County School Board’s fundraising policy. According to Principal Jones, Tomaris did not respond to the email or return to Kathleen High School after being notified to cease and desist.
Approximately two weeks ago a video was posted to the social media platform, Facebook by Tomaris Hill. The Facebook page was under “Tomaris Notorious Taildawg Hill”. The video depicts Tomaris Hill narrating, telling listeners that Mr. Jones and his administration treat kids like inmates. He goes on to demonstrate that the doors are locked and says school administration locked the kids out of the building and then writes them up for being late to class.
On Friday, 09/24/2021, Tomaris Hill started posting on his Facebook page and continued through the weekend with posts about Principal Jones. The following are posts from his Facebook page, which were available for public viewing. As of this incident the Facebook page has been changed to “private” viewing. “Mr. Jones we don’t want you here at Kathleen. HELP OUR KIDS At Kathleen High School!!! They’re crying out for your help and support of unfair treatment by this principal. This dude literally ruining these kids whole HS experience…Because he’s 5’2 and has short man syndrome. MAN LEAVE THEM KIDS ALONE AND LET THEM ENJOY LEARNING!!! It’s school, not PRISON. Make sure y’all keep posting, sharing and speaking out. Y’all don’t have to take this BS from that leprechaun.”
On Sunday, 09/26/2021, at 1511 hours, Tomaris Hill sent a text message in a group text of members of Generation of Gentlemen, all Kathleen High School students. The text read, “Fellas we doing a protest tomorrow morning at 6:30. Right at the Kathleen sign. We’ll have signs, speakers, and microphones. The goal is to block off traffic from getting into school to make the street backup. The news will be there as well. Spread the word. #StandUpSpeakOut“.
On Monday, 09/27/2021, at approximately 0630 hours, Tomaris Hill arrived at the school driving a black Chevy truck. He parked near the softball fields which are at the southwest corner of the campus. He unloaded a portable speaker and microphone. At this time, I made contact with Tomaris Hill and told him he could not be protesting on school campus. Tomaris then drove out of the school, moving his position outside of the gates at the southwest corner of the campus along West Memorial Boulevard, Lakeland. Tomaris set up the speaker and microphone and started talking. Approximately 200 students gathered around Tomaris blocking the entrance / exit of the school and traffic had to be rerouted. Tomaris thanked everyone for coming out and then started chanting, “Jones gotta go”. Then students began taking the microphone and speaking. Once school started at 0700 hours, I told Tomaris he had to shut it down, school had started, and the kids needed to get to class. Tomaris made no efforts to gather his speaker or microphone. He continued chanting along with the students and yelling, “Who’s next? What do you have to say about Mr. Jones?” At the same time, Polk County Deputies along with school administrators, were telling students to go to class. Students began walking down the sidewalk as if they were leaving the school. I heard Tomaris say, “where the hell are they going” and began putting his mic and speaker up. Tomaris then walks over to the students that had walked away and told them to go to the school. The students then started walking to the school, toward the main office, and started chanting “Jones gotta go”. The students went to the main office and the doors were locked. They continued down the sidewalk, pushing the gates and jumping the fences (which are over six feet high), until they all ultimately found a way into the school. Once the students got into the school they began to look for ways to access the buildings within the school. Some of the students began taking off their shirts and punching lockers and windows. Approximately 75 Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with several other state and local law enforcement agencies, responded to regain control and order of the school.
I have probable cause to believe Tomaris Hill knowingly conspired and engaged in a disruption or disturbance at Kathleen High School which interfered with the educational processes of approximately 2,000 students and interfered with the orderly conduct of students on the school campus.
During this protest, 15 students were arrested and charged with disruption of a school function and resisting arrest without violence. Tomaris Hill committed acts that tend to cause students to follow a course of conduct that resulted in their arrest.
Tomaris Hill left the school during the time when law enforcement was securing the school and gaining control of the students to ensure their safety.
