Lively Technical Center Principal Woody Hildebrandt has been arrested.
He’s being charged with four felonies related to the theft of Leon County School District property. Hildebrant’s arrest comes two months after he was placed on administrative leave following accusations he stole materials from Lively. He also faces accusations he manipulated employee time sheets. Leon County Schools spokesman Chris Petley says Hildebrant’s case will go before the school board.
“As every employee, principal teacher—there is due process and every employee has to go through that," Petley said. "There is a board meeting in the next two weeks and I think we’ll find out in the next two weeks what the board decides to do.”
Last May Hildebrandt claimed whistleblower protection for his role in distributing a “notebook” of allegations which charge school superintendent Jackie Pons with steering school construction projects to political donors. Four reports have cleared Pons of wrongdoing, but the FBI is investigating the claims.
Hildebrandt's brother-in-law, a Lively employee, was one of two people who filed a whistle-blower complaint against Hildebrant regarding the missing items at the school.
