Falsely Accused

Twice before, Randi FERNANDEZ, age 12 at the time, was falsely accused of 'lying' by Michelle ZIMMERMAN 

The below two scenarios outline the times in which Randi Fernandez was falsely accused of lying by Dr. Michelle Zimmerman ("Michelle"), only later to be proven innocent, resulting in apologies to Randi by a Renton Prep teacher and by David Paul Zimmerman ("DPZ").

Michelle has never acknowledged her actions or how they impacted Randi.  

These scenarios contextualize the May 20, 2016 meeting between Gloria Zimmerman and students at Renton Prep and explain why Randi and Jasmine left the meeting so upset. 

As a child, one, let alone two, false accusations by a teacher are devastating. Randi felt that the Zimmermans had labeled her a "troublemaker," even though she maintained near perfect grades and had no history of wrongdoing. 

As parents, we put a lot of faith in the teachers and administrators at Renton Prep, always giving them the benefit of the doubt. The mishandling of a situation by Gloria Zimmerman ("Gloria") was no different.  If Gloria had displayed even an ounce of humility and conceded that there were things she might have done differently, it would have resolved the issue then and there.  We never expected perfection, just fairness and humility. 

Scenario 1

A day or so after the 2015-2016 Renton Prep/AGCS dance program, Dawn received a text from Michelle stating that her daughter, Randi, LIED and told Renton Prep teacher, A. Z. (“Ms. Z“), that her dance shoes were broken when they weren’t.  

Randi had already explained to Dawn, on the same day she told Michelle, that although she thought she brought her dance shoes, she realized after she had opened the shoe box that she had accidentally left them at home.  Randi indicated that Michelle told her to go ask around and see if she could borrow another classmate’s shoes during the performance, since each grade performs at separate times. 

Dawn explained this to Michelle, and they went back and forth.

Michelle was insistent that Randi LIED by telling Ms. Z that her shoes were broken, even after Randi denied ever saying that.  It felt as if Michelle wanted Randi to get into trouble for lying. 

Dawn, Rod, and Randi ended up meeting with Ms. Z in person, and Ms. Z apologized again and again – not just to Randi, but to the entire family.  The Fernandez family graciously accepted Ms. Z's apology.  Shortly thereafter, Ms. Z called Dawn from her cell phone after they met, and insisted that she wanted to write Randi a letter of apology.  Dawn and Ms. Z had a very interesting off-the-record conversation about the Zimmermans, where she vividly remembers telling Ms. Z “to be true to herself," and reassured her that there was no need for a letter of apology. 

 Ultimately, Michelle never took accountability for her false accusation against Randi.  

Scenario 2

On the morning of  April 4, 2016, while at work, Dawn received a text message picture of a Microsoft Surface laptop charger from Michelle. Michelle proceeded to explain, via text, that Randi’s Surface laptop charger was found, and informed Dawn that she reprimanded Randi, telling her that next time she shouldn’t say her charger was ‘stolen’ when it was, in fact, just misplaced. 

Dawn already knew from her daughter, Randi, just weeks prior that she couldn’t find her Surface charger (at no time did Randi ever indicate to Dawn that someone stole her charger). Dawn was fully aware that Randi had also informed a Renton Prep teacher and DPZ of the missing charger; hence, Renton Prep leadership had prior knowledge that the charger was lost. 

Dawn replied to Michelle's text stating that this was a pretty heavy accusation to say about Randi, and advised that she would speak with Randi and get to the bottom of it.

Later that day, Dawn spoke with Randi, who was confused and adamant that she never said anyone 'stole' her charger.  Randi further disclosed that Michelle stated to her out loud in front of the entire class that it was not right of her to say that her charger was stolen when, in fact, it was just misplaced.  Randi went on to say that one of her very close friends approached her after class and asked Randi if she really did say that someone “stole” her charger?  Randi immediately denied it and confirmed that she never used that word 'stole.'  The student responded to Randi, "It was like Miss Michelle was putting words into your mouth if you didn't say that."

It is important to note that the majority of Randi’s classmates have been together since Preschool, and were like family, so it really hurt Randi that Michelle would falsely allude to the class that Randi had said someone (which obviously would be one of her classmates) stole her charger. 

On April 5, 2016 at 2:38 PM, Dawn EMAILED Michelle and expressed her feelings of disappointment.  Shortly after sending the email to Michelle only, Dawn received a missed telephone call from DPZ, followed by an EMAIL from DPZ at 3:48 PM,  just minutes later, where he took the blame for Michelle. 

DPZ subsequently apologized to both Dawn and Randi.

Michelle never responded to Dawn’s email. Instead, in typical Zimmerman fashion, her father, DPZ, responded to Dawn in an EMAIL at 5:28 PM, on Michelle's behalf, with a cc: to Michelle, Gloria, and another Renton Prep Teacher, where he stated:

"Based on your e-mail communication to Michelle about the classroom and what Michelle is supposed to have said to Randi that embarrassed Randi and the supposed class response as well as your concerns expressed to Michelle I am having the video recording extracted and the words transcribed to review.

I will let you know what we find out and have you review it with us if we find that helpful."

[Emphasis added]

Dawn never received a response back from DPZ regarding his findings, nor was Dawn invited to review the video recording of Michelle, so it is safe to assume that DPZ found nothing that the Zimmermans found helpful and that would work in their favor. 

Despite the reason for Michelle’s belief, an alleged miscommunication between Michelle and her father should not make Michelle’s false accusation against Randi in front of her entire class acceptable. 

Should it not constitute an apology from Michelle - if not to Dawn, but to Randi?  Should it not have been made clear to the class (not just Randi and Dawn) that Randi never alluded that her classmates may have 'stolen' the charger? In the end, Dawn did not follow-up with DPZ; yet looking back, she wishes she had.  Although, might it have resulted in the family being dis-enrolled that much sooner?