Coleman Middle School Principal Accused Again Of Child Abuse

TAMPA, FL – A Tampa middle school principal is being investigated for child abuse for the second time in five months.

Tampa Police spokesman Eddy Durkin confirmed that the police are investigating an allegation against Coleman Middle School Principal Mike Hoskinson, 53. Durkin said a student at the school accused Hoskinson of physical abuse. Coleman is located at 1724 S Manhattan Ave., Tampa.

“It’s an active investigation at this time,” said Durkin.

The student called 911 at 4:20 p.m. March 21 and said he got into a verbal altercation with Hoskinson . During the argument, the student said the principal grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him out of the crosswalk. The student began pulling away, at which time the principal allegedly grabbed him around the waist and threw him into nearby bushes.

The Tampa Police investigation involves interviews with several people who were in the vicinity at the time. This is an ongoing investigation to determine what happened. Hoskinson is not under arrest.

Hillsborough County School District spokeswoman Tanya Arja said school parents received a robocall yesterday alerting them to the investigation.

Hoskinson was the subject of another physical abuse investigation in November 2017 (see related story). He and his wife, Kimberly Hoskinson, a teacher at Plant High School, were arrested on child abuse charges after a teenage family member complained that she’d been punched in the ribs twice.

The couple, who resigned their jobs with the school district following their arrests, were cleared of all charges and their jobs were reinstated by the Hillsborough County School District in January.

The State Attorney’s Office said the teen fabricated evidence in that case, and Hoskinson’s attorney, Rick Escobar, blasted Tampa Police for failing to recognize that the teen’s text messages alleging abuse were phony.

This time, police aren’t leveling charges until the complaint has been thoroughly investigated.

Hoskinson has not been in his office since last week, according to the robocall to parents.

Image via Tampa Police