Cleared of accusations, Coleman principal returns to work
TAMPA (FOX 13) - Surrounded by a cheerful school faculty and staff, Michael Hoskinson was reinstated as Coleman Middle School's principal Wednesday morning, two days after being cleared of child abuse charges.
His wife, Kimberly, has also been reinstated to her position as a teacher's aide at Plant High School.
The couple had their lives turned upside down after being arrested November 14, on what turned out to be a false allegation of child abuse.
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What stings even more, they say, is a teenage family member made up the accusations against them.
"This has devastated our lives and changed our lives forever and we will see what the new normal is," Michael said Wednesday. "All we can do is move forward and heal our family because that's what we need to do first is heal our family."
In his only interview, Michael remembers the day he was arrested, booked, and brought out in front of a judge to face charges.
"That wasn't good. I didn't like that day. That was a bad day. I kept asking, 'Why am I being arrested?' They never said. They said, 'They'll tell you, they'll tell you, they'll tell you,' but they never did," he said.
The damage to their stellar reputations and their livelihood was in shambles. Their family life was in worse shape.
"As a dad, it hurts. It just hurts. I can't describe it, the pain and the travesty that's been from this. It's tremendous and I can tell you, it's been sleepless nights, lots of crying," Michael said. "Hopefully soon we can find more answers."
It took two months to clear their name. The charges against them were dropped this week.
Kim also got her job back at Plant High school.
Superintendent Eakins says his support for Michael and Kim never wavered and neither did anyone else's.
"Today was about doing the right thing as a superintendent and assuring that Mike's name is restored here at Coleman Middle School as the principal and the great leader that he is," said Eakins.
Michael has one message for every parent after this experience:
"Love your kids, make sure you hug them each and every day and tell them that you love them," he said.