GADSDEN COUNTY, FL (WTXL) — Former Gadsden County High School Principal Marlon Ball has filed a federal lawsuit against the Gadsden County School District and Superintendent Elijah Key, alleging he faced retaliation after reporting sexual battery allegations against a school resource officer.
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The lawsuit alleges Ball notified district leaders and the superintendent after two students reported allegations involving former school resource officer Sédele Canidate in November 2025.
According to the lawsuit, within weeks of making that report, Ball was removed as principal, reassigned to another campus and later placed in positions where he says he had no meaningful responsibilities. The lawsuit also claims he was excluded from principals' meetings and trainings, subjected to an internal investigation and later denied reappointment despite never receiving a performance evaluation from the district during the school year.
Ball's attorney, Brandon Meeks, said his client did the right thing by coming forward.
"Mr. Ball again was the target of a retaliatory process including an investigation looking for dirt on him. When in fact all he did was do the right thing and report behavior, disgusting behavior, that wound up somebody being charged with lascivious activities against a minor and several other unspeakable things," Meeks said.
Ball claims those actions violated Florida's Whistleblower's Act and his First Amendment rights because he reported concerns involving student safety and later cooperated with investigators. The lawsuit seeks lost wages, damages, attorney's fees and other relief.
The lawsuit adds a new legal dimension to the ongoing criminal case against Canidate, who appeared in court Tuesday for a pretrial detention hearing. He faces six felony charges involving alleged sexual offenses against minors. The hearing was continued after Canidate appeared without an attorney, and a future court date has not yet been scheduled.
Court documents allege Canidate engaged in sexual activity with a student in his office and solicited multiple other minors.
We first reported on Ball's reassignment in December 2025, news many people learned about through social media posts rather than from the district directly.
I contacted the Gadsden County School District and Superintendent Key on Monday and again Tuesday. They said they have no comment at this time.
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