Broward County school administrator Marc Horowitz was arrested after authorities alleged that he assaulted an adult and took the person’s cellphone during an off-campus incident. Broward County Public Schools has reassigned him while Human Resources reviews the matter.
A Broward County elementary school administrator has been reassigned after an arrest stemming from an alleged off-campus disturbance in Weston.
Marc Horowitz, who Broward County Public Schools identifies as an assistant principal at Orange Brook Elementary School, faces charges involving robbery by sudden snatching and battery. The district says he has been reassigned while Human Resources reviews the case and determines whether further employment action is warranted. The charges remain allegations and have not been proven in court.
Editorial Note
This article discusses pending criminal allegations involving a public-school administrator. An arrest or criminal charge is not a finding of guilt, and Broward County Public Schools’ reassignment decision is not itself a criminal or judicial determination.
What We Know
Local 10 reported on August 30 that Horowitz had been arrested and charged with robbery without a firearm or weapon and a touch-or-strike offense.
At the time of that initial report, authorities had not publicly released detailed information about what allegedly occurred.
Additional information emerged on August 31.
WSVN reported that Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a disturbance near the 16000 block of Southwest Fifth Way in Weston.
According to information attributed to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, investigators allege that Horowitz physically assaulted an adult and took the person’s cellphone. WSVN reported charges involving robbery by sudden snatching without a firearm or weapon and touch-or-strike battery.
Those descriptions come from law-enforcement allegations and criminal charges. They should not be treated as findings that the alleged conduct occurred.
His Role at Orange Brook Elementary
There is a minor discrepancy in how Horowitz’s position is described publicly.
Broward County Public Schools and local reporting identify him as an assistant principal at Orange Brook Elementary School.
Orange Brook’s official website currently lists Horowitz under the exact title “Intern Principal” and states that he was continuing to serve in that role for the 2026–2027 school year.
Regardless of the terminology, Horowitz was serving in a school leadership position when the arrest occurred.
Broward County Public Schools Reassigns Horowitz
Broward County Public Schools moved quickly after learning of the arrest.
A district spokesperson told Local 10 that Horowitz was being reassigned from Orange Brook Elementary pending further Human Resources review and action, which could include termination.
WSVN reported the same district position. Broward County Public Schools said it holds school leaders to high standards of professional conduct and takes seriously matters that may fall short of those expectations.
The district has not announced that Horowitz has been terminated.
His current status is more accurately described as reassignment while the district reviews the circumstances.
Why Off-Duty Conduct Can Still Affect Employment
The alleged incident occurred away from school, but that does not necessarily prevent Broward County Public Schools from reviewing it as an employment matter.
School administrators occupy positions involving student safety, employee supervision, discipline, public trust, and campus leadership. Serious allegations involving conduct outside work can therefore raise legitimate employment questions even when the alleged behavior is unrelated to a school event.
Broward County Public Schools maintains a Professional Standards office that provides guidance on employee conduct, due process, disciplinary procedures, and professional accountability.
That does not mean an off-duty arrest automatically justifies termination.
The district still must determine what information is reliable, what employment standards may apply, and whether further action is appropriate.
Employment Review Is Separate From the Criminal Case
The criminal case and the district’s employment review can move on separate tracks.
The criminal justice system determines whether prosecutors can prove criminal charges under the applicable legal standard.
Broward County Public Schools, meanwhile, can evaluate whether the circumstances affect Horowitz’s employment, leadership assignment, or compliance with district professional standards.
Those processes serve different purposes.
The district does not necessarily have to wait for the criminal case to conclude before conducting an employment review. At the same time, an arrest by itself does not establish that every allegation is true.
Broward’s Professional Standards office describes its role as addressing employee conduct while applying district policies, due process, and disciplinary procedures.
What Happens Next
Two separate developments are now worth watching.
The first is the criminal case. Additional police records, court filings, or prosecutorial decisions could provide more information about the allegations and the evidence supporting them.
The second is Broward County Public Schools’ Human Resources review.
The district has already said that possible further action may include termination, but that remains a possible outcome rather than a completed decision.
If Broward takes additional employment action, the reason given for that decision will be important. The district may have to distinguish between the existence of criminal charges and any independent conclusions it reaches about professional conduct or continued leadership responsibilities.
Why This Matters
This case illustrates a difficult question for school systems: what should a district do when a school leader faces serious criminal allegations arising entirely outside the workplace?
Waiting for a criminal case to end can leave an employee in a sensitive leadership position for months. Acting too aggressively before facts are established can create fairness and due-process concerns.
Temporary reassignment offers one way to manage that tension.
It allows a district to remove an employee from a particular assignment while gathering information without necessarily making an immediate final judgment about guilt or continued employment.
For administrators in particular, the case demonstrates how off-duty conduct can become relevant to professional responsibilities when an employee holds a position built heavily on trust, judgment, and leadership.
Key Takeaways
• Marc Horowitz, a school administrator at Orange Brook Elementary, was arrested following an alleged off-campus disturbance in Weston.
• Authorities allege that Horowitz assaulted an adult and took the person’s cellphone. Those allegations have not been proven.
• Local reporting says Horowitz faces charges involving robbery by sudden snatching without a firearm or weapon and battery-related conduct.
• Broward County Public Schools has reassigned Horowitz while Human Resources reviews the situation. The district says additional action could include termination, but no termination has been announced.
• Broward County Public Schools identifies Horowitz as an assistant principal, while Orange Brook Elementary’s official website currently uses the title “Intern Principal.”
• The criminal case and Broward County Public Schools’ employment review are separate processes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Marc Horowitz convicted?
No. Current reporting concerns an arrest and criminal charges. A conviction has not been established.
What is Horowitz accused of doing?
The Broward Sheriff’s Office alleges that Horowitz physically assaulted an adult during a disturbance and took the individual’s cellphone. Those allegations remain unresolved.
Has Broward County Public Schools fired him?
No. The district says Horowitz has been reassigned pending Human Resources review. Broward has said further action could include termination, but it has not announced a final termination decision.
Can a school district discipline an employee before a criminal case is finished?
Potentially. A school district can conduct its own employment review under applicable policies and procedures rather than waiting for a criminal case to conclude. That does not make an arrest or charge equivalent to proof of criminal guilt.
Final Thoughts
The Broward County case involves two questions that should remain separate.
The first is whether prosecutors can establish the criminal allegations against Marc Horowitz. That question belongs to the criminal justice system and remains unresolved.
The second is whether Broward County Public Schools believes the circumstances affect Horowitz’s ability to continue serving in a school leadership role.
For now, the district has chosen an interim response rather than a final employment decision: Horowitz has been reassigned while Human Resources conducts its review.
That approach allows the district to respond to serious allegations without presenting reassignment itself as proof of guilt.
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Sources
Local 10 — Broward elementary school administrator arrested, reassigned after off-campus incident
Initial local reporting confirming the arrest, district reassignment, and pending Human Resources review.
WSVN 7News — BSO says assistant principal assaulted adult and took victim’s cellphone
Follow-up reporting attributing additional details of the alleged incident to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Orange Brook Elementary School — Meet the Administrators
Official school page currently listing Marc Horowitz under the exact title “Intern Principal.”
Broward County Public Schools — Professional Standards
Official district information describing the Professional Standards office’s role in employee conduct, due process, disciplinary procedures, and professional accountability.
