BOCA RATON SCHOOL CRISIS. IN JUST ONE MONTH: AIDE ARRESTED. PRINCIPAL’S HUSBAND ACCUSED OF MOLESTATION. PRINCIPAL BARBARA RIEMER TAKES LEAVE OF ABSENCE…
UPDATE: 3:20 p.m. Monday, May 5, 2025: Barbara Riemer is no longer the principal of Whispering Pines Elementary School. The School District just announced that it is inviting parents to be part of “selecting the next principal for Whispering Pines Elementary.” We will publish details in a separate article.
UPDATE 2:45 p.m. Monday, May 5, 2025: After waiting several days to respond, The Palm Beach County School District now says that Norman Riemer was not substituting at Whispering Pines Elementary, the school run by his wife — Principal Barbara Riemer — after molestation allegations were made against him. This is contrary to information provided by sources speaking with BocaNewsNow.com. We note that despite our FOIA requests, the school district has not provided documentation or emails requested by BocaNewsNow.com relating to Norman Riemer’s whereabouts, or communication, in the weeks prior to his arrest.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher | BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A special education “paraprofessional” at Whispering Pines Elementary School in West Boca Raton is facing a criminal charge filed by the Boca Raton Police Department. Nephtalie Duclas of Lake Serena Drive in Boca Raton was arrested and jailed in April on a DUI charge.
The arrest is notable at a school where Principal Barbara Riemer announced a leave of absence on Friday, just hours after BocaNewsNow.com broke multiple stories on the arrest of her husband — a teacher — who is accused of molesting two young girls. Barbara Riemer, according to sources but still unconfirmed by the Palm Beach County School District, allowed her husband to substitute teach in Whispering Pines after she learned of the molestation investigation. Norman Riemer remains held without bond in the Palm Beach County Jail.
Barbara Riemer — considered by many to rule Whispering Pines with an iron fist and behind a curtain of secrecy — allegedly knew that Duclas was arrested on April 13th when police say they found her asleep in her car near Boca Raton’s Cinemark Theater. Duclas’ breath alcohol, according to police, was .096 and .094. The legal limit is .08.
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Sources tell BocaNewsNow.com that Riemer permitted Duclas to continue to work with special needs children despite the arrest. Parents who learned of the arrest say they feared their children being left in the care of a woman found asleep in her car and charged with DUI. Riemer, according to sources, never took action on the concerns. The Palm Beach County School District, seemingly unaware of Duclas’ arrest until we asked questions, would only confirm to BocaNewsNow.com that Nepthalie Duclas is a full time “paraprofessional” at Whispering Pines. The State of Florida reports that Duclas holds no educational license.
The revelation of Duclas’ arrest comes as Barbara Riemer’s longtime control of Whispering Pines seems to be coming to an end. Riemer, 54, announced a leave of absence Friday night , just hours after our exclusive reporting with new details on the arrest of her husband. Norman Riemer, 54, is accused of repeatedly molesting two young girls in the Lake Worth home he and Barbara Riemer share. The heavily redacted police report can be read here. Read our years of Barbara Riemer coverage here. If you have tips about Whispering Pines Elementary, Barbara Riemer, or Norman Riemer, please email WhisperingPinesTips@bocanewsnow.com, or text or call 561-576-NEWS.
