The Florida Department of Education is calling out the Duval County School District again. This comes after learning last month that another teacher at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts was arrested on suspicion of public exposure.
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Today, School Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. sent a letter to Superintendent Dr. Dana Krizner expressing concerns about how DCPS is addressing student safety.
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In his letter, Diaz details his concerns about the “lack of progress” in Duval County Public Schools to prioritize student safety.
“It’s clear there is more work to be done in your district,” Diaz said.
He mentioned Christopher Allen Black, a teacher at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, who was recently arrested on suspicion of exposing himself at a hotel near Disney. It happened in February, but it wasn't until more than a month later that he was kicked out of the classroom.
Related: Teacher Douglas Anderson reappointed, charged with 'exposure of genitals' in Orange County
“Rather than immediately remove Mr. Allen Black from direct contact with students, you chose to keep Mr. Allen Black in the classroom until April 11, 2024. This is unacceptable,” Diaz said.
Angel Bautista, an alumnus of Douglas Anderson, said, “DCPS has come under increased scrutiny from the state because all of these investigations were poorly conducted and simply removed teachers from the classroom when it came to student safety.'' It's unfortunate that it happened,” he said. .
Ms. Bautista graduated from Douglas Anderson University in 2016. They have been advocating for transparency and accountability at school board meetings after learning about various investigations into teachers that began two years ago.
“The fact that this has been going on for so long and there is still no clarity or conclusion on this issue is unacceptable,” Bautista said.
This is the fifth time in two years that a teacher at the school has been dismissed.
read: Teacher expelled from classroom at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
Action News Jax reported that in April 2023, Secretary Diaz wrote a scathing letter to Dr. Krizner's predecessor, Dr. Diana Greene. Her letter said, “DCPS's failure to promptly report the case is completely unacceptable…”
Diaz said this prompted the Office of Inspector General to investigate DCPS' reporting delays.
In January, the OIG released a report finding that DCPS failed to report suspected teacher misconduct to FDLE's Office of Professional Practice Services.
Last month, Sen. Clay Yarborough also expressed concerns about DCPS' transparency.
“DCPS is failing these students,” Bautista said. “I feel sorry for the students because school should be a place where you feel safe and teachers should be a safe presence in your life.”
Mr. Diaz concluded his letter by saying he expected a response from Dr. Krizner within five days.
Action News Jax has reached out to DCPS and is awaiting a response.
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