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Parent tells board social worker at Explorer K-8 acted "racist," alleges retaliation and poor special-education plan
Summary
At the Sept. 9 meeting, a Spring Hill parent alleged repeated biased and intimidating conduct by a school social worker at Explorer K-8, said staff later revised her daughter's 504 plan, and said no board action was taken on the allegation that night.
April Kelly, a Spring Hill resident and parent of four students in Hernando County Schools, told the Hernando County School Board on Sept. 9 that a social worker at Explorer K-8 engaged in biased and intimidating behavior that harmed her daughter's mental health and school experience.
"Students should not be coming home telling parents that the school's social worker is, 'white racist,'" Kelly said during the public comment period. She described multiple incidents she said involved Tanisha Joseph, the school social worker: Kelly alleged Joseph belittled her daughter in front of the class, sided with another student in a meeting, shouted at her daughter with the door open and later prompted a law-enforcement visit to Kelly's home by reporting an alleged threat. Kelly said she and other parents have documentation, text messages and emails supporting their accounts.
Kelly also said the district removed Joseph as her daughter's counselor after Kelly reported incidents to the principal and the superintendent at the time, John Stratton. Kelly said school staff at Running Waters revised her daughter's 504 plan; she named staff members Celeste Apolo and Tabitha Berlet, saying the revised plan improved her daughter's school experience and test scores.
The statement to the board was an allegation presented during citizen input. Board members did not take formal action at the meeting on Kelly's claims; district staff did not present a response on the record during the Sept. 9 session. Kelly requested follow-up through the normal channels of district administration and noted she has additional witnesses willing to attest to the incidents she described.
The board's public-comment procedures, read earlier at the meeting, note that comments may prompt staff follow-up and that no immediate action will be taken on items presented during citizen input. The transcript of Kelly's comments includes her allegation that the social worker produced a substandard 504 plan that was later revised by other staff members, and Kelly identified improvements in her daughter's attendance and testing after the revision.
The meeting record does not include any corroborating statements by school employees or a district investigation update; the board did not schedule or announce a follow-up investigation during the Sept. 9 meeting.
