Florida education commissioner condemns Alachua County board conduct; public offers mixed response

Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamutsas told the Alachua County School Board on Oct. 7 that he was "outraged" by what he described as a "toxic culture, the pattern of intimidation and the dereliction of duty" by the board and said the State Board of Education has directed the local board to revise First Amendment policies and receive training.

Kamutsas said the state will continue to monitor the Alachua County School Board until it complies with state directives intended to protect free-speech rights of meeting participants and to ensure transparency. "The State Board of Education delivered clear and formal directives to you, Chair Rockwell and Vice Chair Certain," he said, adding that department staff were present to monitor future meetings. He also said Vice Chair Tina Certain publicly questioned the legitimacy of the State Board's findings at a September…