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 meeting and then posted an inflammatory social media comment after a recent memorial, and that, to his knowledge, "there has been no apology issued by Vice Chair Certain." He concluded, "I'm determined to change the culture of intimidation and neglect of duty here in Alachua County."

The commissioner's remarks were followed by a reminder from the board attorney about public-meeting decorum. Attorney Delaney said reasonable decorum is required at board meetings and that disruptive behavior may lead to removal; he also noted the board's public-comment policy is available online. "The school board encourages speakers to focus on issues and constructive input," Delaney said.

Public comment that followed the formal agenda reflected sharply divided views. Several speakers backed the board and Vice Chair Certain, saying the state is overreaching. Jane Spear, a longtime meeting attendee, told the board to "continue to be reasonable and retain your commitment to supporting and protecting all students" and urged the board not to "over comply." Several others, including student speakers and community members, said they saw the board as defending inclusive schools.

Other speakers and the commissioner framed the issue differently. Rok Aboujo Day, a resident who addressed the board during public comment, said broad protections for private speech must be preserved and called state actions "political theater" that risks chilling dissent. By contrast, some speakers told the board the commissioner's intervention was warranted given the board's record.

The State Board of Education's earlier direction to AlachuaCounty, cited by Kamutsas, ordered updates to the board's First Amendment policies and required board training. Kamutsas said the State Board used its oversight authority at an August meeting to issue those directives and that department staff would observe future local meetings. He also said he expects to ask Vice Chair Certain about her social-media comments at the State Board's November meeting.

The board did not take a formal action in response to the commissioner's remarks during the Oct. 7 meeting. The conversation and the public reaction illustrated continuing tensions between local board members, state education officials and community speakers over the district's policy on speech at meetings and the limits of state oversight.

Looking ahead, the State Board's monitoring and the scheduled November State Board meeting were identified by Kamutsas as likely next steps in the state's oversight of Alachua County. Attorney Delaney reiterated available decorum policies and said the board's public-comment rules are posted online for reference.