Board pays tribute to Joe Idilette Jr., longtime local school leader
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Summary
The superintendent and Idilette family members acknowledged the life and work of Joe Idilette Jr., who led local education efforts and helped desegregate county schools; the board dedicated the boardroom in his honor in 2018 and family members spoke at the meeting.
The board paused its agenda on Oct. 30 to recognize the life and legacy of Joe Idilette Jr., a long‑time local education leader who died earlier in the week. Superintendent Michael Moore described Idilette's service: elected as the first Black member of the Indian River County School Board in the 1960s, serving multiple terms as chair, representing Florida at the state school board association, and filing legal action in the 1960s that contributed to desegregation in the county.
A family member, Jennifer Idilette, thanked the board for honoring her father and recounted his commitment to equality, education and community service. "My father believed deeply in the power of education to transform lives," she said, and the family expressed comfort that his legacy was remembered in the district boardroom that bears his name.
Why it matters: The tribute recognized a local civil‑rights and education leader whose work shaped district governance and access to equitable schooling in Indian River County.