Parents, teachers and students press Alachua board on ICE access, curriculum, and alleged staff misconduct
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the board to strengthen protections against ICE entry without warrants, questioned curriculum content, and one speaker publicly alleged predatory behavior and possible financial misappropriation — calling for a formal investigation.
Public comment at the Alachua County School Board’s Dec. 16 meeting covered a range of community concerns, from student safety and curriculum to allegations that district staff have engaged in predatory behavior and financial irregularities.
Several speakers asked the board to revise district guidance on immigration enforcement to require law-enforcement or immigration agents to present warrants and identification before entering school campuses. Jessica Racksteen, a teacher and parent, urged the board to require warrants and ID and pointed to other Florida counties that have such requirements. “I strongly believe that it's legal to put in forth some basic protections,” she said, naming Broward, Brevard, Hendry, Hernando, Hillsborough, Polk and Miami-Dade as districts that require warrants or ID.
Students also spoke. Holden McNeil, a Gainesville High sophomore, said the district’s ICE guidance had chilled attendance among immigrant students and noted there is no withdrawal code for “self-deportation,” which he said could depress attendance and graduation statistics. He urged the board to protect students and preserve CTE/CAPE funding oversight by teachers.
In the most serious public comment, Gregory Myers — a Gainesville resident, parent and veteran — alleged he had witnessed “abhorrent predatory behavior” and said he had reported incidents to school leaders without effective follow-up. Myers also said he had uncovered documents suggesting large-scale financial misappropriation and demanded a full investigation and immediate safeguards for students.
The board’s public-comment statement and attorney reiterated that the board receives comments impartially and that disruptive conduct is not allowed; no formal investigative action or vote was taken on Myers’s allegations during the meeting. Members and staff acknowledged receipt of the concerns and the superintendent invited documentation for follow-up. “I stand ready to present my documentation to anybody who’s willing to cooperate,” Myers said during his remarks.
What’s next: The meeting record shows the board and superintendent were asked to follow up on several of the comments — notably ICE policy language and any documentation relating to allegations of misconduct and financial irregularities — but no specific motions or investigations were initiated on the floor at the meeting.
