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Public split at Leon County School Board meeting over board member’s social-media post; many call for apology or resignation
Summary
At the Oct. 28 meeting, roughly two dozen public commenters and Commissioner Stasi Kamutsis criticized a board member’s social-media post about Charlie Kirk, calling for apology or resignation; other speakers defended free-speech rights. The board made no formal move on discipline and proceeded to approve policy changes.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Public comment at the Leon County School Board’s Oct. 28 meeting centered on a controversy involving board member Daryl Jones and a social-media post that multiple speakers said described conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “racist, misogynist, homophobic Klansman.” Commissioner of Education Stasi Kamutsis opened the public-comment portion with a broad rebuke of local leadership, saying the district “continues to demonstrate a need of improvement in leadership” and urging the board to “hold one another accountable, prioritizing students and teachers, and restoring public confidence.”
Speakers were sharply divided. Louis Vasquez, who identified himself as secretary of FSU’s Turning Point USA chapter, told the board: “Mr. Jones, apologize. And if you wish to preserve your dignity and the dignity of the Leon County School Board, do what is right and resign.” Tessa Niemeyer, also with Turning Point USA at FSU, called the words used in the post “serious accusations that inaccurately reflect Charlie Kirk’s character” and asked Jones to “consider the severity of his words and apologize.”
Other speakers framed the episode as a free-speech issue. Rita Taylor said defending free speech is “not about silence” and urged the board against punishing expression. Michael Price, a pastor, told the board that “Mr. Jones was elected by the people to represent them” and warned that removing an elected official for private speech risks curbing constitutional protections.
Several commenters warned of practical consequences if the controversy continues. Scott Olsen said parents might remove children and take “dollars away from Leon County” if the board does not respond to community concerns; others said the dispute distracts from the district’s work on teacher retention and student services.
Chair Cox addressed the room near the end of the public-comment period, reiterating a balance the board faces: officials have a right to speak but “it doesn't come without responsibility,” and elected leaders should avoid divisive statements that “isolate a whole group of people.” The board took no disciplinary motion during the meeting; after public comment it moved on to consent and to a series of policy votes.
Why it matters: The exchange put scrutiny on a locally elected board member’s private speech and on how district leaders respond — a dynamic that attendees said affects trust, enrollment and teacher morale. The meeting illustrated a common pattern in local governance: deeply felt community values, competing views about free speech, and no immediate formal remedy other than public pressure.
The meeting continued with the superintendent’s report and a slate of policy approvals; no board action on discipline or censure of the member was recorded before adjournment.
