Seminole County Public Schools has suspended a Lake Brantley High School science teacher and is investigating alleged political statements made to students during instructional time regarding the election results. As a result, Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the school district requesting the superintendent require the teacher to comply with district policies and Florida law that prohibit teachers using their official position to politically influence students.
According to reports from parents and students, the teacher disparaged President-elect Donald Trump both before and after the election telling students that people of color will be “deported” over the next four years.
“If you are not white, you are going to be in trouble over the next four years as far as the living situation of the United States, and I’m not kidding,” the teacher told her classroom. “They’re talking about deporting people, and if you’re from Central America, they want to deport you. If you’re from South America, they want to deport you…He’s talking about deporting Black people back to Africa. I don’t know why he thinks they have any place to go when you guys were born in the United States, most of you.”
Liberty Counsel’s letter notes the teacher specifically told students:
- “Trump hates Black people and women.”
- “Black people will be deported back to where they came from.”
- “If anyone is recording, they will write her or him up.”
After several students and parents informed school administrators about the teacher’s political comments, school officials stated they are investigating the matter of potentially inflammatory remarks being discussed outside the teacher’s scope and authority.
“After an initial review of this matter, we have forwarded the concerns to the Office of Professional Standards, and the teacher has been placed on temporary administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into these allegations,” the school said.
In the letter, Liberty Counsel stated the District’s Board Policy 3232 prohibits teachers from expressing any political advocacy or opposition in the classroom to influence students.
“Here, [the teacher] used instructional time to express her disdain of President-elect Donald Trump. [The teacher] did so in a manner that dissuaded her students from discussing their religious or political viewpoints of President-elect Donald Trump. For instance, when [the teacher] threatened to “write up” any student that recorded her, she signaled to the class that they must listen to her viewpoints and that no other viewpoints would be tolerated. Not only were comments about President-elect Donald Trump untrue and exaggerative, they were unprofessional and improper. [The teacher] was clearly trying to impose her political beliefs upon her students, while creating an atmosphere that stifled opposing viewpoints. [The teacher] violated this District’s own policies, state law, and the Constitution,” wrote Liberty Counsel.
Liberty Counsel’s Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “The Lake Brantley High School teacher clearly crossed the line by attempting to force her political opinions upon students. Teachers cannot use their position to force their political propaganda. What this teacher did to her students has no place in the classroom.”
