Duval parent claims teacher attempted to organize anti-DeSantis protest with middle school students

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — A middle school science teacher has resigned from his job after parents discovered he was planning to organize an anti-DeSantis protest with a small group of students.

One of those student’s parents is speaking out, claiming the teacher put his daughter’s educational future at risk.

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DCPS has confirmed a Mayport Middle School teacher resigned after attempting to organize an anti-DeSantis protest with a small group of students.

Mike, who asked to remain anonymous, told Action News Jax his daughter was one of the students involved.

“She asked if she could do tutoring after school for about an hour,” said Mike.

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But Mike said things took a concerning turn last week.

“That night she asked me if she could take her softball bat to school. That was where something switched in my head,” said Mike.

Mike says he told her she couldn’t bring the bat.

The next day he said he received a phone call from the assistant principal explaining his daughter hadn’t been receiving tutoring for science, but political activism.

“They were going to go into the library where the books are currently covered with parchment paper that’s been painted over and designed by their art department at the school, destroy something in there and then put up a protest sign,” said Mike.

Mike claims the teacher came up with the idea, planned to film the protest and post it on social media, but his plans unraveled when a student came clean to their parent.

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We attempted to reach the teacher via phone, Facebook and at his home, but we got no response.

We’ve also attempted to corroborate many of the details of Mike’s story with the school district, but we only received automated responses from DCPS communications staff telling us they’ll return after Spring Break.

Because we didn’t hear back from the district, Action News Jax has chosen not to name the teacher in question in this story.

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Mike said it’s his understanding the teacher already planned to leave his job and had nothing to lose, but he argued his daughter didn’t have that same luxury.

“The plan ultimately was for these children to take the fall for a political statement for this guy and he was gonna exit with absolutely no accountability,” said Mike.

Action News Jax has also asked the school district what, if any, penalties the teacher could face.

We’ll update you as soon as we get a response.

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