Commissioner of Education files administrative complaint against GHS teacher

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Education Stasi Kamoutsas has filed an administrative complaint against Gainesville High School Social Studies teacher Lauren Watts, alleging that she allowed students to disparage another student and discriminated against that student for his political beliefs.

Kamoutsas is asking the State Education Practices Commission to “impose an appropriate sanction against [Watts’s] educator’s certificate,” which may include a written reprimand, probation, a restriction of the educator’s authorized scope of practice, an administrative fine, enrollment in a recovery program, suspension of the educator’s certificate, revoking the educator’s certificate, determining that the educator is ineligible for certification, or barring the educator from reapplying for some period of time or permanently.

As detailed in our article on a letter issued earlier today by Attorney General James Uthmeier, Watts allegedly allowed other students to call Crystal Marull’s son a Hitler sympathizer and even told the class that a student in another class had made a similar observation about Marull’s son. The student was then reportedly called to the front of the class to receive a certificate naming him “Most Likely to Become a Dictator,” and Kamoutsas alleged that this was “based on comments made by [Marull’s son] that [Watts] interpreted to be conservative in nature. [Watts’s] conduct embarrassed and disparaged [Marull’s son].”

Watts was placed on administrative leave earlier today, according to Alachua County Public Schools Public Information Officer Jackie Johnson, while the investigation is conducted.

The complaint alleges three statute violations:

• Section 1012.795(1)(d), Florida Statutes, “in that [Watts] has been guilty of gross immorality or an act involving moral turpitude as defined by rule of the State Board of Education, including engaging in or soliciting sexual, romantic, or lewd conduct with a student or minor”;
• Section 1012.795(1)(g), Florida Statutes, “in that [Watts], upon investigation, has been found guilty of personal conduct that seriously reduces that person’s effectiveness as an employee of the district school board”;
• Section 1012.795(1)(), Florida Statutes, “in that [Watts] has violated the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession prescribed by State Board of Education rules.”

The complaint also alleges four rule violations:

• Rule 6A-10.081(2)(a)1, Florida Administrative Code, “in that [Watts] has failed to make reasonable effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the student’s mental health and/or physical health and/or safety”;
• Rule 6A-10.081(2)(a)5, Florida Administrative Code, “in that [Watts] has intentionally exposed a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement”;
• Rule 6A-10.081(2)(a)10, Florida Administrative Code, “in that [Watts] has harassed or discriminated against a student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination”;
• Rule 6A-10.081(2)(b)1, Florida Administrative Code, “in that [Watts] has failed to take reasonable precautions to distinguish between personal views and those of any educational institution or organization with which the individual is affiliated.”