McLeod: School district dysfunction has led many employees to quietly hope for state intervention
Letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
Alachua County Public Schools is facing a crisis—and it’s not just about funding. As of June 24,
there were at least 25 open Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teaching positions, with 10 in
high schools and 15 in elementary schools. This is not just a staffing issue; it’s a moral and
operational failure that endangers the quality of education for our most vulnerable students.
Meanwhile, the shortage of teachers in core academic subjects persists. Yet, despite being
cited for irregularities (click here for Alachua Chronicle’s October 2024 article), the Human
Resources Department remains virtually untouched by recent district-wide budget cuts. That’s
not oversight—it’s negligence.
We have reached a boiling point. While classroom teachers, bus drivers, aides, and
paraprofessionals suffer pay reductions, layoffs, and unsustainable workloads, the very
department responsible for recruitment and retention has been shielded. The district no longer
hosts job fairs, once a cornerstone of teacher recruitment. At the same time, overtime is being
eliminated, and hours are cut. How can a school district with such profound personnel deficits
continue to operate under these conditions?
Paraprofessionals are especially under attack. An ESE Para II with an Associate Degree earns
just around $16 per hour, and many have been demoted to part-time. How is a family supposed
to survive on that? These professionals serve as the backbone of inclusive education, yet their
compensation reflects anything but value. Meanwhile, there is a troubling shortage of speech
pathologists, further undermining the district’s commitment to students with disabilities.
Even more alarming, ESE bus drivers and aides receive inadequate training, and deans and
behavioral staff are not adequately prepared to support students with exceptional needs. The
neglect of inclusive education is most visible at schools like Sidney Lanier and those with
behavioral issues, such as A. Quinn Jones, which continue to operate without oversight or innovation.
Students with disabilities are still segregated from core classes despite alternative state
assessments and the presence of paraprofessionals—a structural failure, not an issue of ability.
Inclusive academic integration is not a fantasy—it’s a proven model. Countries like Italy
successfully integrate students with disabilities into mainstream classrooms with the support of
specialized teachers and adapted materials. Districts like Miami-Dade demonstrate that
effective leadership and a focus on student well-being can coexist with inclusion and happiness.
However, Alachua County has received significant funding but has shown no results, indicating
a lack of infrastructure, policies, and progress. They utilize the One Mill funding for art, music,
and teachers, but why not create and promote programs for learning American Sign Language
or incorporate occupational and speech therapists as part of their offerings?
Implementing such programs would enable high school students to support those in need,
cultivating compassionate and resilient individuals who treat others with equality and respect.
There is a critical shortage of American Sign Language interpreters, and schools could develop
effective programs as part of their Magnet and Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings.
This way, high school students could gain credits in special needs education while preparing to
become educators in the future, ultimately cultivating a more compassionate and welcoming
community.
Instead, the district has become consumed by ideological agendas. Some parents have raised
concerns about preferential treatment for LGBTQ families and children. A recent example is the
letter sent by the Florida Attorney General reporting parents’ concerns about their children being
placed in the same cabin as those who do not identify with their biological sex, which they say
violates their rights and favors a minority group that has received preferential treatment in
Alachua County Public Schools to align with these agendas.
These are serious issues that require transparency. Board member Sarah Rockwell—who once
wore colors of solidarity—is now silent. Tina Certain and Leanetta McNealy, meanwhile, are
firmly entrenched in their positions, more focused on consolidating power than on student
outcomes. Their negligent and sabotaging conduct as school board members has caused
extensive damage—damage that, in my opinion, can only be reversed if the State of Florida
takes over the district.
Many employees quietly hope for state intervention, not out of disloyalty but out of
desperation—to be seen, heard, and allowed to work without fear of retaliation. They are
exhausted from being bullied and ignored by high-level staff at the district level, who fail both the
children and the system. These officials are not committed to equity or education—they are
there to boost their pensions and protect their egos. They talk about fairness and access but
deny it through their daily actions. It’s hypocrisy, and it’s damaging our schools.
How is it possible that the head of the Department of Educational Opportunities and Outreach is
not advocating for a job fair aimed explicitly at hiring ESE teachers and support staff for
students with disabilities? What exactly are they prioritizing—skin color, income level? Aren’t all
students vulnerable in some way, and don’t they all deserve equal access to a quality
education? This silence is not just disappointing—it’s unacceptable. Where is the outreach for
those who need it most? And how can a superintendent—charged with leading an entire
district—turn her head away from something so basic and crucial as staffing the personnel who
serve children with the greatest needs?
Board dynamics compound the problem. HR leadership has shielded underperformers while
attacking high-performing white staff and protecting less capable black employees, often tied to
internal alliances and personal loyalties. Superintendent Shane Andrew lost his job due to the
incompetence of people he thought were allies, who Diyonne McGraw supported at the time.
However, he found that they could not meet the basic standards of their roles, and many of
these issues remain unresolved.
Teacher and support staff shortages contribute to worsening behavioral and academic problems, yet the
board approved cuts to critical personnel while spending thousands on rebranding their websites.
Meanwhile, other departments, such as zoning, operate with minimal staffing and barely
function. How is this defensible? How is it sustainable?
What the public may not yet realize is that, in the coming weeks, the district will continue losing
essential staff at both the administrative and specialized levels, as a direct result of this ongoing
dysfunction. Dr. Patton may have underestimated the cost of protecting underperforming
employees while overlooking those who have worked diligently and delivered results. By
allowing a culture where inefficiency is rewarded and excellence is ignored, she has triggered a
domino effect among high-performing staff. Many are now walking away—not because they
want to, but because they finally see that merit no longer matters. And that, unfortunately, won’t
count as a win on Dr. Patton’s leadership record.
I urge Superintendent Patton to heed a historical warning: remember Roger Clemens, who
retired from Major League Baseball in 2003 with honors, only to return and become entangled in
the steroid scandal. Though ultimately acquitted on all charges and cleared in court, his
reputation was damaged beyond repair, costing him a spot in the Hall of Fame. Once public
trust is compromised, even vindication cannot restore what is lost. Superintendent Patton must
act decisively—and fairly—before the damage becomes permanent.
As long as the community allows individuals like Rockwell, McNealy, and Certain to influence
this district, we will continue to see bias and distorted outcomes. The Human Resources
Department needs to be assessed, especially after the deficiencies were identified by the State
last year.
Let’s be clear: the academic achievements celebrated this school year belong to the students
themselves, their families, and the dedicated teachers who believed in their potential, not to the
school board members or high-level district administrators who now try to take credit for that
success. Shame on those who claim credit while sustaining dysfunction. These victories were
earned despite the system’s flaws, not because of it.
Education should never be a political playground. This is not about optics or ideology. It’s about
children, families, and the professionals who serve them. If school leadership continues to look
the other way, it is not only the district that will collapse, but the future of every child it was
meant to protect.
Fiona McLeod, Gainesville
The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Assertions of facts in letters are similarly the responsibility of the author. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.
All of this is true! Thank you for writing this letter!
As a veteran teacher of over 20 years, I applaud this writer for speaking what all us can’t say.
Wow. That is a lot to unpack. If even half of this is true, and I have no way of verifying it, it really is a shame. Our children and public servants deserve better.
Sadly, not going to get it in this country…..look at who the consistently elect. It will only get worse.
I came to Alachua from South Florida, having learned and taught in Miami-Dade County and Palm Beach County. Teaching in Alachua County is so much more stressful. The expectations of admin are unrealistic and they are so rigid in exactly how and what they want you to teach. There is no academic freedom for teachers. I have worked for many admin in my 10 years in Alachua County and they have all been the same so that makes me think it comes from district leadership. It results in teachers just teaching to the curriculum. It is boring. It is ineffective. And it is uninspired. This district has beat the fun out of teaching and learning. Kids are acting out because there is nothing better to do in school. And parents are realizing their kids are safer and learn more outside of our public schools.
AMEN! I’m a retired teacher here in Alachua County. I saw what happened in my own classroom when kids got bored. Off-task behavior happened.
Don’t forget Vu. He’s no better.
I taught for 35 years, 31 in Alachua County, and the arrogant entitled attitude of county personnel was one of the primary reasons I finally retired. Unless you’ve been in the classroom you have no idea how brutal it can be. I could only manage two more years after the covid shutdown and I’ve been told by my friends still teaching that that the system continues to decline.
I retired from Clay County public schools & moved here when my grandchild was born. I thought Gainesville would have a first class school system—BOY OH BOY was I wrong!!! My son & daughter both have UF Masters in Ed. They might as well have saved the tuition money & all the effort of working their way through! They have taught at a few ACPS & in various grades, but it is all the same. How come outlying counties earn better grades from the state??? There are so many problems in this school system, it is NO wonder there has been a revolving door in the superintendent’s office—what a cash cow!! AND teachers laugh about employees who are incompetent are moved to the County Office.
I once heard a former coworker say “The district office- where ineffective or unpopular principals go to await retirement.”
Parents must realize that the IEP (Individual Education Program) is a legal and binding document and they must demand that their child(ren) get the quality services that they were promised. No exceptions. Sadly, children with complacent parents finish last.
IEP’s are also part of the problem. All of the individual learning and teaching takes away time from others. They expect way too much from teachers.
JE: We shouldn’t have to fight tooth and nail to get the services and support guaranteed in our children’s IEPs. It’s exhausting enough raising a profoundly autistic child without having to beg and plead for an IEP to be followed. You say “complacent” but I say “overwhelmed.”
IEPs and exceptional Ed personnel should not be main way to educate your children. Teaching starts at home. ACPS is a babysitting service. The respectful students are mostly gone to private schools. One of the best teachers ACPS has ever seen left and started his own school, which is now bursting at the seams. Sadly the students that are still left are the ones that need help the most but probably won’t get it in ACPS. Use your voucher and pull your kids out.
Yes, teaching starts at home, but for those of us with profoundly autistic children, we rely on these professionals, who work patiently with our children day in and day out.
We often don’t have other options than public school for children with significant disabilities. I don’t want exclusion as much as I want fully staffed self-contained classrooms
So, you’re saying that children with IEPs, special needs and/or those in need of Exceptional Education teaching are all behavior problems? And that the “respectful students” aka those who don’t have IEPs, challenges, disabilities and needs have left because of the “others.”
What an incredibly baseless, ignorant overgeneralization to make. No wonder why you don’t want to identify yourself.
NEWS FLASH.
Parents and Children don’t ask to have challenges and special needs. But they have just as much right to their free and appropriate education, IEPs, 504s and special education and services as you do to your elitist, ableist, ignorant opinion.
Of course parents should be supporting their child’s learning at home, however don’t forget that parents pay thousands of dollars in taxes to support the public school system and some of us also break our backs on a regular basis, providing classroom support, supplies etc even when we don’t have the means to do so.
At the end of the day, Teachers signed up to do a job, knowing very well that it has always been underfunded and poorly resourced mostly everywhere. That is something they need to take up with the district, State Department of Education etc. NOT take out on children and use as an excuse to not do their jobs.
Enjoy your Narcissistic, delusional existence.
When I think back on years of raising students and teaching in the county, I see the golden years as those under (superintendants or assistants to the superintendant) Sandy Hollinger and Karen Clark . What made them successful was a combination of competence, compassion, and emotional stability . What they lacked was outsized ego, and school boards that exhibited the grandstanding, narrowly focused, ethnocentric approach of the past few years. The voters who refused to even show up for these board races are ultimately to blame.
The Alachua County public school system is fundamentally flawed, with certain school board members acknowledging their ineffectiveness. Rather than addressing systemic issues, the school district administration appears to be targeting highly qualified African American men with PhDs, causing irreparable harm to their professional reputations and livelihoods through malicious intent and falsehoods. Meanwhile, African American students within the community and public school system lack basic literacy skills, which is deeply troubling. Reflecting on my educational experience, I recall participating in weekly spelling tests from first grade onward, practicing penmanship, reading aloud, and learning to construct coherent sentences with proper punctuation. While my affinity for reading and writing was initially fostered at home, it flourished in the classroom environment. It is disheartening to witness the dysfunction within the public school system, where the school district administration seeks to destroy the livelihoods of professional, educated African American men with PhDs through false accusations, rather than acknowledging and promoting them within the public school administration. Meanwhile, the current state of education in 2025 is alarming, with African American students from third to twelfth grade struggling to write complete sentences, relying heavily on devices for spelling, grammar, and critical thinking, and being unfamiliar with writing their own last names. This raises concerns about the potential obsolescence of traditional writing skills and the long-term implications for future generations. It is imperative that we revert to foundational skills such as reading physical books, writing with pencils, and learning to spell without reliance on devices. While this begins at home, it must be reinforced within the school system. We cannot afford to stand idly by as an entire generation falls behind. I am genuinely concerned about the consequences of inaction.
I am glad to see they didn’t just promote someone because of a few PhDs after they proved to be ineffective in their position and lacked basic self-control and professionalism because that usually is the way of this district.
She’s correct in that there is too much emphasis placed on electronics being put into the hands of primary students. All K- 2 students now have I Pads. Many can’t write and stay within the lines of the handwriting paper that they are asked to use. The classrooms have become too electronic too early.
My son, a white elem. ed. teacher respected the one PhD. African American Superintendent he worked under, I will definitely say; however, there were some issues/mistakes/errors made that were totally wrong & unnecessary.
Concerned Wife makes some good points, although a bit of editing could enhance them. Regarding the struggles with basic skills; My grandchild in another district has been miseducated in fundamentals also. The school is teaching mostly with sight words, hence kids struggle to sound out unfamiliar words. Our student prefers to guess after the initial consonant.Many parents are supplementing at home, or teaching with other approaches.One can not assume kids are grasping the basics in class. If the child is well behaved, the teacher might not notice struggles. I don’t think ethnicity has anything to do with it.
Yalls don’t get it. We needs the chuckle cheese chestnut football extravaganza so Dat the peeps can hangout and not be shooting up the parks.
“Education should never be a political playground. This is not about optics or ideology. It’s about
children.”
Sorry, but I suspect it’s too late to save our public school system.
It has already been corrupted by the incompetent and politically motivated.
Only viable options remaining are homeschooling, private school,
or charter schools.
Please avoid hitting the Return key next time. We aren’t using typewriters.
The state has alreday intervened. It’s taking money from public schools – by the way, the only schools required to provide the type of teachers the writer says are understaffed.
Jazzman you’re really gonna melt down when the state is actually forced to take control of the school district like they did with GRU. Corruption has consequences.
If public school enrollment is declining — due to various factors — why wouldn’t funding decline too?
JK, given that no special needs students will be leaving the public schools, which are the only ones required to teach them, and given that school facilities will still need to be supported, declining revenues will increase problems and failures. This of course is the goal of the state GOP which opposes our nation’s long tradition of public schools.
State funding to all FL Counties is based on student population. Now, ALL parents can choose a private school for their child’s education, and take their state funding with them. Sadly, taxpayers in AC continue to approve the extra 1 Mill for schools and it is totally mismanaged by current ACPS District and SBAC leadership!
Public schools must take steps to retain their student population, or start taking action to closely manage their student based state funding (close and consolidate schools; reduce funding for employees not directly involved with student safety, transportation, and of course teachers).
ACPS needs leaders (District and SBAC) who are willing to make tough decisions regarding recurring problems such as discipline, rezoning, teacher pay, transportation, and on and on! ACPS/SBAC needs leaders whose interest is in student education and safety! That has not been a priority in AC for quite some years now.
Spot on with your letter. As long as racists dominate the SBAC there will be no change. As long as the so-called leadership at Kirby chooses to read the politically biased desires and demands from one group, there will be no change.
As long as the progressive liberals continue to dominate local elections, there will be no change.
Thanks for your letter.
Maybe if the board and admistrators were required to substitute teach one day a week, they may better recognize the value of teachers and staff.
Knowing them, they’d probably call in sick that day.
Excellent letter! The only thing I’d like to add is this district does nothing with its students that have disabilities and then wonders why they aren’t making progress! You cannot throw a student with a 69IQ and multiple handicaps into Gen Ed room with 20 students and 30 minutes of support a day and expect they will make grade level progress! Our son was in an Academic VE unit with a small class size and a full time aide with the teacher in South Florida for reading and math where he was doing great! He was mainstreamed for all other classes. We moved here in 5th and he was lost and miserable! I didn’t blame the teacher, what could she do? I was told that they didn’t have those type of units here. We pulled him out and are homeschooling him. They do not have choices for parents of students with disabilities whose students need more help. Where is the continuum of services as required by law?
What happened to PL94-142 (least restrictive environment)? I thought the ESE kids were mainstreamed decades ago.
100%. Andrews let the AKAs take over with no experience and ran out everyone who knew how to do their job. This 11 month employee instead of year round employee is just a front to steal money from hardworking employees while still making them work basically the same amount of time but for less money.
Still, another reason for democrats to be proud.
Agreed they fire high performers and those who care about the kids. They got rid of a high performing coach at Buchholz high school who poured his heart to his job. This coach was exceptional and highly professional. He performed his job with integrity and placed the students needs above his. Yet that was not an enough.
The only coach I heard got fired at Bucholtz was some assistant track guy. But my son said he was a total a**hole that the kids and parents hated him. Which coach are you talking about?
Most kids and parents love him. I have been around this team for a while and have seen it. My son and his family friends love him.
I wholeheartedly agree. Our school board is filled with hacks and ideological zealots.
We as tax payers are in the dark like mushrooms as to the dealings that go on at our school board office. Having someone in the know has shocked me as to what I hear and see. Recently employee’s that have been with the school board office zoning department for years received evaluations on the morning of they’re shift. The evaluations were great evaluations. That same day, in the afternoon, they were released/fired for the great job they were doing. This is not the only incident. This office needs to have accountability. If the leadership at the school board office is making these types of decisions for the office employees, it makes me uncomfortable for the decisions they are making for the schools and our children.
They probably got fired because the powers that be expect them to make chicken salad out of chicken excrement and it’s clearly impossible.
They all know zoning and rezoning is super contentious. Maybe if they actually worked over the past two decades to make it less contentious, they would have fewer families leaving.
Sorry your people got fired. They could hire the top zoning people in the country and it will still be a pile of chicken poop. The powers that are on the dais are a stubborn bunch though
2024-2025 SBAC voted for a $2M increase in the 1.00% voter approved additional millage vs 2023-2024. SBAC also reported a total of $162,498,154.00 (an increase in excess of $9M from 23-24) of total Millage Revenue for 24-25. That is money from property taxes, in addition to what homeowners pay to the city and county tax collectors! It is not being spent on Students who come to school to learn, or Exceptional Needs students!
Data is available on the ACPS website under finance department.
For years now (since 2016 at least, the year syncs with the election of Certain longtime SBAC members) the majority of SBAC members have been successful in a plan to draw down student population through mismanagement; sending serious learners to private schools, while still providing drop off daycare services for their constituents who reelect them in appreciation for this free service!
Soon, school closures will be announced, as ACPS student population continues to drop and the remaining (inmates) run the operation!
I’m Certain, a great name for this plan would be “Operation Fleece The County!”
They won’t consolidate and close schools on the east side because Certain members won’t let go of “busing for socioeconomic diversity.”
That’s probably why they haven’t requested impact fees to build to match development. If there aren’t overcrowded schools in the west, how can they justify busing westside kids to the east?
Then they tell you you are “rAcIsT” if you don’t want your kid bused away from your nearby school or if you don’t want your kid attending a school with a reputation of lack of respect for teachers and bad behavior