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Rawlings Elementary Assistant Principal moved to Talbot Elementary after committee finds that he violated ACPS policy by removing pants during a weigh-in

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dr. Dakeyan “Dr. Dré” Graham, former Assistant Principal at Rawlings Elementary and Director of Educational Equity, has been moved to the Assistant Principal role at Talbot Elementary after an employee at Rawlings reported that she felt uncomfortable when he removed his pants during a weigh-in at the end of a weight loss challenge. Graham is also on probation in Hillsborough County after pleading to reckless driving with alcohol as a significant factor after a February 2024 arrest on a DUI charge. Graham was Florida Teacher of the Year in 2020, and, according to his email signature, he is the Conductor and Musical Director of the Alachua County Youth Orchestra.

According to a report filed by an investigator hired by Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS), Rawlings Elementary held a “Biggest Loser”-style weight loss challenge between August 12 and October 4, with prizes for the top three “losers.” The weight loss challenge was organized by a clerical assistant in the school’s main office.

“I was in shock and I didn’t know what to say.”

The employee reported to her supervisor that on October 4, the final day of the challenge, Graham came in at about 7 a.m. to weigh in; she said she followed him into the school’s clinic, where the scale was on the floor, facing the back of the clinic. She said Graham removed his shoes and jacket, and then he unbuttoned his jeans and placed them on the clinic cot. In a written statement, she said, “at this time my mind was thinking, maybe he has on work-out clothing on [sic] underneath, as his pants were completely off it appeared as a man’s undergarment.” She said she squatted on the floor to read his weight off the scale and then recorded the weight. She wrote, “At this time Dr. Graham put clothes back on quickly and walked out of the clinic.” She said she was busy all day, but the incident bothered her, and she decided to “bounce it off” her supervisor.

In a written statement, her supervisor wrote that she asked the employee to come by after school, and the employee came to her office at 1:55 p.m. The supervisor said the employee told her that when Graham got on the scale, “I was in shock and I didn’t know what to say.” The supervisor wrote that the door to the clinic was open the entire time and the scale was not visible from the hall. She wrote that there were “no students or anyone else in the clinic, and no one walked in during the incident… [T]here were no suggestive words or inappropriate gestures from Dr. Graham. There was no eye contact or anything that would suggest an alternative intention. Per [the employee], ‘he seemed to think that he was in a doctor’s office and that this is just what you do at a doctor’s office. It was very innocent and without any action or words that would make me think otherwise.'”

Supervisor found action “inappropriate”

The supervisor said she told the employee that Graham’s action was “inappropriate” and that the incident needed to be reported to Exceptional Student Education Director Kathy Black. Black was not in her office at that time, but the supervisor wrote that she reported the incident to Black about 30 minutes later. Together, Black and the supervisor contacted then-Superintendent Shane Andrew, who told them to report it to Human Resources, and they did that.

Graham: “Having been an athlete who weighs in before competitions, when cutting weight this has been the protocol for final weigh-ins.”

The investigator reported that he interviewed Graham, who said he had gone to the clinic at about 7:10 a.m.: “I distinctly remember before any students were allowed on campus.” Graham said participants only weighed in once, at the beginning and the end, and this was the final weigh-in. He said he was the first to weigh in, so the employee was not set up yet, and she went to get the scale. Graham said several others were in the main office and were talking about the weight loss challenge before he entered the clinic. He reportedly said, “I stated that I was going to do a proper weigh in and removed articles of clothing to weigh the least.”

Graham reportedly told the investigator that while chatting with the employee, he “removed articles of clothing leaving on my undergarments. Having been an athlete who weighs in before competitions, when cutting weight this has been the protocol for final weigh-ins.” He said he lost six pounds, and they talked about his weight loss while he was putting my clothes back on.

The investigator asked specifically which articles of clothing he took off, and Graham reportedly responded, “My jacket, my shirt, my jeans, my shoes.” The investigator asked which articles of clothing remained, and Graham reportedly responded, “My socks and my undergarments… My boxer shorts.”

When the investigator asked why he took his clothes off, Graham reportedly responded, “To maximize my weight loss and to do what I know to do for final weigh-ins when cutting weight.”

Graham disagreed with the employee’s statement that she squatted to read his weight and said she did not. He said the employee did not indicate that she was uncomfortable: “We continued to have conversations as I was taking my clothes off and it was a joking, casual conversation… If she felt uncomfortable, all she had to do was tell me and I would have stopped if I was making her feel some type of way.”

Office employee: “She would jokingly be like take off your shirt or your pants… everyone laughed and was like well your clothes do make you weigh heavier.”

An employee who works in the office said she was in the office when Graham came to weigh in and said she and other employees weighed in after Graham. She said she was standing “Up against the wall inside the clinic” when Graham weighed in, countering other witnesses who said Graham and the employee who recorded the weight were the only people inside the clinic. She also said the employee who recorded the weight “would say take off whatever you need to do your weigh-in. She would jokingly be like take off your shirt or your pants… everyone laughed and was like well your clothes do make you weigh heavier.” The office employee also said Graham only took off “his shoes, blazer, and walkie-talkie,” also countering other witnesses, including Graham’s own account that he had taken off his jeans.

Graham later submitted an “additional detail” that “I was the first to weigh-in on the morning of the 4th of October. This is a significant fact to reinforce that the weigh-in area was not set up upon my entry into the clinic.”

Investigations Review Committee: “probable cause for disciplinary action”

The investigator found that the Investigations Review Committee had to determine whether or not a preponderance of evidence indicates that Graham violated two school board policies:

  • 1210 – [A] district administrator shall “not engage in harassment or discriminatory conduct which unreasonably interferes with an individual’s performance of professional or work responsibilities or with the orderly processes of education or which creates a hostile, intimidating, abusive, offensive, or oppressive environment; and, further, shall make reasonable efforts to assure that each individual is protected from such harassment or discrimination. “
  • 1362 – Anti-harassment (full policy here)

The committee met on October 31 and “found that there is probable cause for disciplinary action against Dr. Dakeyan Graham.” The committee recommended a written reprimand and reassignment, and according to a reassignment document, he was moved to the Assistant Principal position at Talbot Elementary, effective November 15. The reassignment document notes that this is a “lateral move: location change only.” According to the document, Graham makes $75,224 per year.

DUI arrest leads to plea on reduced charge

Graham, formerly the ACPS Director of Educational Equity, was assigned to Rawlings Elementary beginning July 1, 2024. He was arrested in Hillsborough County for driving under the influence on February 3, 2024, with two breath samples reportedly measuring  0.125 g/210L, well over the legal limit of 0.08 g/210L. On September 10, he entered a plea of nolo contendere to reckless driving with alcohol as a significant factor, a reduced charge, and was sentenced to 12 months of probation with adjudication of guilt withheld. Additional conditions of his probation include being evaluated for alcohol abuse and obtaining treatment if recommended, no possession of alcohol or illegal drugs, and a prohibition on visiting any location whose primary source of income is from the sale or distribution of alcohol. He must complete 50 community service hours and a victim impact panel, and his vehicle was impounded for 10 days. When we asked whether ACPS had conducted an investigation of his DUI arrest, the response was, “There are no other investigations on Dr. Graham, active or otherwise.”

  • Reassigning an already troubled employee in an underperforming school, to the exact same position in a well performing school is 🐴 💩. While I’m not convinced the man actually did anything wrong (aside from being stupid enough to remove his pants in front of a female employee) he has a decent track record of poor choices in the recent past. Keeping him in an administrative supervisory position and moving him to Talbot is inept, though I expect nothing else from SBAC.

    • This reported ‘violation’ is BS. That said, if he didn’t remove his pants at the beginning of the challenge, he took unfair advantage of a free couple of pounds loss (1/3 of his total 6 #). BTW, why was an Asst Principal wearing jeans instead of business wear?

      • He is always in business wear every morning I would see him. Dressed professional. I never saw him in anything casual. You’re just going by what the article wrote 🙄

  • Awkward story. He said he removed his pants, witness said he didn’t? Appears innocent enough unless there’s more to the story.
    Do high school weight lifters and wrestlers remove their clothing for official weigh-ins prior to meets? If I remember correctly, years ago they did. I must say, that’s when people knew what locker room to use.

  • So, he got a DUI and he gets a second chance…Fine. Just a few months later, he strips down to his boxers in a school clinic and gets reassigned to another school even though the school board found that he violated 2 board policies? Weight loss challenge or not, totally inappropriate, showed poor judgement and just plain creepy!

    • Alachua County School District Administrator, Kathy Black currently who was fired by the previous superintendent Dr. Simon, only to be rehired by the (ACSB) then Ms.Black retired for 1 year only once again to be rehired by her friends the (then) Superintendent Shane Andrew and the (then) (ACSB) chair Dyonne McGraw. Let’s mention again this 82 year old Administrator is unqualified for the position that she has held for decades. Shame on the Superintendents and the (ACSB) for allowing this type of corruption.

      While you want to air out Dr. Graham’s off the job misfortunate DUI along with him dropping his pants to get weighed, why has it never been mentioned that Ms. Kathy Black hit a civilian while driving years ago. Ms.Kathy Black who is currently the Exceptional Student Education Director for the 2nd time is not Dr. Graham’s supervisor it is Dr. Edwards.

      • 🤣 Ms. Black unqualified? She’s got more qualifications than you have excuses.
        You may want reexamine the real qualifications of the so-called superintendent who removed her from her position. While you’re at it, look at the others who were also removed from their positions during Ms. Simon’s stint. There’s a commonality amongst them and it wasn’t their inexperience.
        Something tells me you’re still upset Trump won the election.

  • Sounds like a highly enthusiastic employee who took the challenge, and perhaps his position as a leader of “the team” at Rawlings, too seriously for the moment. His responses to the inquiry ring as authentic and his behavior suggests no attempt to act in an overt or covert sexual manner. Poor judgment, ok. But a major disciplinary event… seems a bit reactionary. The offended employee seemed a bit uncertain herself about whether this rose to the level of a complaint. No criticism of her. I’m glad that she reached out to a supervisor to discuss. This teacher seems to have an extraordinarily strong record of caring about our kids (Florida Teacher of the Year). Maybe we should weigh that against these moments of poor judgment.

    • About the DUI… “no possession of alcohol or illegal drugs”….maybe there’s more to the DUI story than what we’ve been told.

      He should not have undressed down to his underwear in front of the woman employee for the weigh in… not appropriate at all!

      Stupid is as stupid does and we already know he did something stupid with his DUI and glad no one got killed with that stupidity…

      He should be terminated from employment with the ACSB, not transferred to another school.

  • Was he found to have used his position to “influence” the witness’ testimony or was another supervisory person responsible? Isn’t the Principal at Rawlings the same who used to be at Archer? One would think she would step up in one way or another to offer her testimony if she hasn’t already.

    I find it odd that a witness contradicted Graham’s, (and other witnesses), testimonies. It would be very enlightening to know who that witness was and their level within the district. They may have been trying to protect Graham at the expense of the person who reported the alleged policy violation.

  • Doctor of what? Did he do this in his first weigh-in? Nothing makes sense about this man. I don’t even care about DUI. Thankfully he didn’t think he was there for a prostate exam.

  • For someone who worms with students, it seems discernment for what is appropriate couldnhave been exercised. Don’t put yourself in these types of situations and don’t blame someone for your actions.

  • “she felt uncomfortable when he removed his pants during a weigh-in at the end of a weight loss challenge. Graham is also on probation in Hillsborough County after pleading to reckless driving with alcohol as a significant factor after a February 2024 arrest on a DUI charge.”
    Great hire guys and instead of dealing with him, you just shuffle him off to another school? Are you afraid to deal with him?

  • One would hope this incident would make it abundantly clear that this is not a person who belongs in an administrative position but of course, alachua county has a history of ignoring red flags when it comes to administrators. For those who take this incident lightly, as his friend Stella did, I hope you realize that it is one in a pattern of behavior for this troubled individual that displays poor judgement and decision-making. If you wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his next incident, you shouldn’t want this person in any type of position of power. At this point, it’s not a matter of IF there will be another incident involving this man at Talbot but WHEN.

  • Not trying to start sex wars over this, but “boxers”? Compared to what is now accepted street wear by women – I’m not complaining, mind you!

    “Yoga pants”?

    Give me a break. The woman who complained about this should be reprimanded.

    • What you said is definitely true but doesn’t apply to this. As a professional in a school setting, expectations are higher than regular “street” attire. No one needs to be seeing all that at a school, from a man or a woman.

  • THIS is why ACPS has the issues they have. They focus on the wrong stuff, and TARGET the wrong people. The EDUCATED, DEGREED, PROFESSIONAL, HARD WORKERS, WHO SINCERELY GIVE A DOGGONE ABOUT THESE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE FRAGILE BABIES OF THE EAST SIDE, are the employees that appear to me to be the individuals most under appreciated and devalued and granted absolutely no grace and respect…. Something so innocent and what appeared to be a gesture of team building and comaderie turned into a stained reputation… I, however, see a silver lining in all of this because Talbot Elementary could definitely use some diversity throughout their hallways, and I think the best place to start is within their Admin team… Talbot is receiving a highly decorated, and knowledgeable addition to the Tiger family… ALL backgrounds of students can now be represented a little better within the school, including BROWN boys and girls and that is BEST FOR STUDENTS 🤎

    • Team Building? WOW! If I removed my pants at work, I would be fired on the spot. Team Building! LOL

  • All Politics are Local and that has nothing to do with “TRUMP”.

    The way (ACSD) and (ACSB) treat professionals is abhorrent. You’re fired! Where is this coming from? Television? If any one of them took a look at themselves and their possible criminal records from the past, they might need to be careful how they judge others. Anyone can look at the Alachua County Clerk of Court records, and type in the former (ACSB) Chair Diyonne L. McGraw, the two time elected board member.
    Mrs. McGraw has a slew of cases come up where she is the defendant. Not small charges for someone who was appointed to (ACSB) Chair and to be an example for our school children, with having bad check charges, battery on law enforcement and so on.

    (ACSD) and (ACSB) has failed (us) the parents and our children with their inconsistent years of continued dysfunction, the entire Alachua County School District is full of corruption and has been for decades.
This is heart-wrenching for our children that suffer educational demise under this bizarre corruption by the entire Alachua County School District System.

    This is what needs to happen, the Governor needs to come in and replace the (ACSB) and clean house starting from the top to the bottom with correcting the decades of corruption within the entire Alachua County School District.

    The former Superintendent, Shane Andrew and the (ACSB )are known for hiring their unqualified friends and family members and placing them in administrative positions. They are known for appointing unqualified staff, also rehiring unqualified staff in Administrative positions, such as the fired, rehired, retired appointed ESE Director, Kathy Black; also the appointed Chief of Equity, Dr. Antwanique Edwards.
    Dr. Edwards was a guidance counselor then appointed to an assistant principal, lastly Dr. Edwards was appointed to her current position as Chief of Equity. Allegedly she was appointed and moved four steps up without interviewing.

    Ms. Black and Dr. Edwards have appointed and hired unqualified supervisors.
    However these individuals need to be completely factchecked to attest the truth and validity of their leadership licensing and leadership certifications because they work directly with our children. An audit needs to take place. There should be an official financial examination of each individual accounts, they all need to be thoroughly investigated and immediately removed from their administrative and supervisors positions and terminated.

    • What students do they work with directly? Even at the lowest performing school in the district, they are not present or working with any students. The problem is that they DON’T work directly with students. They sit up in their fancy offices in their nice expensive chairs and pass the time while the real workers in schools are putting out fires day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute. If they ever do step foot in a school (maybe once a quarter at most), it’s just to come in, judge, and critique without ever saying anything constructive or helpful at all. They NEED to come in and work with students. Pull small groups. Provide extra interventions. Something! They don’t provide anything of value to students or teachers.

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