Rockwell apologizes for “cruel and flippant” Facebook comment
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County School Board Chair Sarah Rockwell has issued an apology for her recent Facebook comment about Hulk Hogan’s death: “Oh did Hulk die? I didn’t even know. Good. One less MAGA in the world.”
In a post on her School Board Member page, Rockwell wrote,
“A few days ago, I made a cruel and flippant comment from my personal Facebook account on a friend’s post regarding the death of Hulk Hogan. I deeply regret making that comment and have since removed it. I want to make it very clear that I never have and never will wish harm on anyone regardless of whether we share political views. While I strongly disagree with some of the comments Hulk Hogan made, that is no excuse for my comment.
“I also sincerely apologize for the way my comment has eroded confidence in my ability to represent all students, families, and staff in Alachua County. I want to assure all of you that the best interests of our children and our public schools are at the center of everything I do as a board member. I hope I have shown that by my record of advocacy for children, families, and staff members throughout Alachua county.
“Again, I apologize for the hurt and distrust I have caused with my insensitive comment. I will continue to do the hard work of putting our children and schools first. I hope that I can earn back your trust.”
That was a nice apology, but she should resign. She has lost her ability to govern. For the sake of the kids in the district, she needs to let someone else take over to advance the district.
The sake of ALL kids in the district, and ALL the schools.
Not just those she and Certain think are most important.
What part of the apology you thought was nice? The Moron did it because she got caught and feared backlash. There was NO sincerity in that BS Apology.
I concur. The damage has been done, and she can never erase her statement. This is a lesson for all public officials.
Most of you here complaining voted numerous times for our odious and toxic president, which means you know he is an endless cesspool of lies, insults, bragging, and bullying without dignity or self respect. But, you are so offended by Rockwell, who does have the decency to apologize.
You have no standing in this debate if you voted for Trump.
That’s just YOUR opinion, thank God it’s the minority opinion.
Which seems to echo Miss Rockwell‘s sentiment that political opponents are better completely silenced.
That’s “Tu quoque” (aka “whataboutism”) for those at home who are playing Logical Fallacy Bingo.
You are an idiot, sir. I think it is funny how people continue to drive a wedge between political parties. Got nothing to do with who voted for who.
You have stage 4 TDS. Say what you want about Trump but the bottom line he works his butt off and has the stock market at record highs, new more advantageous trade deals, stopping the proliferation of atomic weapons and recognizing that men pretending to be women are still men. Open your eyes and realize your party has lost complete touch with reality and the American people.
I don’t think Hulk is too concerned about it right now. The rest of you should grow up.
Maybe his family is
You are trash
Maybe Hulk isn’t concerned but conservative parents who have conservative kids in that district should certainly be concerned.
Growing up is speaking up but I’m sure you’ll figure that out when you grow up.
You should’ve apologized and resigned at the same time. I personally do not want you supervising anything. My children learn it may be only one vote, I can assure you damn sure won’t get mine.
As abhorrent as this woman is, I think she should keep her post. Because in a democracy you are who you elect. And this is who Gainesville has become, sadly enough.
Not to put too fine a point on the matter, but our system of government is a Constitutional Republic, not a democracy, no matter how many times someone says otherwise.
The one good thing she can teach students right now is that actions have consequences.
To put an even finer point on it, we are a democracy too. A constitutional republic is a form of representative democracy.
And a moon buggy is technically an automobile– but there are significant differences as to when you’d apply one or the other.
Tell us about those significant differences anonymous, and why you mimic this BS right wing talking point. You do realize I hope that all national and regional democracies in the world are republics and so you are pumping a straw dog. Maybe you are upset about town meetings in New England – I’ve been to one – but I can’t imagine why.
You only apologized because you got caught you ment what you said dems usually do and you made it political it’s sickening how you can claim to love children and say horrible things about someone’s death you should do the right thing and resign
she can earn back what little trust I had in her if she just quit.
She can earn back my trust by stepping down. She showed her true colors and no one who shows that type of hate and vitriol towards her political opponents should be in charge of the education of children.
It doesn’t matter that she apologized. She only apologized bc of backlash. Only the lowest kind of human being talks down about a recently deceased person. She does not need to be around children, or other people in general. VERY TRASHY.
Resign or fire her.
She remains disgusting and tone deaf.
I don’t like her and likely never will…. but I will give her credit for apologizing.
You forgot to say, apologizing because she gt caught.
If she were your banker and embezzled a million dollars, but apologized for it, would you trust her ever again?
too late damage is done .Sounds like the confession of a killer.
RESIGN OR TERMINATE!
Her heartfelt apology came only after it started trending in the national news, and thousands of responses were recorded. It feels like it’s too little, too late, especially given your often radical left positions. While your seat is non-partisan, your attitude and demeanor are not. You now have the opportunity to take the only truly respectful action: resign from this board, as you have caused considerable harm.
My mama used to say, “when you lay with dogs, you get fleas”. Maybe she should choose better friends. Ms. Jackson is toxic.
You have proved that you have hatred in your heart and no respect for people that represent a certain group. To be a public official you have to respect all people and represent them. This is not the representation that Alachua County wants or needs. Time to resign and move on.
When these people are faced with consequences for their actions and been caught in the frying pan. They are quick to say they are sorry. At least until the time they overload their mouth before loading the brain. Unfortunely she is too late on an apology. What she said has damned any person who doesn’t agree with her view and outcast them in the name of her silly politics. Resign……
🤦To all of you Moron HYPOCRITE maggots:
⚠️Where was your concern when your Vile, Rapist, Conman Fake Dictator Chump made awful comments about Democratic Lawmakers that were killed in MN ?
☮️Where was your maggot concern when your Vile, Rapist Conman posted graven images of himself as the Next Pope ?
🌹And, Chump SHOWED LITERALLY NO RESPECT AT POPE FRANCIS MEMORIAL.
🤦Where oh Where Moron, Slimy maggots was your Concern when Chump applauded Nancy Pelosis husband being attacked ?
✴️Their are thousands of times the maggots SHOW NO EMPATHY or CONCERN for Democrats Crossing Over.
🔆Yet, you slimy moron maggots now have THREE MAIN Articles Posted on this A.C. Site.
✨Even your sick, vile Fuller had to throw in his drawings which are NOT ART.
☝️HYPOCRITES ALL of you !!!!!
🤬Go drink more maggot Koolaid & worship your graven image Chump !
🥽Hell holds a Special Place for maggot cult members worshipping FALSE IDOLS KNOWN AS Chump.
✨Referred too Articles:
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/17/trump-walz-phone-call-00410141
https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2023/09/29/trump-mocks-hammer-attack-on-pelosis-husband-in-incendiary-speech/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrg8zkz8d0o
Your so-called apology is too little, way too late. The “cruel and flippant comment” you made about the death of a human being—regardless of politics—is not just a lapse in judgment, it’s a reflection of deep-seated contempt and absolute unfitness to lead.
Your words were not a private mistake; they were a public disgrace. They demonstrated a complete lack of empathy, professionalism, and basic human decency. No amount of posturing about your “record of advocacy” can erase the fact that you celebrated the death of someone simply because you disagreed with them politically.
Let’s be clear: this is not about a single Facebook comment. This is about the culture of arrogance and hostility you’ve brought into your role—one that is unbecoming of anyone entrusted with serving all students and families in our community. This is a prime example of the complete contrast to the so called “inclusivity” you preach to Alachua county.
The trust you speak of is not yours to earn back. You lost it from at a minimum of 49% MAGA voters the moment you revealed who you really are. If you had any genuine concern for the integrity of the board or the well-being of our students, you would RESIGN immediately.
For the sake of our schools, our children, and the reputation of Alachua County Public Schools, step down now.
Well said. As a former teacher in this district, I found her comments to be very telling of her attitude towards people. She should never be allowed to be a decision maker for our children.
RESIGN, Sarah!
School Board Member’s Code of Conduct and Ethics:
School Board members in Florida are expected to adhere to a code of ethics that emphasizes maintaining professionalism, honesty, integrity, and impartiality in their dealings.
The code also states that school board members should not harass or discriminate against any student or staff member based on political beliefs, and they should avoid creating a hostile or oppressive environment.
Your comment regarding Hulk Hogan’s death I’m sure was honest, but crushes three key elements of school board members code of conduct. Professionalism, integrity, and impartiality. You failed on all three! The mental gymnastics you displayed in your apology doesn’t solve the real issue. Resigning is your only option to make Alachua County School Board whole again. Voting you out is not an option, because you have destroyed the trust in many of your students and parents. Students and parents just don’t move on, when trust is lost. Resign, or i’m sure Alachua county will see an increase in home school students!
I concur!
2 lidl 2 layt
I will be calling the school board Monday asking for your resignation. As a former student of ACPS whose nephews currently attend school in the county, I am heartbroken. You showed your readiness to discriminate against students who hold a different belief from you when you made your comment. You took the time to sit there and type out MULTIPLE comments, not once stopping to think “hmmm someone in my position probably shouldn’t be posting something like this publicly.” If someone in your position can’t make a rational decision to not make a comment like that, then you are not qualified to be making decisions on behalf of the precious children of Alachua County. Resign in disgrace NOW. Our children are not safe with you in charge.
Sorry. Too late. To say these things publicly, you are thinking them. Not leadership in your position. Resign.
As a parent, if she founds out one of her students admires or supports Trump, then i really wonder how she would treat he or she.. she definitely needs to resign or get fired.
So does she only care about the children with leftist parents that agree as she does? That’s what she essentially said….shame
My kids are in Clay County but this woman must be removed. She is filled with hate and I assure you if she hates MAGA then she hates the success of this country now. She is the problem in the United States and should never be able to hold a position that is to be neutral of politics or racism of any kind. This woman is racist at heart and her hate shows. Anyone who hates MAGA is a racist. Read the definition of racist and ethnic group. She is a racist.
So if someone dislikes MAGA as an entity, that makes them racist? I don’t think we have an understanding of what racism is then. I can dislike the comments, fake principles, and tactics that many who represent the MAGA side of “Conservatism” says and represent. I can dislike some of the individuals who say those comments. Me disliking the people who represent those views and what they say, does not make me dislike them because of their race. I dislike them because of what they represent. Racism is disliking or hating someone irrationally on the basis of their RACE. Those aren’t even remotely similar. You can choose your political ideology. You cannot choose your race.
MAGA is not an ethnic group. MAGA is a political ideology. The two are not even remotely close.
MAGA is a cult.
Nice apology but you eroded the confidence of most families, those with any common sense, a long time ago.
She posted that because she not only really, honestly FELT that way, but also because she thought it was funny. What kind of human trash thinks it’s funny to talk ill of the dead, just because you don’t agree with them politically? This is disgusting. Resign.
She needs to lose her job and be banned from ever being involved in education again.
Dont resign, maga never would! Also crocodile tears for your racists great white hype ? His daughter disowned him
This is so silly. So it’s ok for Trump and his cult to say literally anything and it’s ok but she says this and it’s the end of the world. Good grief.
The point is her position and the code of ethics she pledges to uphold when she is voted in. If she was a random person then fine, but she is the Chairwoman of the School Board. A nonpartisan position. She is supposed to be someone who will advocate for all students. Flippantly making a public comment like that that clearly shows her bias towards a certain group of students is inappropriate and unethical. I don’t care what she says in her private conversations or on a private account but it’s the fact that she so blatantly let her bias be known in a very public setting without regard for the position that she holds. She has completely eroded trust that she would advocate for all students without bias. Per the ACPS code of conduct, that is grounds for termination.
To be clear, I don’t think it’s ok for anyone to say something like that. If it were reversed and the same was said in the context of Kamala voters, I would be calling for that person’s resignation as well. The position calls for nonpartisanship in decision making.
A lot of people care. She’s the head of the Alachua County School Board. She said she was glad he was dead. She should resign or be removed immediately.
These comments are literally THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
The only thing she’s sorry about is getting caught.
You’ve already revealed your true nature, apology or not. You should resign.
Time for the state of Florida to take over this school district,ACSB is quietly destroying it.
Local level commies see everything about their own career upward mobility. Rockwell is most upset losing the Dept. of Education, not the fact education itself got worse nationally since it was established. Except in Florida, the top state in education now. Thanks to the proto-MAGA voters of this state — the people who prevent her upward mobility from here. She’s stuck and bitter 💩👹
She looks like Roz from Monsters Inc.
Let’s focus on the actions, please… as we should with everyone.
This is an insult to Roz
The Moron is only apologizing because her mouth cashed a check that Bounced. Nothing won’t happen to her and she won’t be admonished for it. She showed her disdain not only to Hulk, but for the Close to 80 Million People who voted for President Trump. And that’s the problem with our current Education System electing & hiring activists to run our schools to indoctrinate our children. So she can take her BS apology somewhere else, because we see through it. Again only apologizing because she got caught.
Since when does a 12 year-old run a school board? I’ll take “Only in Alachua County, Florida” for $3.
Here we go again… It’s funny how certain people are allowed to make hateful comments and it be considered freedom of speech. Her comments were not only against Hulk Hogan for his political views but she personally attacked him as a “bad person” as if she knows him personally. If I’m not mistaken, her comments were defaming his character. We all have the right to freedom of speech. But as my mother would say, if you can’t say anything nice about someone then you need to keep your mouth shut. As far as I’m concerned, Sarah Rockwell’s platform should be used to do good things not used as a platform for her personal attacks, therefore I believe she needs to be reprimanded in some way if not fired, as her apology means nothing just like her negative comments against another human being. Her apology is only to keep her job. Unfortunately with our Alachua County School Board there is no accountability. There’s a shocker…..
YOU NEED TO GO. WITH ALL YOUR WOKE POLICIES. TAKE YOUR BS TO GAZA WHERE YOU BELONG.
She needs to find a job bartending, after she loses about 80 pounds.
Like any of you are any better than her,get a life ,without a cell phone or computer you all would be lost,you are all Boring disgusting humans
I hear that! Wonder if you’d be willing to tell that to the panhandlers?
Resign you bigot!!
She’s full of crap! Lying that she never has or will wish harm on anyone due to their political views. She certainly did in her post on social media. People like her do not need to be in jobs like she has. Karma should visit her, and I’m sure it already is.
All but children from MAGA families right?
Hey, Gainesville is facing an audit next week from a complete political hack – our state CFO – who tried to pass legislation making being a Democrat illegal – that actually happened! I’m waiting for his apology and will never get it.
Move on
Party sends kudos for at least trying to defend the indefensible. But from a practical standpoint, if she doesn’t resign, my guess is she’ll be removed.
No one is defending what she said, including Rockwell. If she resigns or is removed for this, in a fair world she would be the 1st of hundreds.
Cry me a river, Jazz.
Lot of people are waiting to replace her.
And yet you would vote for the freak gillum.
TDS and DDS are showing again Jazzy. You need to take your meds everyday as prescribed.
What a self own.
SB 1248 – is 1 page.
It specifically never mentions the democratic party at all. Not once.
It simply says that the division of elections should immediately cancel the filings of ANY political party ” if the party’s platform has previously advocated for, or been in support of, slavery or involuntary servitude”
So I’m very happy you are correctly linking the democratic party with the support of slavery.
Democrats held pro-slavery positions in their platforms during the conventions of 1840, 1844, 1856, 1860 and 1864.
The new CFO, who will soon be digging up the arse of a low iq city hall, wanted a specific party to face up to their past.
You are correct, you will never get an apology.
Maybe you and your party should.
She deserves a hulk hogan leg drop after a clothesline from a 22” python
We are tired of this face mask pretending to be legitimate. RESIGN NOW!!!!
Thank you for your apology. I know you will continue to work hard for our schools despite the continued barriers and challenges the State continues to impose.
My children got a fine education from our Alachua County public schools and we need to continue to give all our students that opportunity too.
Did her husband write this garbage?
You must agree with her.
LMAO! What a post! She hates anyone who doesn’t think as she does, and I’m Certain she wishes they were all dead as well!
Soon though, it will be the SBAC insolvency that will be a headline!
Parents, get your kids out of ACPS now and spare them further hate and loathing from SBAC and District Admin! Watch ACPS sink when more funding disappears due to their practice of running a drop off daycare center for soon to be criminals!
I don’t believe you Rockwell…you’re a liar hiding behind a mask. You’re a despicable person. Saying you’re sorry doesn’t make it better.
Typical emotional unstable liberal She doesn’t mean this apology she’s only doing because of the negative press this is who she really is an angry commie who hates everyone that isn’t a fellow traveler. It’s hard to believe a person who deals with special needs and disabled kids is so hateful and discriminatory. No it’s not because she’s just your average purple haired barista that hates America.
Your apology is accepted. But does NOT excuse your behavior. You displayed a cruel and flippant side of your true self. We all got to see it. Whatever ‘good’ you may think you have done or do is irrelevant now. As a representative of our children much less our schools youhave failed. You can only be looked at under suspicion from here on out.You should be fired, removed without benefits as due.
That is how this needs to end.
Statistically, about half of the parents and kids she deals with belong to a group she apparently would be happy to see go away….
More than half. MAGA has the majority here in Florida
This woman should be forbidden from being on the school board. Her vile comment should not be forgiven and reveals how she truly feels in her heart. Keep her away from other people’s children.
A partisan hack has no place in children’s education. What a disgrace and an exemplar of what democrats and teacher’s unions stand for
Fire her and never allow her near our children again. She is not a good example of how people should act.
You are an insensitive liar. Your true colors outshine your request to apologize, which is your fake narrative to regain the support that you do not deserve. Like all fake hypocrite democrats, you represent the epitome of the fake losers you truly are.
I weould suspect that she really does mean what she said and that the ONLY reason she is apologizing is because she was outed. We DO NOT need people that will take enjoyment in others suffering because they do not agree with them. I call on Ms Rockwell to resign her position.She does not exemplify what Anerican ideals.
Her resignation would put an end to her “cruel and flippant remarks” as well. Her ability to govern with the beat interest of ALL students has proven to be deeply troubling. Anyone who makes such a crass and heartless statement should not be in her position.
Too late. The voters already saw her initial nasty comment.
she wrote, “ever since I was a tiny girl he creeped me out.’ Ha, you were NEVER a tiny girl, just a tiny brain and absolutely no empathy. I hope you are fired and barred from your pension. And, hey, eat a salad every once in a while.
Not very attractive. She got the short end of the stick when it comes to looks!
Not relevant to her actions.
This is the first time I’ve seen her face without the diaper, I mean, the mask. Shame on her.
Wow..just wow… hope that you truly regret what you posted. That is shameful for any to post..much less an elected school bored member..
Not too worried about what she said. Who takes advice from a fat dyke??
To think, Rockwell’s claimed focus is children with special needs.
FOD , ” F” off and you figure out the letter D.
Well, even within her ‘apology’ (if it can quite be called that), she’s stating that she’ll ‘always’ be buried in seeking what’s in “the best interests” of those school children. That’s nothing more than manipulation, through the use of words. For example, who decides what exactly qualifies as ‘in the children’s best interests’?? Regardless of how many of the parents might be horrendously opposed to have cross-dressers read books to their children, in school; if she feels that that’s (somehow) in their best interests, she’ll pursue it – while defending her work as just that, “in the children’s best interests.” What a crock of huckey, she’s ATTEMPTING to disillusion people (especially those parents within her school district) with. If one throws something at a wall & it sticks, doesn’t automatically make it a properly cooked noodle (i.e. fecal material that’s used as fertilizer, or compost – for that matter, could also stick to a wall ).
The damage has been done and whats really in her heart has been exposed. What kind of a human are you to be ok with a death of a person how insensitive.