JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An investigation is underway and a Duval County teacher has resigned after she was removed from her classroom.
Thursday night, several videos were emailed to First Coast News and other media outlets, showing what appeared to be a teacher exposing herself in a empty classroom. First Coast News notified the district immediately.
Just after 4 p.m. Friday, the district confirmed a San Jose Elementary fourth grade teacher has resigned after being reassigned. The DCPS board member representing San Jose, Cindy Pearson, confirmed there was "impropriety" involved.
“I think, you know, they're moving in the right direction, being expedient. I think that it's coming a little too late. But it's going in the right direction," parent and former Douglas Anderson teacher, Claire Proudfoot, said.
Proudfoot has been critical of the district's delayed response in removing two former Douglas Anderson teachers.
Jeffrey Clayton, who pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a student. And Christopher Allen-Black, who was arrested and accused of exposing himself in a Walt Disney World Hotel.
“Why was there no transparency with Christopher Allen-Black? Why did it take them a month and a half to remove him from the classroom if they knew about it?" Proudfoot said.
Thursday, Florida Department of Education Commissioner, Manny Diaz, sent a letter to interim superintendent Dr. Dana Kriznar. He said the handling of Allen-Black and other accusations of teacher misconduct is unacceptable.
Diaz said Kriznar had five days to respond with ways to fix the issues.
Florida State Senator Clay Yarborough told First Coast News if DCPS does not address the issues the state has “no choice but to step in and make necessary changes," and “potential courses of action are already being explored.”
Proudfoot believes Friday's removal of the San Jose teacher is a positive step, but a lot more work must be done.
“A little, little too late for all of this, but in the right direction,” Proudfoot said.
There is now both a police and district investigation underway pertaining to these allegations. We are not the naming the teacher because we cannot independently verify the video and she has not been charged. We have reached out to the teacher's union and have called and messaged the teacher. We are waiting to hear back.
Pearson's full statement said: "We are again faced with an issue of employee impropriety. I am eagerly awaiting Dr. Kriznar’s plan to address these issues. Please note that the poor choices of one employee should not detract from the work of the other staff and the success of the students at San Jose Elementary."
Yarborough's full statement said: "Community concern is at fever pitch over sexual-related issues involving teachers and students in Duval schools and the ongoing lack of transparency by the district. How do we know more children are not being harmed or exposed to inappropriate behavior as we speak? Who is district leadership attempting to protect by refusing to release findings of the investigation that was initiated one year ago? Why is DCPS choosing to act as influenced by the City and willfully keeping the truth hidden from parents? Enough is enough. Public confidence in DCPS' ability to act in the best interests of students is hitting new lows. It is becoming clear that some are prioritizing the hiring of a new Superintendent, plus this year's School Board elections, as more important than immediately protecting children. The deliberate delay is only further cementing the belief that the issues must be worse than we realize. If DCPS continues this reckless trajectory, then for the safety of our children, the State has no choice but to step in and make necessary changes. Potential courses of action are already being explored."
First Coast News will continue to follow the investigation.