School Board Member Says Deerlake Teachers Fear Retaliation from Administrator Julie Lawson

School Board Member Says Deerlake Teachers Fear Retaliation from Administrator Julie Lawson

UPDATED

The Leon County School Board has informed Tallahassee Reports, that after an investigation, Ms. Striplin’s complaint against Ms. Lawson was unsubstantiated.

Deana McAllister, Director Labor and Employer Relations, wrote in response to Ms. Striplin’s formal complaint that ” it has been determined that your complaint is unsubstantiated and does not meet the threshold for the district to take formal action.”

Original Story

Tallahassee Reports has obtained a copy of the complaint filed by Leon County School Board Member Alva Striplin against Deerlake Assistant Principal Julie Lawson.

Recently, TR reported that Striplin confirmed a complaint was filed and that “Ms. Lawson should conduct herself in an ethical and professional manner as outlined in LCSB policies 3210 and 1210, towards all District employees.”

The complaint details a personal altercation that took place on the Killearn Country Club golf course.

Striplin writes that while playing golf Lawson approached her and her family in a “physically and verbally aggressive manner, videoing us with her cell phone, and expressing her opinion that she hoped I was not re-elected…”

Lawson’s brother-in-law, Ricky Bell, is currently listed as a candidate for Striplin’s school board seat.

Striplin also writes in the complaint that since the altercation, “two teachers personally reported to me she acts in this irrational and threatening manner towards them at school, but yet they feel there will be severe retaliation if the behavior is reported.”

Striplin says that three additional teachers at Deerlake have shared similar stories and are looking for employment elsewhere.

TR will update this story when more information is available.

8 Responses to "School Board Member Says Deerlake Teachers Fear Retaliation from Administrator Julie Lawson"

  1. Steve
    Please do a story chronicling the ethics violations of Mr. Hanna and the refusal of the school board to act on these infractions. Time and time again, it has been proven that without the media school systems will not act. In addition please investigate if anyone withheld information that would have exposed and caused Mr. Hanna to pay child support sooner than 10 years after the fact. The corruption and rule of Mr. Hanna and those around him can only be exposed by a highly skilled reporter such as yourself.

  2. This is so typical of politicians letting others do their bidding. I am sure Rocky laughed about this to himself. Look at what happened to Woody Hilderbrandt…once caught he tried to get folks to listen as he was not alone in the crimes committed….but Rocky had move clout, more valuable ways to persuade. You get what you get when you vote for those with questionable backgrounds.

    1. Admitting to Hank Coxe that he had NO first hand knowledge of ANY wrongdoing sinks the whistle blower protection sought by Mr. Hanna. Mr. Hanna admitted in the words above to Hank Coxe that he willfully broke numerous ethics policies. Will the school board take it upon themselves to act with the fiduciary responsibility that is required of them by the oath of the office they took?

  3. We need a new School Board. They are all friends and pons of Mr Hanna. They will never challenge him. When we lost board members Crumpler and Van Camp we lost common sense and wisdom.

  4. striplin is nothing more than a spoiled brat acting out in a temper tantrum – her “leadership” at BB BS should also be evaluated – if her board members were in United Way meetings when she has her little “hissy-fits” they too would know better

  5. Big Sisters Big Brothers organization needs to evaluate the mental health of Striplin,don’t need a loose cannon leading at risk youth. Power play against the sister in law of her future opponent,she shall lose.

  6. Hold on. According to Ms
    Striplin, the teachers at Deerlake fear Ms. Lawson? Will somebody please read the affidavit Ms. Lawson provided detailing the events/harrowing events with Rocky Hanna, including the monetary settlement. Ms. Lawson is that one who is and must remain fearful and vigilant.

    First, Mr. Hanna took advantage of her. Now Ms. Striplin is attempting to ruin her reputation.

    The facts are clear about the ethics violations of Mr. Hanna and his closest associates, read into the school board records. Ms. Striplin refuses to act on the proven ethics violations of the Superintendent but she instead tries to ruin the reputation of a person who is already in fear of retribution from Mr. Hanna.

    Based upon her actions toward Ms. Lawson and her willful neglect of duty to act on the ethics violations of Mr. Hanna, Ms. Striplin should consider stepping down.

    Ms. Striplin since you are determined to look into ethics violations look no further than the Superintendent. You did not seem to care when he demoted two principals without due process (one whose father in-law ran against Mr. Hanna and the other who was never placed on a mid year improvement plan), or when when he non-renewed staff who would not switch alliance and allegiances to him during the campain, or when he appointed 5 associate superintendents without any interview process. Your own attorney Hank Coxe, stood before you and said Rocky Hanna admitted he no knowledge of wrongdoing when he and Woody Hilderbrandt put together a notebook that cost taxpayers almost $600,000 to investigate. Every contract that Rocky used in his notebook when he wrote a misleading summary was approved and signed off by the school board attorney.

    If you really want to bring up ethics and enforce policies start by taking on the Superintendent.

  7. I know Ms Lawson she taught my child in her early years with LCS at Montford Middle School. Ms Lawson is fair and honest.
    This smells like dirty politics on Ms. Alva’s part and who knows or even cares about their argument earlier on a golf course.

    But wait there’s more. It’s also got an element of the green eyed monster of jealousy.

    Just take a look at Alva’s picture my peeps…no disrespect intended but Alva’s kind of old and dried up looking. Now Ms Lawson, on the other hand, looks like a fashion model.

    If Alva ever says that she’s not jealous of Ms Lawson good looks and that Ms Lawson’s good looks is not a prime motivator behind Alva’s hater war against Ms. Lawson…then Alva’s lying.

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