Sarah Hembree, a principal at Leon County’s Cobb middle school, recently addressed the controversy over the Parental Rights in Education legislation and the role of parents in education in a Facebook post.
Hembree wrote that teachers “want to decide what they teach in their classroom based on the needs of the students in front of them.”
“I am SO TIRED of being told we don’t know what we are doing or that we are messing with parents’ rights”, said Hembree.
Hembree addressed parents directly, “Today I say – Parents, Quit pushing for stupid bills and getting in our way…schools are going to do what’s best for your students in spite of you..”
The Parental Rights in Education bill was signed into law by Governor DeSantis at the end of March.
Tallahassee Reports recently published a story about a Leon County elementary school teacher who posted her views on parental rights and gender issues.
Cobb Middle School Principal: Parents are “Getting in Our Way” added by Steve Stewart on
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It’s loud mouths, like this bimbo, that give Leon county schools such a bad reputation. Then they stick out their hands, asking for a raise. Go pound sand! It’s the silence of the teachers who don’t believe in this progressive curriculum that is deafening. Speak up!
Heros? During the covid scare it was teachers that ran scared. The protested and whined about having to go back to the classroom where it was better for the kids. The real heros were medical workers and people that worked in stores supplying you with your needs. They didn’t have the luxury of staying home. They had to face it head on. So you need to step off. You should be grateful that parents care enough to want to be involved in their children’s lives.
teachers are not “professionals” at all, they are unionized employees who want what is best for themselve – not other peoples’ children. teachers work fewer hours than most workers and they get paid more per hour than many genuine professionals. teachers should be paid less because of their lavish benefits, vacations, healthcare, job security and pensions this principal is likely overpaid and just speaking to her base, the so-called teachers get rid of the principals like this and the unions to reform education
Someone tell this principal.
“Parents trusted you to teach, but then they found out you were trying to groom their children. YOU BROKE THE TRUST and now you are paying the price. You need to shut up and quit whining. You did this! Not the parents!”
May is MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
This is very sad to see what is going on with LCSB, TEACHERS, POLITICIANS and others. They should ALL be required to have BACK GROUND CHECKS every six(6) months and also go back to special school and be retrained/trained on what their job positions qualifications were/are. The Bickering should be stopped. What about our children? We are losing our children.
There are many homeschooling programs from which to choose. There are secular programs, religious programs, programs for different grade levels. You can purchase a complete program and receive a high school diploma upon graduation. You can purchase individual courses and get a GED.
You do have to pay out of pocket which I think is unfair but may be way less expensive than you fear. Parents should receive educational vouchers to redeem at the school or school program of their choice. All the money going to traditional public schools is outdated, a poor investment, and not serving the best interest of the public.
And you wonder WHY the Public Schools are failing and the Parents are putting their Kids in Charter Schools or chose to Home School them………THIS is why.
Public schools are the ‘lane’ of state elected legislators and state voters and taxpayers. Public schools are 100% accountable to taxpayers and voters that pay for the schools. Public school students are not teachers kids but the children of Florida citizens. If teachers want to push their transgender garbage on their own kids they are free to do so, but don’t do it on the taxpayer’s dime.
Time for the “tired” whiny principal top get out of the way. Better yet, give the parents vouchers to someone real schools instead of flushing the money down the public ed toilet.
Really, no need for long-winded discussions about this. If Hembree hasn’t already been fired, she should be immediately. Totally unfit to be a principal.
Educators like this are what’s wrong with our country today. Anyone wanting to talk to a little kid about sex is not an educator, they are a groomer and should be banned from being around children.
For anyone interested in understanding public employees’ First Amendment rights, here is one place to do it: https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/925/public-employees
Notice her first concern as a professional is her pay, and not her profession (your child).
I dont know how many times to say it. Shes right. Govt teachers dont wont parental input and wont do what parents want. So why are you still giving your kids to govt? Its your own fault at this point.
For decades, schools have been begging parents to become more engaged.
Now that they are, they want them to stop because it’s interfering.
I guess by ‘engaged’ what they really meant was to find ways to give them more money so they could build more extravagant schools that look pretty but don’t provide any more utility than the old square, two story, brick buildings that worked for generations. Because football fields with grass are so 1960s.
It’s painfully obvious that many of today’s educators have forgotten what school is for. Teach kids math, history, civics, language, and science facts. Maybe even through in shop class, finance and cooking since the recent generations seem so woefully unprepared to live without Starbucks or how to determine if they can afford that student loan and what alternatives there are.
Health class can teach the science behind sex and how to prevent disease. It doesn’t need to teach about the idiotic opinion there are more than two biological genders or people can choose what biological gender they are. (Ok .. there are a few mutations that don’t meet that definition, but they are also well defined scientifically.) Identifying as something other than a biological gender is a choice, not a scientific fact. I’m all for someone being able to choose, but teaching that it’s anything other than a choice is a lie.
Parents will teach there children moral values and provide them with the opinions they feel are relevant. And if it disagrees with what you want .. too effin bad.
@ Ashley
Ok.
When I went to college, people that were interested in making lots of money went to business school, medical school, Law school, schools of engineering…the department of education wasn’t on the money list. Rocky Hanna is an idiot and if you let him educate your child, so are you.
Sarah, parents provide your raw material; parents pay your salary, benefits and retirement; parents outfit your work space. As for you carrying work home…well, your workday is markedly shorter than many parents’ so suck up having to grade twenty spelling tests every week. Schools are controlled by the COMMUNITY, not by teachers’ unions.
P.S.I never thought you and your cohorts were heroes; some teachers are miracle workers, others are incompetent.
Leftists usually have an agenda when they make inflamatory statements like the Cobb principal made as reported in this artical.
Could be as simple as enraging our good and honest conservatives that plan on attending Tuesdays School Board meeting.
Steve and Preston watch your backs they knew you both would be in attendance prior to the Cobb principal putting those inflamatory hate speach comments out there. Also any Moms and Dads beware and keep your comments honest and as respectful as possable. Rocky and Hembree may have baited the trap for someone to showout to the point where our leftist Sherriff can toss someone in jail to set an example to all who would get a little agitated after Rocky tells you your time is up and to sit down in one of those small uncomfortable school chairs. Watch yourself it smells like a Tuesday night trap to tamp down conservative voices. Circle the meeting place and look for extra security and media before you go inside. Rocky and his minions would love to put either of you two on the local morning noon and evening news. Not to mention front page of your favorite mullett wrapper.
Reading these comments just confirmed my belief that parents are stupid and don’t know anything about education. Lmao
I’m not going to get into a pissing contest over this, I’m 60 Years old, my grammar is what it is, sorry it bothers you so much. I’m also ok with accidently hitting two keys at the same time with my fat little fingers and not catching it, it happens.
You say you’re an “Education Advocate” and you’re OK with what’s going on in our Schools? OK, good to know.
Correction… acumen does ‘not’ negate…
Say what you will about my grandpa, but I’ll thank you to leave my grammar out of this.
🙂
@ Education Advocate… Your grammar acumen does negate your lack of common sense. Florida teachers today have seen a measurable increase in salaries over the past few years. Is it as high as other states; no… would everyone like to be paid more; yes.
As for being “qualified” to teach… a degree is meaningless. A degree may be “required” to teach, but it certainly does NOT determine if someone is “qualified” to teach. I know Doctorates who can’t tie their own shoe.
PS: Teachers are “paid” to teach, they do not “volunteer” to teach. They are not paid to “serve” our children – unless they also work at McDonalds – they are paid to teach an approved curriculum, not their personal or ideological social desires or whims.
Again I note… They ARE NOT your children. They are OUR children and you work for us. Do your job as directed by your bosses (parents/taxpayers), or find a new vocation.
@ Education Advocate,
David Hawkins a candidate for Leon County Commission District 5 uses his real name when commenting…
As one of the Leon County Commission District 5 candidates you should too.
This is why I am voting for David Hawkins. He is a man of his word and he doesn’t hide behind a username such as yourself.
If you are going to challenge a competing candidate don’t hide behind a username.
Now you make all of the candidates except for David Hawkins look questionable in this race.
Education Advocate: your comments are exactly why the floodgate of parents has opened to bring their children to other sources of education. THE only good thing that has come out of the China Virus is parents’ ability to look over their children’s shoulders and listen to teachers and see what an anti/parent school system we have in Tallahassee and across the country. Fire this principal!
How incredibly sad that a Principal of a Middle School is using statements such as “[Get] out of our way” and “…in spite of you” directed towards parents. I would hope that the school would be willing to work with me and my children to encourage solid relationships, MENTAL HEALTH, and education. The lack of wisdom and intelligence that her statement(s) displayed on social media (as an employee of the people) tells me she does not have the best interest for the overall well-being of her students. My children are mine and I DECIDE what is in their best interest and Sarah Hembree is NOT and will NOT have access to MY children. I wouldn’t be able to trust her or the staff.
David T. Hawkins: post edited for grammar. Before commenting on kids failing today maybe you should ask why your English teacher failed you so bad. Probably because they didn’t care about you as much as Mrs. Hembree cares for her staff and students.
If you were HEROES two years ago, maybe you should reflect on what has changed since then.
If you really think that you know what’s best for the kids then maybe you can answer WHY they are failing.
““I am SO TIRED of being told we don’t know what we are doing or that we are messing with parents’ rights”, said Hembree.” …………… OH, I believe you know EXACTLY what you are doing and THAT is why you need to GO.
Also, before commenting on firing or discipline I challenge you to ask yourself if you’d take her job provided you should find yourself qualified one day (obviously not today).
People who voluntarily serve our children shouldn’t be relegated to a life of mediocrity, much less poverty. Those of you insisting so should really do some soul searching (provided you have one)
FYI: School Board Member, Dee Dee Rasmussen, just announced that she is resigning mid-term. She represents District 4. It is also out there, that Supt. Hanna has picked a retiring member of the School district to run for her position. Wonder who this will be? Should know soon.
@ David,
It occurred to me that we have many hawks in our area. We soon will have a county commissioner in District 5 who has Hawk in their name… just like the eagle a hawk is a symbol of freedom and flight. Thank you for stepping up and you have my vote.
Well, she is a principal and she makes a pretty good wage. Her teachers under her are doing the best they have ever done with the pay hike the governor gave them too. I do agree with her on the legislator part. They treat education like a business. Always have since the Rick Scott days. This is a big reason why education is what it is in this state currently…
That was supposed to be Reflect, not Reflex (Brain Fart). But then again, with all that is going on now, working on your Reflex Skills might be a good idea.
@Warwick, P.S. In retirement, my largest monthly expense is taxes. No, I will not voluntarily pay an additional 1/2 cent. Income reassignment is out of control. I’ve supported myself since age 17 never using welfare or unemployment.
If you were HERO’S two years ago, maybe you should reflex on what has changed since then.
If you really think that you know what’s best for the Kids then maybe you can answer WHY they are Failing.
““I am SO TIRED of being told we don’t know what we are doing or that we are messing with parents’ rights”, said Hembree.” …………… OH, I believe you know EXACTLY what you are doing and THAT is why you need to GO.
@Warwick. I taught school. For a while I was a Adjunct Professor at an Indiana Technical School. At the same time, I was a fulltime Air Traffic Controller and an on call Aircraft Mechanic. You make your own luck. You knew what the job paid when you accepted it.
DEFUND THE PUBLIC INDOCTRINATION SYSTEM
I went to speak to Cobb students about 30 years ago for a Career Day. I never went back, the experience was so awful.
One black girl walked out of the classroom, slamming the door during my presentation.
Apparently, little has changed.
Did anyone else notice on her LinkedIn that she describes herself as the principal of Cobb, a “progressive” middle school? Can you declare any more clearly that you have an agenda?
The Littlejohn case proves that not all LCSB teachers and admin know what is best for OUR children.
LCS is loosing two more after this year May…
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to Article I, section 24 of the Florida Constitution, and chapter 119, F.S., I am
requesting COPIES of the following public records: All Teacher’s Manuals for K though 12th for all subjects.
Should you deny my request, or any part of the request, please state in writing the basis
for the denial, including the exact statutory citation authorizing the denial as required by
s. 119.07(1)(d), F.S.
I will contact your office within 5 days to discuss when I may expect fulfillment of my
request, and payment of any statutorily prescribed fees. If you have any questions in the
interim, you may contact me at:
Name: _________________________
Address: ___________________________________________
Phone: _________________________
Thank you,
__________________________________________
Autograph.
Hope: I agree with you. The problem is that we would have to get the voters to pass a referendum to go appointed. Now is a good time to try this again. Also, we need a new School Board. If we voted this in, the currently elected Board would choose the Supt.
Broward County schools are currently in a slow panic because of the number of students they are losing to private schools, and in particular, homeschooling.
Talk with your money, parents. Pull you students out and train them yourselves. The is absolutely NO reason you cannot, unless you are unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices to do the job right.
Leon County Schools has a public relations nightmare coming out of their school administration weekly. The school superintendent has lost control; perhaps there needs to be an appointed superintendent?
This the reason we took our children out of public school in 1994 and put them in private Baptist school, and my grandchildren were home schooled and excelled . These teachers and administration need to realize these children belong to us not you. Almost 30 years later and the school system in Tallahassee is still a joke. Shame on you Principal Hembree.
She isn’t wrong. No educator is there to cause any detriment to your child. No one is trying to indoctrinate your child. Educators are there to teach and impart knowledge. You give your child access to the internet but are overtly concerned with what information a teacher shares for 6.5hrs out of the 24hr day. Parents need to be parents. This is an attack on public education. Stop acting like the world became corrupt when children went to school. Children will be children, the adults are the ones that have changed. Educators are the most versatile individuals in the workforce. Things change so much you don’t even have time to get adjusted to the last update and this happens frequently. Our profession requires yearly training and service points from other trainings to maintain certifications that are not even paid for and you have to do them on your own time. Most people couldn’t handle 3 days in a Pre-K classroom but have the nerve to say educator don’t deserve a pay raise. Make all these policy makers serve a mandatory 3 weeks of service at a substitute doing a week at each level(elementary, middle, and high), minds will change quickly.
Pat
I want your o think long and hard about what you just said. I want you to think about the fact that you are saying that the people that dedicate their lives to educating the furtute of the human race, doesn’t deserve a living wage. I want you to think about the fact that if every underpaid, overworked, underappreciated educator (all of them) did what you said and “looked for a better job”, there would cease to be schools of any level, and there would be no more jobs, or anything at all.
The hatred you feel towards other human beings who only wish to be compensated for their labor, should be reflected on and delt with on a mental health level, professionally.
It’s disturbing that you would rather the collapse of an entire society, than pay a half penny more tax to help support educators.
Seek help.
Ms. Palmer’s assessment of the Cobb principal may be entirely correct, but what does THAT say about the state of our public schools. Why would any teacher be anything but thrilled with the huge advancements in pay in recent years (while there is still a ways to go, there are still some very bad apples in the classrooms as well)?
People are voting by pulling their kids. The follow-up note by “I am Darryl Jones, Chair of the Leon County School Board…and I support this message.” explains a lot. This is a disgrace. The elected school officials and their appointees have forgotten they work for the taxpayers, aka the parents (and grandparents and everyone who pays property tax in Leon County).
There is no 1st Amendment Right protection here, the principal is an employee. She should be disciplined, if not fired. If you disagree try it at work tomorrow and say something equally foolish and see how your boss reacts. Tuesday, May 10 at 6:00 PM is the next board meeting. I hope to see you all there.
Mrs.Hembree is the worst and most unprofessional principal ever. She never returns call or even have a meeting with me about one of her teachers calling our students a bunch of stupid bitches. My son and a few of his classmates had recorded her and she had the nerves to say I don’t care if yall tell yall parents. Her and her administration needs to be fired. I’m a parent and she truly supports her teachers wrong doing
SHE NEEDS TO BE FIRED NOW!!!!!!!
I have heard many positive things about Principal Hembree but this post is nonsense. She advocates for teacher to be paid a living wage then tells those same legislators that would approve raises to stay out of education and stay in their lane. Also the audacity to tell parents to stop pushing for stupid bills and they will do what they feel like is best for the student in spite of those same parents is dumbfounding. I know many school administrators and faculty are frustrated with the current state of public education, however telling people who pay your salary to shut up and leave them alone is very irresponsible.
The woman needs to be fired immediately. If you disagree, try going up to your boss and telling them “quit pushing for stupid work policies and getting in my way…I am going to do what’s best for me in spite of you..” Let me know how that works out for ya.
Attention School Teachers and Administrators; THEY ARE NOT YOUR CHILDREN, THEY ARE OUR CHILDREN… AND YOU WORK FOR US!
Ms. Humbree is among the very best principals of Leon County. While I wouldn’t have said her words, I know that Leon County teachers and staff members are indeed feeling upset with the legislature (not the least of reason is their cutting the bonuses some would have otherwise received for their good work). I don’t know whether this was on her personal facebook, or somewhere official, but why can’t those who work for schools share their frustrations as they deem fit?
I would remove my child from this person’s area immediately from their school from the classroom this person wouldn’t have any influence on my child
Those that can’t teach administrate.
In short, “Because WE know what is best for your child, YOU should sit down and shut up.”
This is one of the best Leon County Schools endorsements for Home Educating that I’ve seen.
“..go home in the evening without lugging work”, but give the students plenty of homework, they got no life outside of my school. I’m seeing the liberal hipocrisy.
@ Garfield: Great information. Great post.
@ Local voters: Rocky’s hands are tied in the respect that he has compromised himself with many females that he has been in close contact with in the workplace in the respect of engaging in relations outside the bonds of Holy Matramony. Rocky can not and will not try to address anything Ms. Hembree said or will say in the future. This is the man you elected to lead the school board and quite likely will elect again.
I am not alledgeing Rocky engaged in inapproprate relations with Hembree but you local voters are fully aware the old horndog has been sniffing around some female employees and has compromised himself in the respect that he can no longer effectively provide the leadership Leon Counties youth so desperatly need.
That being said, so many local voters will vote for Rocky again.
Hembree is one of Rocky’s Leon ‘buddies’ as she served as an assistant principal for Rocky while he was principal there. Her comments in this message have such a tremendously negative, distasteful tone. It’s pretty much like she is saying “F_ _ _ OFF, PARENTS!”
I wonder if she had this message approved by Rocky before sending it to Tallahassee Reports? Doubtful! Furthermore, If Hembree is so dissatisfied with her job, she should quit immediately and find another profession. She should also be reprimanded for her inappropriate behavior and comments. Administrators and teachers who have served with her are miserable under her lack of leadership and her arrogance. We all know, however, that as long as Rocky is superintendent, the good ole boy system will continue, and these younger, egotistical principals will continue to ruthlessly damage what’s left of the school system as we know it.
With Rocky’s proposal to have the taxpayers vote for teacher pay raises, the taxpayers already pay property taxes for public schools, and the Florida Lottery gives millions of dollars to school districts across the state. Leon County residents should rebel against any taxation proposed by the LC School Board. Money is not the answer. It’s a matter of cleaning house from the superintendent’s office all the way down to the administrators at the school level and replacing them with genuinely GOOD people who actually CARE about kids and teachers and NOT about themselves. If the voters only knew how corrupt our school system is!!!
“They want to be paid a living wage,” she said.
Here’s the problem, students and graduates, like Hembree, don’t think through their decision to major in education before they started college. Being a teacher isn’t going to allow you a vacation villa on the Riviera. Everyone knows that if she cannot afford to support herself teaching, then she should either look for another profession or get a second job. The taxpayer shouldn’t have to increase your salary because your college studies didn’t get you your expected income. Go back to the College you attended and ask for a refund. Better yet, sick a local slip and fall attorney loose on the college.
Personally, I think she should be disciplined.