BUNNELL, Fla. — Officials from the Florida school district expressed apologies on Thursday for an elementary school assembly where Black students were specifically targeted for a presentation concerning low test scores.
In a press conference, administrators of the Flagler County school district located in northeastern Florida acknowledged that the assembly at Bunnell Elementary School was a grave error and should not have taken place. As a result, the school’s principal has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.
Cheryl Massaro, the chair of the school board, emphasized that the Flagler School Board firmly rejects any form of segregation.
Last Friday, staff members at Bunnell Elementary School separated Black fourth- and fifth-graders from their regular activities to participate in a PowerPoint presentation centered around low standardized test scores.
The presentation, led by two Black teachers, highlighted the fact that Black students had shown lower performance on standardized tests over the last three years.
Moreover, they discussed the correlation between higher grades leading to better college prospects and lower grades increasing the likelihood of encountering issues like incarceration, violence, or even death. These details were shared by parents with The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Although there was no deliberate harm intended, the assembly was executed in a manner that does not align with the district’s principles, as stated by Lashakia Moore, the interim superintendent, in a video posted on the district’s website.
Moore announced that a community forum will be organized next week to address the situation.
