CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – The fallout surrounding a Clay County School Board member is expected to be addressed by the State Board of Education on Wednesday.
This comes after School Board Member Robert Alvero made comments online that have been labeled “discriminatory” against the African-American community and “unprofessional” by the state’s top education official.
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Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a letter to Alvero last month directing him to attend Wednesday’s meeting.
This request came after a video surfaced on social media last month, showing Alvero describing overwhelmingly negative experiences with African Americans.
That video prompted action from community leaders, state officials, and his employment with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.
“I have had 80% more negative experience with the African-American community in this country than with white people. That being said, it doesn’t mean I haven’t had good experiences with African-American people,” he said in the video. “I have met a lot of great African-American people and, and I’m still friends with them. Because they’re good, decent people, but that’s the 20% of the people I have met, the African-Americans. The other 80%, they’re being nasty, they’re being rude, they’re being problematic. You know, always trying to fight, always disrespecting. So why would I want to be around people like that?”
RELATED | Clay County School Board addresses member’s inflammatory social media comments amid public outcry
The video — originally streamed live on Facebook — was later deleted, but not before catching the attention of Florida’s Commissioner of Education.
The commissioner expressed concerns in a letter about Alvero’s ability to fairly represent all students, families, and employees in the district, which is why he ordered Alvero to explain his actions at a State Board of Education meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
Alvero has also been temporarily reassigned from his duties as an off-duty firefighter with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue while the department reviews the video.
JFRD told News4JAX in a partial statement:
“The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department has been made aware of recent social media comments by off-duty firefighter Robert Alvero. The views expressed by firefighter Alvero do not reflect the values, mission, or position of JFRD.”
The Clay County NAACP, State Senator Jennifer Bradley, and School Board Chair Erin Skipper have all urged Alvero to resign.
Alvero hasn’t responded directly to the claims, but his attorney says critics are taking the comments out of context and calls the backlash “fake outrage.”
On Jan. 8, News4JAX asked Alvero’s attorney Anthony Sabatini if Alvero plans to be at the state board of education meeting set for Jan. 21.
“No one cares. Cancel culture died November 5, 2024. He’ll be at the beach that day (In reference to the January 21 meeting),” Sabatini responded.