Flagler Schools’ interim superintendent is apologizing for an assembly held at Bunnell Elementary last Friday.

Black students were separated from their peers and lectured about low standardized test scores.

Students were 10- and 11-year-olds, and some of the students had passed the tests.

In the presentation, higher grades were equated with college, while lower grades were said to put a person at risk for getting shot or going to jail.

The students were then paired up to compete with one another, to see who could get the highest score on the next standardized test. Students with winning scores would get McDonald’s.

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The assembly was led by two Black teachers in the district. The district says its Office of Professional Standards is investigating the matter.

In a video posted on the Flagler Schools website, Interim Superintendent LaShakia Moore says although there was no malice intended, “it was executed in a way that does not align with the views of Flagler schools, the Flagler County School Board or this community, students should never be separated by race.”

“As the superintendent of Flagler schools, I apologize for any disruption to our progress this has caused and I ask for your support as a greater community moving forward. We need your time, ideas and resources to address the performance needs of our students as a whole.”

On the last statewide report card released for the 2021-2022 school year, Bunnell Elementary earned a C letter grade. See more stats for the school here.

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