Published on April 26, 2024 at 3:24 pm
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Duval County Public Schools is apologizing to students and families at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, acknowledging that an arrested teacher should have been removed from his classroom sooner.
Friday afternoon, the district clarified its statement about the arrest of former Douglas Anderson algebra teacher Chris Allen-Black, who was reassigned more than six weeks after the district learned of his arrest.
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Allen-Black was arrested in Orange County on Feb. 24 on a misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure after he was accused of masturbating in front of an open window at Walt Disney World. He was removed from the classroom April 11, the district says.
Initially, a Duval County Public School statement noted that it sought guidance from the Office of General Counsel as it investigated Allen-Black. The district now says it sought legal advice after the investigation was complete, but before parents were notified.
Friday, the district shared this timeline of its investigation:
- Feb. 27: Learns of arrest and opens investigation into Allen-Black.
- Feb. 28: Notifies the Florida Department of Education.
- March 11: Receives police report of Allen-Black’s arrest.
- April 11: Removes Allen-Black from the classroom and teaching duties.
- April 15: Reviews the case with Office of General Counsel.
- April 16: Reassigns Allen-Black to off-campus duties and no student contact.
- April 17: Notifies families of students in Allen-Black’s classes.
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Interim Superintendent Dana Kriznar wrote an apology to the Douglas Anderson community after the school district’s initial statement. The district now says the statement lacked clarity.
“I want to express my apology to you regarding the decision to leave Mr. Allen-Black in the classroom so long after we became aware of his arrest,” Kriznar wrote. “In hindsight, the decision to pull him from the classroom should have been immediate given the nature of the charge against him.”
“Additionally, following our normal procedures, only this teacher’s students’ families were notified. Given the current situation at the school, we should have informed all of you. Our goal is always to do what is in the best interest of students and families, and in this case, we did not meet that goal. For that I apologize, and I assure you that we have learned from this experience.”
Kriznar has served as the interim superintendent since July 2023.
Former Superintendent Diana Greene retired after four Douglas Anderson teachers were removed from classrooms due to inappropriate conduct with students during the 2022-23 academic year.
Earlier this week, former Douglas Anderson teacher Jeffrey Clayton pleaded guilty to two counts of offenses against students by authority figures, indecent lewd or lascivious touching of minors, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device after his actions with a student in March 2023. Clayton faces up to 40 years in prison.
