The Duval Schools reassigns the Professional Standards Supervisor as part of a misconduct reporting probe

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County Public Schools on Wednesday announced the transfer of Reginald Johnson, who had served as district professional standards chair.

“Our Office of Professional Standards Supervisor Reginald Johnson has been reassigned pending a professional standards investigation,” read a district memo. “As with all such investigations, the presumption of innocence applies.”

The move comes a day after the State Education Commissioner sent a letter to DCPS Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene had sent, threatening her with a pay cut. The bureau alleged that Greene failed to timely report 50 cases dating back several years to the state’s Office of Professional Practices Services.

“It is totally unacceptable that DCPS failed to report these cases in a timely manner as required by the Florida Statute,” wrote Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, adding that the conduct “endangers the health, safety and welfare of students.” “.

Greene responded Wednesday that she was surprised and upset that the district had 50 case files that had only recently been sent to the state.

Details of what those 50 cases involve are still sketchy, but we’re trying to follow the lead.

The school board’s website states that the process for reporting employee misconduct goes to the Office of Equity and Inclusion/Professional Standards, which monitors employee behavior. That is the position that Johnson oversaw.

The school board’s website says the complaints process works like this:

Once a complaint is filed, it is reviewed to determine whether the matter is being addressed at the school level or with the district – the school board’s staff.

They are reviewed by the Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources, and finally the Superintendent, and then submitted to the school board for processing.

In many cases this does not appear to have happened, and so Greene responded with her explanation, which read in part:

“I was surprised and upset to learn that our registry office appeared to be in possession of 50 criminal case files that they recently sent to the state professional practice. … I totally agree with the Commissioner that delays in reporting cannot be tolerated.”

News4JAX crime and safety analyst Lakesha Burton said she was also surprised by the lack of action and the number of complaints that have not been sent to the state. Her husband, Gregory Burton, is the Chief of Police for the School Board. We wanted to speak to him on camera, but the district PR staff wouldn’t allow it.

School board members have called a meeting for Friday at 2:00 p.m. on the listed subject, Concerns of Board Members Regarding Recent Events at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and Mandatory Reporting.

These “recent events” at DA began with the arrest of longtime music teacher Jeffrey Clayton, who faces multiple indecent behaviors with a student and other charges. This sparked an ongoing investigation that has resulted in the removal of three more teachers from DA’s classrooms.

Prosecutors are working to interview more than 140 former and current students as part of the investigation.

According to the district’s website, the Office of Professional Standards is charged with maintaining district disciplinary records, providing guidance to administrators on matters of employee misconduct, investigating all matters of employee misconduct that come before the school board, and serving as the point of contact for to serve as the Florida Department of Education Office of Professional Practices and to maintain lines of communication with the Florida Department of Education, Florida Department of Children and Family Services, various law enforcement agencies, Duval Teachers United, Office of General Counsel, State Attorney’s Office and other agencies, if necessary necessary.