Hanna reaches settlement with state
Photo by St. Clair Murraine
NSF Staff Report
Leon County Superintendent of Schools Rocky Hanna has agreed to a settlement with the state, after Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. in April sought potential sanctions against Hanna for allegedly defying state law.
Diaz filed a complaint with the state Education Practices Commission, which has authority to discipline educators. Diaz made what he described as “material allegations,” including a contention that Hanna defied a directive from Gov. Ron DeSantis when the Leon school district required use of masks to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The settlement said Hanna “neither admits nor denies, but elects not to contest the allegations” in Diaz’s complaint.
Hanna also accepted a letter of reprimand and agreed to pay a $1,000 fine to the Education Practices Commission. The elected superintendent also will have to serve a two-year probationary period, with conditions such as taking college-level courses in education ethics and educational leadership.
While he agreed to the settlement, Hanna denied wrongdoing.
“I have done nothing wrong. I absolutely have no ‘history of defying the law’ nor have I ever suggested to anyone to violate the law or not teach the Florida Standards as established by the Board of Education,” Hanna said in a statement.
He also cited a high level of turnover among school district superintendents.
“Over the last four years, 61 of 67 Florida public school superintendents have been removed from office or replaced, many for political reasons. In this current political environment, I do not want to become number 62 and replaced by a governor appointee,” he said in the statement.
