A transgender Florida teacher who talked about shooting students was released this week after the school district initially refused to hand down any disciplinary action.
The Post Millennial reported on Thursday that Ashlee Renczkowski, a biological man who identifies as a woman, was “removed” after the Hernando County school district finally heeded demands of concerned parents.
In a statement released on Thursday, the school district said that the teacher will be removed from “all student contact,” adding that a return date will be determined based on an investigation.
“This week, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office released more information regarding the incident involving a comment made by a Fox Chapel Middle School teacher on March 24th. As part of that release details, not previously known by the school district, appear in conflict with information gathered at the time of the incident,” John Stratton, superintendent of schools said in a statement.
“In light of this additional information, the school district will continue to investigate the incident and require further involvement by mental health experts. As part of our investigation, we will take a hard look at all the actions that were taken on that day, and in the days following the incident, and determine if any steps were missed.”
Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec followed up, posting on Twitter on Friday: “UPDATE: DUDE JUST GOT FIRED.” But this has not been confirmed.
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The controversy erupted when the conservative group Moms for Liberty Hernando County obtained a Sheriff’s Office report from March 24.
According to the report, the school resource officer at Fox Chapel Middle School was following up on concerns by Assistant Principal Kerry Thornton and Guidance Counselor Kimberly Walby.
The Post Millennial reported that Thornton visited Renczkowski’s classroom that day, and the teacher shared having “bad thoughts.”
Thornton sent Renczkowski, a math teacher, to Walby, and the teacher told the guidance counselor about a social media post “where people were talking negatively about Ashlee’s sexual orientation.” Renczkowski is apparently in the process of transitioning to becoming a woman.
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In his report, the deputy noted, “Ashlee explained that some students in her fourth period class were not performing to their abilities and how Ashlee seems to care more about their success than the students do. Kimberly advised that Ashlee made a comment that she wanted to shoot some students due to them not performing to their ability. Kimberley advised that Ashlee immediately stated that she would never harm a student.”
The deputy questioned Renczkowski just three days before a transgender man shot up a Christian school in Nashville, killing three students and three faculty.
Yet after Walby asked, Renczkowski admitted to having three pistols at home. A deputy later seized them from the teacher’s home.
The SRO’s report noted that Renczkowski admitted to experiencing “phases of depression and is on medication for depression.”
“Although the district investigated the comments and found them concerning, the teacher was not fired and is back in the classroom,” Post Millennial reported earlier this week.
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“The district stated that the comments were made out of frustration with student behavior, but refused to divulge exactly what was said, leading to tension between parents and the board,” Post Millennial continued.
The school’s principal reportedly sent parents a recording that admitted the “teacher in question did make a comment to colleagues that was concerning,” yet ultimately, “Staff and law enforcement determined the comment was not an imminent threat to the campus, but was instead an expression of frustration at student behavior.”
Even as late as a School Board meeting on Tuesday, the school district was not moved.
Fox 13 in Tampa reported on Wednesday that Superintendent John Stratton refused to admit what Renczkowski said, even as parents pressed him for answers.
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“I need you to trust me and these two agencies,” Stratton told parents, referring to the Sheriff’s Office and the school’s faculty.
Fox 13 reported that the teacher was headed back into the classroom.
Thus, it’s unclear what changed between Tuesday’s board meeting and Thursday’s update by Post Millennial.
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