Amy Donofrio, a teacher at Robert E. Lee High School – removed from her class in March after refusing to remove a Black Lives Matter flag from outside her classroom – said she believed she was ultimately fired on the basis of a speech delivered last week by National Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.

Her attorneys said Donofrio had walked out of the warehouse where she had been assigned to paid, non-teaching duties when she saw the speech in a YouTube video posted by Hillsdale College in Michigan, where Corcoran gave the speech. ‘address.

Corcoran said that “we made sure she was fired” as part of her efforts to “control” teachers and prevent them from “indoctrinating” students with critical race theory.

But Florida Department of Education spokeswoman Cheryl Etters said Corcoran used the word “terminated” to refer to the district’s decision to reassign Donofrio from his classroom duties, which he endorsed in his statement. quality of education commissioner.

“Clearly, the commissioner has significant authority to ensure that every child has access to a world-class education without indoctrination,” Etters said.

Duval County Public Schools spokeswoman Laureen Ricks said Donofrio “remains in a paid, non-teaching position.”

The district previously declined to say exactly why it was investigating Donofrio, but referred WJCT News to district policies restricting political speech by employees.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is representing Donofrio in a lawsuit against DCPS for allegedly violating her free speech rights by removing her from the classroom. At a school with a student body 70% black, Donofrio said she hung the Black Lives Matter flag to show her students that she supports them in the fight for racial justice.

Contact Sydney Boles at [email protected], or on Twitter at @sydneyboles