State senator calls out current superintendent for issues at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Duval County school is under fire.

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“Enough is enough,” FL Senator of District 4, Clay Yarborough said. “And we need to know what’s happening,”

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Senator Yarborough called out the current superintendent for the issues at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.

This comes after Action News Jax told you last week when Chris Allen-Black was removed from the classroom.

This is the fifth time in two years that a teacher has been removed from the school.

Students and parents say while they believe this is a good school it has disrupted learning.

“It’s so bad,” student Addison Kyle said. “It’s hard because those are your teachers [and you] are supposed to be able to go to them for support.”

Kyle and Jahkobi North are seniors at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.

North said he had Chris Allen-Black as a math teacher last year, and his removal was surprising.

RELATED: Victim interview details former Douglas Anderson teacher’s alleged inappropriate touching

“I genuinely thought he was a good guy,” North said. “I mean, like he, that he never really raised any red flags in my mind. You know, he was always just kind of a, just an extra flamboyant teacher.”

Allen-Black was the fifth employee to be removed from school, and all the changes have required substitute teachers to fill in.

“That kind of put a sting on like how we performed academically,” Kyle said.

Allen black was arrested and accused of exposing himself while at a resort at Disney in February.

“When I found out first of all, I was shocked,” a parent told Action News Jax over the phone. “And, I was really disheartened by it because I actually met the teacher.”

The parent wanted to remain anonymous to protect her child.

While parents weren’t notified until last week -- this didn’t bother her much.

“Even though it took a few months, for us, the parents to find out, this happened off campus, and an investigation had to be done,” the parent said.

But the late notification to parents did bother Senator Yarborough.

“That to me is unacceptable,” Senator Yarborough said. “It defies logic. It’s beyond comprehension. Why would you not make sure that parents are informed and be transparent about it?”

Senator Yarborough wrote a letter to acting Duval Schools Superintendent, Dr. Dana Kriznar, addressing his concerns for the safety of the students.

RELATED: DCPS learned of Douglas Anderson teacher’s arrest 6 weeks before removing him from the classroom

“As a graduate of Duval County Schools myself, I just, I don’t like seeing what’s happening there,” Yarborough said. “And for the sake of students safety and their families, we have to see changes so that these issues don’t happen in the future.”

Even after a year, there are still no updates on the investigation into Jeffrey Clayton -- the teacher arrested last year for being sexually involved with a student.

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In his letter, Senator Yarborough asked 6 questions to the district including: “What safeguards have been put in place to prevent future incidents at all schools?”

“If we need to change at the district level, if we need to change at the school level with the principal and the other administrators at the school, what’s it going to take to keep our students safe?”

Action News Jax Annette Gutierrez reached out to all the school board members, and Cindy Pearson, who oversees the district Douglas Anderson is in, said she shares the same concerns as the senator.

In an email, she said, “These incidents reflect an unacceptable culture of the school that undermines the outstanding academic and artistic success of our students.”

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Pearson also said Dr. Kriznar is working on a comprehensive plan to address the school’s situation. She said the plan would be announced and implemented before she concludes her services as superintendent.

Despite the two arrests and five removals, the parent said DA is a great school.

“I would not take my child out of DA,” the parent said. “I didn’t take my other child out of DA, and they turned out to be a wonderful person. And I wouldn’t take this child out. I believe this school has a lot to offer.”

The students agreed.

“I feel like now we have such a negative stigma around DA, [but] it is a good school,” Kyle said. “It does have good people at the school.”

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