Bunnell Elementary administrator resigns after assembly that singled out Black students

Anthony Hines submitted letter of resignation

Bunnell Elementary School (FILE) (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – An administrator at Bunnell Elementary School, who had been on leave since a controversial assembly singled out Black students with low test scores has resigned, according to Flagler Schools.

Anthony Hines submitted his letter of resignation on Thursday, Sept. 7, which read in part, “I appreciate the opportunity to work in Flagler County Schools.”

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A news release shows that the August assembly included 4th- and 5th-grade students, and Flagler County School Board Chair Cheryl Massaro told News 6 that it was held for “African American students that scored below a three on testing.”

According to Massaro, the assembly was aimed at motivating students to work harder in school, though she said she wasn’t sure what might have been said during the assembly.

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When asked whether the assembly only included African American students, Jason Wheeler, the district’s communications coordinator, said, “That is my understanding.”

Also on Thursday, Flagler Schools confirmed that Bunnell Elementary Principal Donelle Evensen resigned her position.

A Flagler Schools officials said on Monday that the “investigation into the assembly at Bunnell Elementary has been completed,” and was closed on Sept. 7. The public will have access to the findings 10 days after it was placed into an employee’s personnel file, the official said.


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About the Author

Jacob joined ClickOrlando.com in 2022. He spent 19 years at the Orlando Sentinel, mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist, before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021.

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