Florida education commissioner booed while addressing Schools of Hope expansion

Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas is clapping back after being booed during a conference with school board members and superintendents on Thursday.

He addressed educational leaders from across the state at the Florida School Boards Association conference in Tampa. He talked about the new Florida statute that expands the Schools of Hope program. It was once meant for areas with poorly performing schools, but now allows charter companies to request space inside any under-enrolled public school.

ALSO READ: Dozens of Tampa Bay area public schools targeted by 'Hope' charters. Here's a list

The concept is a controversial one, as some see these bids as "hostile takeovers" and a way to operate in taxpayer-funded school buildings, with most expenses being paid for by public schools.

WUSF's Kerry Sheridan has previously reported how a Sarasota County School Board member described the requests as "no better than a grift." State. Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, has also filed a bill to remove language in the law that allows co-location.

On social media, Kamoutsas said Thursday's speech was a "good opportunity to debunk the false narratives surrounding the program."

"Co-location is a responsible, efficient use of taxpayer dollars and a proven way to give students access to higher-quality learning opportunities," he wrote on X. "I expect our district leaders to embrace innovation and keep students — not systems at the center of every decision."

According to the Tampa Bay Times, which first reported the booing, the incident began when the commissioner suggested the state legislature could look at closing "failing" districts. He explained how Schools of Hope operate under a performance-based agreement with a sponsor, so if they fail to meet standards, they can be closed.

In a video obtained by WUSF's Kerry Sheridan, boos can be heard echoing all around while Kamoutsas tries to continue to speak. Kamoutsas can be heard saying "let me finish" multiple times. He then says, "For years, we have heard districts claim they have zero low-performing schools."

According to the Times, Kamoutsas continued after the boos to tell the educational leaders he expected them to innovate in any way possible to make the model succeed.

“If you want to unite politically divided boards, he just did that,” Heather Felton, a Manatee County board member, told the Times after the incident. “He basically threatened us with the next legislative session.”

On Friday, Kamoutsas addressed the incident, saying he was booed for "suggesting accountability for school districts that fail students."

"If this is how some school board members act when disagreeing with me, I can only imagine how they treat parents who demand accountability for their children," he wrote on X. "Leadership matters."

WUSF's Kerry Sheridan contributed to this report.