The Sarasota school district said Tuesday it is investigating allegations by the state attorney general that a teacher may have targeted a conservative student during classroom discussions.
Attorney General James Uthmeier took the unusual step of going public on Monday with the accusation against a teacher at the highly ranked Pine View School in Osprey.
He posted on the social media platform X that the teacher "allegedly labeled an 8th grader a 'misogynist' based on his political affiliation" -- and that if true, the teacher should be fired.
Uthmeier identified the history teacher and said she "routinely discusses political topics in the classroom" and "continued to the engage this student as the conservative perspective in the classroom," despite his parents' expressed wishes that he not participate in such discussions.
This teacher, Uthmeier wrote, "allegedly harrassed, disparaged and deliberately tried to 'cancel' an eighth grade student for his conservative views."
The student is not identified, and Uthmeier provided no evidence of the claims in his letter to the Sarasota County school district.
He gave a deadline of October 1 for the district to take action.
"We take the concerns seriously and will respond to the Attorney General's Office," Sarasota superintendent Terry Connor said in a statement Tuesday.
He said the district "will examine the relevant facts" and "ensure a fair process for all involved."
He added "every student deserves a classroom where they feel safe, respected, and free to learn."
The Sarasota teacher's union did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Uthmeier is a central figure in the Hope Florida scandal, in which a grand jury found that $10 million in taxpayer money was instead given to Hope Florida, a charity spear-headed by Casey DeSantis, the wife of Florida's governor.
Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him to the attorney general post in 2025 and he is running re-election this year.
