In a social media post on Sept. 21, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said a Sarasota teacher allegedly harassed a conservative student and called him a misogynist, and if true, she should be fired.
He demanded an answer by Oct. 1. The school district sent a letter Wednesday that basically outlines how it dealt with the situation.
The letter from school board attorney Patrick Duggan shows that Liz Ballard, a history teacher at Pine View School in Osprey, has faced four investigations about her conduct with students after a family with connections to the governor's office complained.
Details about the student allegations are redacted in a copy obtained by a public records request.
In the first case, which began in November 2024 and continued into last school year, there was no evidence of "ill intent," but rather a "heightened focus" on the student's behaviors that led to a three-day suspension for the teacher.
Another case alleged the teacher improperly graded a student's work, shared private information about a student and made inappropriate comments to the student. The HR investigator found those allegations were "not supported," and the teacher was cleared.
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A third incident was documented in May 2026. Details are unclear because key sentences in the allegation are redacted.
Ballard was accused of making false allegations against a student. HR found no evidence she gave false information knowingly, but said her allegation against the student was unfounded and so it "resulted in a false allegation" against a student.
She was given a five-day suspension, which the union is currently appealing on her behalf, according to the letter.
A fourth investigation was opened after another redacted complaint against Ballard on Sept. 11.
"No factual findings have been made regarding this referral," said the letter.
It said "no conclusions about violations" have been made and so any disciplinary announcement would be premature.
WUSF has reached out to the Sarasota teachers' union for comment, and the Department of Education. Neither responded by publication time.
Uthmeier said during a stop in Sarasota last week that the state education department would take up the matter, and he was not involved in the "nitty-gritty."
