Florida school board meeting reveals ‘everyday’ violence, chaos in schools as teachers flee

Dozens of teachers have fled a Florida school district amid startling reports of ongoing student violence and chaos there, a contentious school board meeting revealed this week.

Brevard County’s lengthy school board meeting on Thursday revealed what one teacher called “an everyday basis” of violent and disruptive behavior from students in the district’s schools. 

“On an everyday basis I am deflecting being attacked, scratched, headbutted, pushed, hit,” teacher Alicia Kelderhouse said during the meeting. “I’ve had my hair pulled, and pulled down to the ground. I’ve had my throat gone for on multiple occasions. It’s on an everyday basis right now.”

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a video last month that the district is “losing teachers en masse” due to the chaos. At Thursday’s meeting, meanwhile, one teacher claimed the problematic behavior from students predates the pandemic. 

“The pandemic was an accelerant to a fire that was already raging,” he argued.