State Board of Education Manny Diaz, Jr.

Commissioner of Education
Ben Gibson, Chair
Ryan Petty, Vice Chair
Members
Monesia Brown
Esther Byrd
Grazie Pozo Christie
Kelly Garcia
MaryLynn Magar

April 19, 2023

Dr. Diana L. Greene, Superintendent

Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32207

Dear Superintendent Greene:

Recently, the Department’s Office of Safe Schools (OSS) learned that Mr. Jeff Clayton, a teacher at
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, was arrested and charged with a violation of section 800.101(2)(a),
Florida Statutes, offenses against students by authority figures, including soliciting in or engaging in
sexual conduct.

In your termination letter to Mr. Clayton, dated March 28, 2023, you conceded that the District
substantiated earlier incidents from November 2016 and November 2021 where Mr. Clayton had
“inappropriate physical contact with a student.”

With respect to the November 2021 incident, Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) substantiated a
complaint made by a student that Mr. Clayton, “engaged in inappropriate physical contact and
inappropriate communications with and/or in the presence of students when he placed his arm on the
shoulder of a student, rubbed her back, and told her she was beautiful.”

DCPS initiated a Title IX inquiry and provided supportive measures that included moving the student out
of Mr. Clayton’s class and discussed the possibility of a no-contact contract.

In November of 2021, the School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting rule (SESIR) defined Sexual
Harassment as, “[u]nwanted verbal, nonverbal, or physical behavior with sexual connotations by an adult
or student that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile or offensive educational
environment, cause discomfort or humiliation or unreasonably interfere with the individual's school
performance or participation. See Rule 6A-1.0017, F.A.C.; and 6A-19.008, F.A.C.

OSS has reviewed the SESIR incidents reported by DCPS in the 2021-22 school year and has been unable
to locate this incident. As you know, districts are required to report all SESIR incidents to the
Department of Education.

Within five days of receipt of this letter, please confirm whether the District did or did not submit a
SESIR incident report related to the substantiated allegation from November 2021. If the District did not

SCOTT STRAUSS
VICE CHANCELLOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFE SCHOOLS

www.fldoe.org
325 W. Gaines Street – Suite 1302 | Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400 | 850-245-5173
Dr. Diana L. Greene, Superintendent
April 19, 2023
Page Two

submit a SESIR report for this incident, please explain why and what actions the District is taking to
ensure that all SESIR incidents are reported appropriately.

Thank you,

Scott R. Strauss
Vice Chancellor

cc: Dr. Kelly Coker, Chair, Duval County School Board

Ms. Cindy Pearson, Vice Chair, Duval County School Board
Mrs. April Carney, Duval County School Board
Mr. Darryl Willie, Duval County School Board
Mrs. April Carney, Duval County School Board
Mrs. Cindy Pearson, Duval County School Board
Mr. Warren A. Jones, Duval County School Board
Mrs. Charlotte D. Joyce, Duval County School Board
Mrs. Lori Hershey, Duval County School Board