January 1, Florida AG Calls for Firing of Teacher Who Bullied Eighth-Grader for Conservative Beliefs

Wyatt’s Take

• A Florida teacher singled out an eighth-grade student for his conservative views and labeled him a misogynist.
• The student’s parents had told the teacher their son was not allowed to join political discussions, yet she ignored those instructions.
• Attorney General James Uthmeier is demanding the teacher be fired and lose her teaching certificate if the charges prove true.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has accused a Pine View School history teacher of harassing an eighth-grade student and trying to cancel him over conservative political opinions.

Uthmeier sent a letter to Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Terry Connor and the school board outlining the repeated incidents involving teacher Liz Ballard.

Ballard reportedly brought up political topics in class even after the student told her his parents expressly forbid him from taking part in those discussions.

Instead of respecting the parents’ wishes, the teacher used the boy as the classroom’s conservative viewpoint.

The teacher even called the student a misogynist, spread that label around the school, and openly questioned the influence of the student’s father.

“Ms. Ballard singled out this student and, in defiance of his parents’ express instructions, pressured him to defend political positions on demand in front of his classmates,” Uthmeier wrote.

“She made disparaging remarks about his father. And by facilitating the spread of a damaging label throughout the school, she engaged in the reputational destruction of a child. Ms. Ballard’s deliberate bullying and harassment of this eighth-grade student violated Florida law, School Board policy, and at least six ethical principles,” he continued.

Multiple parents had already filed HR complaints against Ballard before this latest case surfaced.

“If true, she should be fired and never teach in Florida again,” Uthmeier stated.

The Attorney General gave the school district until October 1 to report what actions it will take.

Superintendent Terry Connor said the district received the letter and will respond to the Attorney General’s Office.

“Every student deserves a classroom where they feel safe, respected, and free to learn. No student should face harassment, humiliation, or retaliation because of their beliefs or their family’s views,” Connor said.

“The allegations in the letter warrant careful attention. We will examine the relevant facts and records, ensure a fair process for all involved, and take appropriate action based on the findings and requirements,” he added.

Wyatt Matters

Parents send their kids to school to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic—not to be targeted for thinking differently than the teacher. When schools let political agendas override parental rights, the whole community pays the price. Families in Sarasota and across America just want classrooms that stay neutral and keep kids safe from ideological bullying.