ORANGE PARK – Opposition to Clay County School Board member Robert Alvero grew on Wednesday, Dec. 31, when a group of 50 ecclesiastical and civic leaders met at Saint James AME Church to call for his resignation following his racially charged comment posted on social media.
Led by Bishop Marvin C. Zanders, the Presiding Prelate and Community Faith leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Saint James Rev. Jeffrey Dove, faith leaders spoke of unity, not division; healing, not hurt; and dignity, not hate, after Alvero posted: “Eighty percent, they’ve been nasty, they’ve been rude, they’ve been problematic – always trying to fight, disrespecting.”
Although the post has since been deleted, the reaction was immediate. School board chair Erin Skipper demanded Alvero resign. So did fellow board member Beth Clark, who attended Wednesday’s rally.
“Appalled, is probably the best way to say it to begin with,” Clark said. “I mean, I guess Forrest Gump said it best: ‘You can’t fix stupid,’ and that’s what it amounts to. He needs to grow up. If he’s going to stay here, he needs to become a good American.”
Alvero tried to explain his post, saying “people’s character is not defined by their visual characteristics, life experiences, or socioeconomic standards.” He also said people are “divisive,” and some can judge whole groups based on stereotypes.
While Alvero said he was using his First Amendment right, Dove said his comments crossed the line because his decisions affect thousands of children and parents.
“We do not view these remarks as mere personal opinions, but as a direct threat to the education, environment and the spiritual well-being of our community,” Dove said. “Our objective today is, No. 1, the protection of students. The highlight of this psychological toll is that such rhetoric takes on Black youth who must look up to this board for leadership. No. 2, civic responsibility – to remind the public officials that freedom of speech does not grant freedom from the responsibility of upholding the public trust and representing all constituents fairly.”
Florida Rep. Sam Garrison, Clay County Republican Party Chair Rhonda Jett, Clay County Democrat Party Chair Jackie Cetnar, Florida Sen. Jennifer Bradley and Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas have also called for Alvero to resign.
“Recent social media comments made by Clay County School Board member Robert Alvero, in which he described African Americans in sweeping, negative and demeaning terms, are irresponsible, unacceptable and unbecoming of anyone entrusted with public office, particularly one charged with overseeing the education of our children,” Zanders said.
“We are living in a time when our nation and our local communities are yearning to build bridges rather than walls, to remove barriers rather than reinforcing rhetoric that relies on stereotypes and personal biases, which does the opposite. It deepens division, erodes trust, and undermines the very foundation of public education, which must be rooted in equity, respect and opportunity for all. Whether spoken aloud, implicit bias, whether spoken aloud or quietly acted upon, cannot be tolerated in our schools when left unchallenged.”
Zanders and Dove asked the community to attend the next school board meeting at Fleming Island High on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m.
Clark said the school board, Superintendent David Broskie and the Board of Education can’t force Alvero to resign. Still, Gov. Ron DeSantis may have the authority to remove him from office. Moreover, Alvero has hired an attorney and vowed to sue anyone who tries to force his resignation.