Over the past few years I have not responded to numerous attacks on my character from some

members of the public. I chose instead to try to keep the focus on children and improving Lee
County Schools. Even now, it feels distasteful to me to explain the context of the circumstances
under which I’ve been working, but I think it’s time I did. I would first like to thank the
hundreds and hundreds of people – both in Lee County and across the state – who have
reached out to me to offer words of encouragement and support over the years.
Unfortunately, many of the people who reached out to me in recent weeks also expressed
anger and confusion because of what they are seeing on social media and at School Board
meetings. Almost everyone with whom I have spoken urged me to share at least some of the
context of my experience.

In November of 2020, I won reelection to this Board by a healthy margin. It was not close.
During that time and since, my opponent has engaged in a vicious and relentless campaign to
smear my name, my reputation, and the body of work I have engaged in as a member of this
Board. Before she ran for a seat on the Board, she sued the District. The judge ordered a
mistrial and granted the District’s motion for a directed verdict – both of which are very, very
rare. My opponent and her group of about 5 supporters have filed countless complaints
against me and the District with the Florida Department of Education, the Auditor General, the
Florida Commission on Ethics, various agencies of the federal government, and with the School
Board. We hired an outside investigator to fully vet those claims. My opponent refused to
cooperate with the investigator. With the exception of one claim that the District did settle
because the federal government was withholding a $10 million grant until the claim was
resolved, every single complaint – local, state, and federal - has been returned with findings of
no merit. Every.single.one.

My opponent’s escalating obsession with me is also evidenced by the email campaign in which
she engages a very small group of about 5 equally preoccupied supporters, most of whom
participate in public comment during our School Board meetings. Between my opponent and
her supporters, she has sent or been copied on more than 170 emails since I started saving
them in February of 2019. Some of these emails are as long as 213 pages. This data does not
account for the hundreds and hundreds of baseless and angry emails she sends to my
colleagues across the county and across the state, upon which I am not copied.

I have managed this never-ending, savage smear campaign by remaining quiet, staying above
the fray, and taking the high road. The attacks were against me. I’m a public figure. I suppose
that this type of behavior has become normalized to a certain extent in our current political
climate. And, frankly, I can take it because much of this is just so sophomoric. But, I am now
compelled to speak out because my opponent has attacked my children. When you go after my
kids, mama bear comes out and I cannot stand by without protecting them with every fiber of
my being. My opponent has a fake, photo-shopped picture of me behind bars in prison stripes
on her social media page. My children have received screen shots from their friends and
experienced ridicule as a result of this out of bounds behavior. Most recently, pictures of my
children engaging in their activities at school have been featured in my opponent’s offensive
and bizarre videos.
I would hope that the public would agree when I say that my children are off limits. They have
done nothing to warrant public attacks by a person who simply cannot accept defeat. I would
like everyone to reflect upon what is in the heart of a person who would unabashedly attack
children. Please think about that as you come across the content of the materials my opponent
places in the public forum.

I invite my opponent and her clique to mature the level of dialogue. I work hard to project a
positive, professional image of the School Board and the School District. Our students, staff,
and community deserve nothing less. Accept defeat and stop dragging the level of dialogue
down to your level. We have real problems and we need thoughtful people to solve them. I
was elected to this position and I will not resign.