Note: This entry was written on 11/17/2021
I would like to make both Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran and MDCPS Superintendent Alberto Carvalho aware of the latest alleged physical assault by Neva King Cooper (NKC) Principal Dr. Tracy Roos against an African-American Custodian of that school. The name of the Custodian allegedly physically assaulted by Dr. Roos is Ms. Sabrina Crawley Cross. The alleged incident took place on November 10, 2021 between 12:45 PM and 1:15 PM. This alleged attack was observed by two witnesses. Those two witnesses are Bus Aide Ms. Sandra Welch Slaton, who has agreed to provide a written statement as to what she observed. The other witness is NKC Security Guard Mr. Leon Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell is a recent hire who has declined to provide a written statement , due to a fear of retaliation against him by Dr. Roos. ( Mr. Mitchell’s fear of retaliation at the hands of Dr. Roos is well founded. A few years ago, an African American Custodian by the name of Mr. Aaron Jackson alleged that Dr. Roos threatened to terminate his employment unless Mr. Jackson wrote a false statement denying that Dr. Roos had ordered Mr. Jackson to deliver Dr. Roos threat of an involuntary reassignment to another school to African American Para Professional Ms. Green.) Further details about this and other incidents mentioned in this email can be found in my blog mdcpsallegations.com
Dr. Roos boss (Ms. Garcia) has received written notification of the allegations Ms. Crawley Cross has made against Dr. Roos. Although Ms. Crawley Cross has sent emails to both Dr. Roos and Ms. Garcia, she has not received any responses to her inquiries.
The alleged physical assault took place when Ms. Crawley Cross attempted to assist Dr. Roos who was attempting to calm down an upset Profoundly Mentally Handicapped (PMH) student. Dr. Roos began shouting at Ms. Crawley Cross in a disrespectful and abusive manner. Dr. Roos then allegedly used her hand to very aggressively shove Ms. Crawley Cross in her back. Ms. Crawley Cross reported this incident to Mr. Darwin Brown, who is the Untited Teachers of Dade (UTD) buildind steward for NKC.
Ms. Crawley Cross said she was shoved so hard that she was in great pain that weekend. She has since had to go on workman’s compensation , and she had to have a medical person give her a shot to lesson the pain she is experiencing in her back. Later that day, Dr. Roos then allegedly requested that NKC staff who had not witnessed this incident file statements stating that Dr. Roos did not physically assault Ms. Crawley Cross. Is it possible for an independent investigative party to gather both these reports, and statements from the NKC staff who were allegedly asked to lie about an incident they did not observe? Also, as the school secretary, and not Ms. Crawley Cross filled out the paperwork for her to receive workman’s compensation, Ms. Crawley Cross has no idea of the accuracy of the information that was put into that form, and would like to receive a copy of that paperwork for her records.
Following this alleged physical assault, Ms. Crawley Cross is alleging that she endured a very disturbing verbal exchange at the hands of Dr. Roos. Ms. Crawley Cross, fearing for her physical safety after this alleged physical assault, walked away from Dr. Roos. Dr. Roos then allegedly shouted, “Come here. Come here. I’m your boss. You come when I’m calling you.” Dr. Roos then followed Ms. Crawley Cross into room 10 and continued her tirade, shouting, “I didn’t push you.” Then Dr. Roos changed her mind and said, “I didn’t push you very hard. I didn’t push you. I just touched you. If you are upset, I apologize. Do you accept my apology?” Dr. Roos concluded her hateful tirade by shouting: ” Everyone in the District knows you are a liar.”
This is merely the latest incident in a long line of alleged physical assaults by Dr. Roos against both a Profoundly Mentally Handicapped (PMH) African American student and minority NKC staff. All of the six additional incidents I will mention in this letter are discussed in great detail in my blog mdcpsallegations.com Incident 1) Dr. Roos allegedly physically assaulted an African American PMH student. Although this incident was reported to the MDCPS and child protective services people, the incident was swept under the carpet. Commissioner Corcoran, I am hoping you will interview the parent of this child to see if MDCPS and/or Dr. Roos attempted to intimidate that parent into silence regarding this incident. As a result of this incident, the parents of some of the minority children of NKC have a fear that if they report any wrongdoing by Dr. Roos, the principal will physically assault their child, with virtual impunity. Commissioner Corcoran, are you ok with that situation? Superintendent Carvalho gives the appearance of being VERY comfortable with that situation. Incident 2) Dr. Roos allegedly seized a Hispanic employee by the chin, jerked her head upwards until the terrified employee was looking into Dr. Roos eyes, and screamed, “You look at me when I am talking to you.” Incident 3) Shortly after the brutal murder of the daughter of African American employee Ms. Green, Dr. Roos allegedly ordered African American Custodian Mr. Aaron Jackson to deliver a threat from Dr. Roos to Ms. Green. The threat was that Ms. Green was in danger of being involuntarily transferred to another school. Superintendent Carvalho cannot say he was unaware of this incident, because he personally telephoned Ms. Green to assure her that Dr. Roos would not be allowed to carry out her threat. At the time. Dr. Roos was a candidate for the prestigious Principal of the Year Award. Superintendent Carvalho could have chosen to demonstrate his opposition to discriminatory and hateful actions against African American employees by withdrawing Dr. Roos as a candidate for this award. By declining to take this action, Superintendent Carvalho sent a clear and unmistakable signal that under his stewardship, discrimination against African American staff of MDCPS would not only be tolerated, but handsomely rewarded. Incident 4) In the spring of 2020, during the Covid school closing, during a Zoom instructional presentation, Dr. Roos allegedly cursed on tape. Although myself and at least one parent filed formal complaints against Dr. Roos, MDCPS appears to have swept that incident under the carpet. Mr. Corcoran, if that Zoom tape still exists, I am hoping authorities other than MDCPS would examine that Zoom tape? Incident 5) I filed a formal complaint alleging that Dr. Roos allegedly cheated on the yearly high stakes achievement test given to PMH students. Although I cautioned that if MDCPS was allowed to investigate itself in this matter, the probability of a coverup was high, the state of Florida nevertheless allowed MDCPS to investigate itself. That investigation cleared MDCPS of any wrongdoing. If wrongdoing did in fact occur, and MDCPS covered up that wrongdoing, then the county is guilty of both cheating, and then covering up that cheating. Can an independent investigative body, such as the Florida Bureau of Investigation, or the Federal Bureau of Investigation explore all of the alleged incidents I have mentioned in this letter? MDCPS gives the appearance of being a criminal enterprise, incapable of cleaning up its act. Also, if it is determined that Dr. Roos cheated on the administration of the FAA high stakes achievement test, and given the fact that she was financially rewarded for falsified high scores, can the proper penalty of termination of employment with loss of pension be levied against her? Incident 6) I would urge independent authorities to examine court case DOAH 13-1492. It appears that in violation of the law, MDCPS retaliated against the two previous NKC administrators who attempted to convert NKC from a public school to a charter school. Shortly after illegally smashing NkC’s attempt to convert to a charter school, Superintendent Carvalho paid NKC his only visit. During that visit, Mr. Carvalho stated, ” This is a public school, this will always be a public school, and if anyone wants to change that, they are going to have to come through me.” As a result of that statement, many NKC parents and staff are of the opinion that Mr. Carvalho intends to punish the students (i.e. physical assault of an African American PMH student by the school principal), the parents, and the staff of NKC in perpetuity for the “crime” of exploring the supposedly legal option of converting to a charter school.
As I have been writing to both the Florida Commissioner of Education and MDCPS for over SIX YEARS, with no corrective action being taken by either party (not even acknowledging receipt of my correspondence), I will also seek help from Black Lives Matter, the NAACP, and the Atlanta Office of Civil Rights Enforcement. Given the fact that neither of the parties receiving this letter seem to want to clean up their own mess, I am hoping the three above mentioned stakeholders will be willing to clean up your mess for you.Hopefully, when they are done cleaning up your mess, neither one of the parties receiving this letter (or Dr. Roos) will still be employed.
Commissioner Corcoran, would it be possible for the state of Florida to do a systems wide audit of MDCPS to see if the abuses mentioned in this letter are systemic throughout the district? If that turns out to be the case, can Superintendent Carvalho be relieved of his duties, and MDCPS be put under state control until such time as MDCPS is in compliance with Federal and Florida statutes?
Sincerely,
Bill Detzner
Bill Detzner/ 5001 Lakefront Dr. Apt. N2/ Tallahassee Fl. 32303
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