In spite of a statewide ban on school face-mask mandates signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, a Broward County, Florida science teacher for 18 years, Mr. John Alvarez is now fired for what the school board calls “gross insubordination” due to his refusal to don the meaningless scrap of cloth that his students are protected by law from being subjected to. Even more galling, the vote by the Broward County Board was unanimous calling for Alvarez’s termination. The School Board has been wrapped up in legal battles for months that all upheld the DeSantis administration’s order, but according to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, there are no such laws protecting the school’s employees, creating a ridiculous double-standard.
Newsweek reported that “Alvarez was fired for not following his supervisors’ repeated orders to wear a mask. Piper High School administrators told the Sun-Sentinel they first noticed Alvarez not wearing a mask during a fire drill in March.” This continued into August as the school year resumed when the Piper High School administration recommended a five-day suspension. However, the comedy of errors continued as Alvarez’s refusal to wear a mask to the disciplinary hearing caused it to be rescheduled several times.
“Rosalind Osgood, a school board member, told the local paper Alvarez “kind of ripped up the mask” when given one at the hearing. Osgood added that he refused to come back to the proceedings and said that “he was never going to comply.”
The Epoch Times found that “School district officials accused Alvarez of “insubordination, neglect of duty, and incompetence,” according to a complaint filed by attorneys for the board.”
“This is a demonstration of hypocrisy,” Alvarez told The Times.
“I am a district employee, but my license is from the state of Florida–I’m not being insubordinate, I just want my questions answered by administration and by the board.”
The 57-year-old science teacher asked the explosive question of why masks were necessary when he knew very well that they are not effective in preventing a virus. He was also concerned that the district’s rule did not comply with state law.
“I was a medical student before I went into teaching,” he said. “I left in my second year because of a death in the family, but I took courses in virology and organic chemistry–on the mask box it will tell you that it does not protect against viruses–I’m not being insubordinate, just inquisitive.”
Fired Science Teacher Isn’t Taking It Laying Down
The district is standing on the obtuse notion that Alvarez wasn’t fired for his lack of mask-wear… but for insubordination.
“The fact that this is related to a mask and all the baggage that issue comes with is really not relevant to the complaint at hand, which is that there was gross insubordination by this employee to a directive by a supervisor,” said Marylin Batista, the school board’s interim general counsel.
Yup, seriously.
Governor DeSantis’ Press Secretary when questioned on Mr. Alvarez’s situation told the press, “Gov. DeSantis has said clearly that he’s opposed to mask mandates of any kind, It is ironic that the same politicians who express concerns over a teacher shortage in Broward are willing to fire teachers for not covering their faces.” The Florida Department of Education, appointed by DeSantis has since sanctioned the school board and fined them as well. It is unknown whether the Governor will intercede personally on Mr. Alvarez’s behalf, but calls for him to do so are mounting.
“They’re trying to trample on my rights,” he said. “They’re not answering my question and hitting me in my career.
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t wear a mask, if you want to wear one and it makes you feel safe wear one. But it’s not for me.”
Alvarez has told the press that he intends to take the Broward School District to an administrative law judge, where if the present judicial record holds they are likely to face another shellacking that will cost the taxpayers potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. Godspeed Mr. Alvarez.
