School Board Reconsiders Move to Reinstate a Boca High School Principal Following Controversial Holocaust Comments

Palm Beach County School Board will reconsider their 4-3 vote on the reinstatement of William Latson, former principal of Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton.

School Board Chairman Frank Barbieri proposed rescinding this vote prompting further discussion of this measure at their meeting Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Gonzalo La Cava, head of the School District of Palm Beach County’s Human Resources Department, plans to ask school board members to approve Latson for “Principal on Special Assignment” in the school district’s Transportation Services Department.

Yet, on Friday Richard Corcoran, Florida Education Commissioner, called for the cancellation of Latson’s professional educator certificate.

Latson was removed from his position as principal in July 2019 following a revealed email he sent to a parent where he could not say the Holocaust actually happened.

“I can’t say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee,” Latson said in this email according to an article by WPTV. “Not everyone believes the Holocaust happened.”

Throughout the investigation, Latson failed to respond to messages from the school district’s deputy superintendent due to him being on vacation in Jamaica at the time.

This resulted in the school board members voting to fire Latson for “violating the School District of Palm Beach County’s Code of Ethics and performing misconduct while in office,” according to WPTV’s article.

“Latson did commit several acts of poor judgment,” Administrative Law Judge Robert Cohen said according to WPTV. “[His conduct] did not rise to the level of just cause for suspension or termination because the conduct was not so severe as to support that level of discipline.”