- June 16, 2026
In April, the Flagler County School Board approved an agreement with the University of North Florida for student teacher interns to serve in Flagler Schools. Now, the board is scheduled to vote again for approval due to UNF removing a protected class in the nondiscrimination provision.
Originally, the provision stated, “During this agreement, neither party shall discriminate against any person on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability or veteran or marital status.”
UNF has now removed the reference to sexual orientation. At the board’s June 9 agenda workshop, board member Janie Ruddy asked why they would make that change.
“Quite frankly, I find it unsavory that they would hone in on this particular group,” Ruddy said.
Board member Lauren Ramirez also asked if the change would impact Flagler Schools in enforcing its own policies?
But the School Board’s policy under nondiscrimination and access to equal educational opportunity says “the board will not discriminate nor tolerate harassment … on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, pregnancy, marital status, age (except as authorized by law), religion, military status, ancestry, or genetic information, which are classes protected by state and/or federal law.” It does not include sexual orientation.
Superintendent LaShakia Moore and board attoney David Delaney said the district would have to follow federal nondiscrimination law which would take precedent over policies and state law.
“We can’t disciminate even if it’s listed or not listed if it’s in violation of federal or state law,” Moore said.
Flagler Schools counsel Sven Smith said the agreement was drafted by UNF and the change was made due to a university policy update. He also said sexual orientation is not listed in nondiscrimination provisions in every agreement that the school district signs. Ruddy asked to see three other similar agreements in deciding whether she would vote to approve the agreement with UNF.
Board member Will Furry said having the conversation was wasting the School Board’s time.
“Our policy does not have this. This is their language. There is no contradiction on our policy side,” Furry said, adding, “I don’t know why we’re debating this. … I don’t have a problem with it being removed if that is what their board wanted and if it aligns with our existing discrimination policy. I don’t know why we’re wasting the board’s time with this conversation when it doesn’t create an issue or a problem.”
Earlier in the discussion, Board Chair Christy Chong said, “No. 1, there’s no reason why we should discriminate against anybody, right? No. 2, where do we draw the line? I could identify as Chinese, but that doesn’t make me Chinese. I don’t see an issue here. … We shouldn’t have discrimination anyway.”
Ruddy said she agreed that “we shouldn’t have discrimination, but that’s why things like this are required in order to support that and protect our students or former students that may be participating in these programs.”
In responding to Furry about why she initiated the conversation, Ruddy said, “In my view, the small things add up to large things and if you’re not willing to stand for something that does not align with your ethos, however small, then you’re willing to be pushed over when big things do come.”
