Former Spanish River Community High School principal fights firing at hearing

BOCA RATON, Fla. — A hearing is taking place Tuesday for William Latson, the former principal at Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton.

Last October, the Palm Beach County School Board voted to fire Latson after he made controversial comments about the Holocaust in 2018.

Latson argued the district did not have the right to fire him and is fighting his termination.

Back in July, Latson was removed as principal and reassignedafter emails surfaced from 2018 that showed him telling a parent he could not say the Holocaust was a factual, historical event.

Latson later sent an email to staffers defending himself. The email read, in part:

On Tuesday, Dr. Donald Fennoy, the superintendent of the School District of Palm Beach County, testified that Latson's email to staffers made the situation worse.

Fennoy said when Latson sent that email, the superintendent lost confidence in Latson's leadership because it added more trouble to an already chaotic situation.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dr. Wanda Sheffield, a Chief Academic Officer for the School District of Palm Beach County, testified at the hearing.

Sheffield said she was very involved with the parent who emailed Latson about how the Holocaust was being taught at Spanish River High School.

From April 2018 to May 2019, Sheffield worked with the parent to address her concerns.

Sheffield testified on Tuesday that she was aware of Latson's email to the parent about the Holocaust, and said she worked with Latson on how he could have written the email better.

Sheffield said her last meeting with the parent was in May of 2019, and she felt the parent was happy with the work and conversations that had taken place.