EUSTIS, Fla. — An anonymous letter claims that administrators at a Lake County middle school are bullying and harassing teachers and students.
The Lake County School District has launched an investigation after the letter was sent anonymously by teachers at Eustis Middle School to a school board member. The letter is signed by "concerned teachers of Eustis Middle School."
In the three-page letter, the writer describes chaos at the school and a fear of retaliation if they speak out.
READ: Letter to Lake County School District
"A lot of those issues are issues we've brought up throughout the county," Stuart Klatte, president of the Lake County Education Association, said.
The letter claims a teacher was hospitalized after students sprayed chemicals in her classroom, no action was taken after students threw computers out windows and that Principal Johnathan Owens rarely leaves his office.
"Obviously they're bothered so when you take that into account it warrants that some oversight be given, which is happening," chairperson Bill Mathias said.
Mathias said even though the district has launched an investigation into the letter's claims, he hasn't heard of any of the issues and questions why the group would send the letter anonymously.
"I just don't believe that people would feel their jobs are at stake," Mathias said.
The teachers' union president said the fear of getting fired is real because Lake County teachers are on one-year contracts.
"When your employment is based on a year-to-year decision, whether the principal likes you or not, it becomes very difficult," Klatte said.
District leaders said they could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
Cox Media Group
