Judge recommends reprimand, not suspension, for Alachua County teacher over ‘dictator’ class superlative

An administrative law judge has recommended that Florida issue a written letter of reprimand to Alachua County teacher Lauren Watts, and not suspend her educator’s certificate, over an end-of-year class superlative that named a ninth-grade student “most likely to become a dictator.” Judge Yolonda Y. Green of the Division of Administrative Hearings filed the recommended order Oct. 15 in DOAH Case No. 26-1027PL.¹

The state proposed a reprimand, a suspension followed by probation, required work and a $1,000 fine. Green wrote that a suspension was unnecessary because Watts had continued to teach and had a “very effective teaching record.”¹ The Florida Phoenix reported that the state sought a one-year suspension and two years of probation.²

The charges

The order says Watts taught World History at Gainesville High School. The complaint, filed Jan. 26, 2026, alleged that in the 2022-23 school year she let students suggest a student was a Hitler sympathizer, suggested to the class that a student in another class had said something similar, and presented him, in front of classmates, with a certificate naming him most likely to become a dictator. It brought three counts.¹

The state had withdrawn an earlier complaint on Nov. 5, 2025, after Watts moved to dismiss it, saying it wanted to investigate further; the refiled version dropped four charges.¹

What the judge found

On the Hitler allegations, Green found insufficient evidence that Watts let a student make the remark or said another student had. Two former classmates testified that Watts told the class not to comment, and one said Watts “shut it down.” The judge did not discredit the student’s recollection but found the classmates more persuasive.¹

The order finds that classmates nominated and voted for the student in the dictator category, that Watts prepared, signed and handed out the certificates, and that the activity was not part of the curriculum. Green credited the student’s testimony that he was embarrassed. She found Watts knew beforehand, from his mother’s email about a video on Eva Perón, that the family was sensitive about dictator regimes. Green wrote that Watts took reasonable steps to make the activity voluntary but did not ask the student whether he was comfortable or give him a private way to opt out. She concluded Watts did not make a reasonable effort to protect him from conditions harmful to his mental health, proving Counts I and II.¹

Green found insufficient clear and convincing evidence that Watts intended to embarrass the student, who testified he could not say she meant to, and recommended dismissing Count III, which charged intentionally exposing a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement. Mitigating factors include no prior discipline, “effective” and “highly effective” evaluations and Watts’ apology to the student’s mother.¹

Background and next steps

The Phoenix reported that in August 2025 then-Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas posted on X that he would act to ensure the teacher “never teaches again.”² The order notes that Dr. Henry Mack has since succeeded Kamoutsas.¹

Under the order’s notice, parties have 15 days to file written exceptions with the agency that will issue the final order. Section 1012.796(7) directs an Education Practices Commission panel to enter a final order dismissing the complaint or imposing penalties. Under section 120.57(1), the agency may accept the recommended penalty but may not change it without reviewing the complete record and stating its reasons.¹³

What the records do not show

• Whether exceptions have been filed with the agency, or when the commission will take up the case; the DOAH docket showed no filings after the order as of Oct. 21.
• The lengths of suspension and probation the state sought; those come from the Phoenix.
• The order gives the hearing date as July 13, 2026, in its opening and Aug. 13, 2026, in its procedural history; the DOAH docket lists Aug. 13.
• The former commissioner’s post was not reviewed directly.