Palm Bay, FL – Recent revelations about a staff member at Odyssey Charter Jr/Sr High School in Palm Bay, Florida, are adding fuel to the fire of ongoing concerns among parents and community members about the school’s management and staff conduct.
Helena Taylor, a parent associated with the school, has voiced concerns over the behavior of Ms. Dayana Rowe, a teacher at the school, whose past involves serious legal allegations including battery and domestic violence, details of which were documented in a Volusia County police report dated June 6, 2021. This incident has raised alarm among parents already wary of the school’s history of employing staff with questionable records.
This is not the first controversy for the institution. Odyssey Charter has faced multiple issues in the past, including employing uncertified teachers, hiring individuals who were previously fired from other educational institutions, allegations of falsifying attendance records, and a scandal involving a principal arrested for stealing prescription drugs from other teachers. These incidents have contributed to a growing distrust in the school’s ability to provide a safe and nurturing environment for students. In fact, their last teacher of the year was also arrested for domestic violence.
Community members have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction, discussing the lack of responsiveness from the school’s administration when serious concerns are raised. Parents like Taylor have reported that communication with school officials, including the dean and dean of students, often goes unanswered, further highlighting administrative deficiencies.
The situation with Ms. Rowe has brought additional scrutiny to the school’s hiring practices and oversight. Parents are demanding transparency and assurances that staff undergo thorough vetting and continuous monitoring, especially when previous behavior could impact their role and the safety of students.
The school has terminated the employment of educators in the past who brought troubling concerns about the school to light. A board member for the organization, Chandler Langevin who is also running for city council in Palm Bay recently was criticized for stating that people should raise their children to look up to confederate soldiers and there’s “no greater man alive today than Robert E. Lee.”
The school administration has yet to respond to requests for comment on how they are addressing these ongoing concerns and what steps are being taken to restore confidence among parents and the community.
As this story develops, the community waits to see if this latest episode will catalyze the changes needed to turn around the troubled charter school, ensuring it can provide the high standard of education and care that parents expect and that students deserve.