JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Councilwoman Tyrona Clark-Murray has officially announced plans to appeal a 10-day suspension without pay handed down by the Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) board, signaling a deepening conflict between the educator and the district.
The suspension, which stems from a human resources investigation into allegations of inappropriate physical contact, has prompted Clark-Murray to push back, citing procedural failures and alleged bias. The veteran educator, who has served the district for 33 years, was previously removed from her classroom duties at Alfred DuPont Middle School in May 2026 while the investigation unfolded. She was reassigned to a role involving no student contact, a position she held until the board finalized its disciplinary action earlier this month.
In a statement released Wednesday, Clark-Murray characterized the school board’s decision as highly irregular. She highlighted her lengthy tenure and an unblemished disciplinary record as key factors that should have necessitated a different approach. Furthermore, she pointed to her performance evaluations, noting she earned “Highly Effective” ratings for both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years.
“The district bypassed the foundational steps of progressive discipline, which are designed to ensure fairness and consistency,” Clark-Murray said in her statement. She argued that the district’s departure from its established policies is not only unprecedented in her experience but also legally vulnerable, claiming that similar procedural oversights have been overturned in previous court rulings.
Beyond the procedural disputes, Clark-Murray leveled serious allegations of partiality against the school board. She specifically called out board member April Carney, asserting that public comments Carney made on X (formerly Twitter) prior to the conclusion of the HR investigation demonstrated a clear bias. According to the councilwoman, she requested that Carney recuse herself from the vote regarding her suspension, but that request was denied.
The underlying details of the investigation—specifically the nature of the alleged physical contact—have remained shielded from the public, as DCPS has declined to disclose the specifics of the incident while citing the ongoing personnel matter.
The appeal process will now shift to the legal arena. According to Clark-Murray’s statement, the matter will be heard by Florida’s Division of Administrative Hearings. An administrative law judge will be assigned to review evidence, hear testimony from witnesses, and eventually issue a recommendation on whether the suspension should stand or be overturned.
As of Wednesday evening, representatives for Duval County Public Schools had not provided a formal response to the impending appeal or the allegations of bias raised by the councilwoman. The case remains a significant point of contention, pitting a long-standing public official against the district administration and school board leadership.
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