JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The recently appointed principal of Baldwin Middle-Senior High School has a history of documented complaints involving inappropriate conduct toward students, according to records obtained by Jacksonville Today and reviewed by News4JAX.
Michael Smith, who assumed leadership at the school following a summer of administrative turmoil, has been the subject of multiple internal investigations dating back to 2016. The files reveal a pattern of behavior that has raised significant questions among parents and community members about the vetting process for school leadership.
The first incident occurred in 2016 while Smith served as an assistant principal at Atlantic Coast High School. According to the records, a parent filed a complaint alleging that Smith watched her daughter, compared her appearance to his friend’s wife, and held a photograph next to the student’s face. The parent further alleged that Smith followed the student to the library and used FaceTime to show her to his friend. That incident resulted in a formal verbal reprimand.
Subsequent years brought further scrutiny. In April 2022, a coach reported that Smith repeatedly spoke with a student, hugged her, and referred to her as “sweetheart.” While that investigation did not result in a substantiated finding, Smith was later transferred to First Coast High School in 2023.
Following his transfer, another report was submitted via the state’s Fortify Florida tip line. A parent alleged that Smith stroked a student’s hair, stood in an uncomfortably close proximity, and covered a student’s eyes while asking her to guess his identity. Although these allegations were also deemed unsubstantiated, the district reassigned Smith and provided him with coaching and counseling. District officials have not provided specific details explaining why these later incidents were not substantiated, noting only that video evidence was reviewed during the 2024 investigation.
Smith’s appointment at Baldwin Middle-Senior High comes in the wake of the arrest of his predecessor, Michael Townsend. Townsend was taken into custody in June on charges related to his failure to report alleged misconduct involving social studies teacher James Mulvey. Mulvey was arrested in May, accused of offenses against a student, including inappropriate physical contact and the exchange of emails containing statements such as, “OK, honey, I love you.”
In a statement responding to the findings, Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) defended its hiring process, stating that the district completed appropriate due diligence, including a review of Smith’s personnel file.
“Student safety is paramount,” the district stated. “An investigation resulting in an unsubstantiated allegation is materially different from a statutory violation related to a failure to report.”
DCPS Superintendent Christopher Bernier recently emphasized that the district remains committed to a culture where misconduct is not tolerated. However, for many in the Baldwin community, the revelation of Smith’s history has added a new layer of concern to an institution already reeling from recent scandals.
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