PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – She has been a principal at Flanagan High for three years and has been employed with the Broward County School District for nearly 15 years. Now, Paula Peters has been reassigned away from students and the school as the district conducts an investigation.
The incident happened just as students were participating in a walkout protesting a bill that had passed in Tallahassee, the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill on March 16.
That’s when a cellphone video captured Peters shoving a student repeatedly.
The video shows her at first scolding the student while pointing her finger at him. She then reprimands him, followed by three shoves.
“It was the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ protest during school and I guess things just got a little heated and there was a little altercation between a principal and a student,” Mario Garcia, a student at the school said.
“She got real aggressive. She was yelling at kids,” said Garcia.
Another student Tyler Hamilton said he heard from other students that Peters pinched the student.
Local 10 News reached out to the district who said that the video is now part of an ongoing investigation.
The district also released a statement.
“The District’s Special Investigative Unit is investigating this incident. The employee has been administratively reassigned away from the school and students pending the outcome of the investigation,” according to the Office of Communications, Broward County Public Schools.
Local 10 News is gathering more details about what led up to the incident and if the student is still enrolled at the school.
Broward County Public Schools Office of Communications released information at Local 10 News’ request about Peters’ employment with the district from information provided by the District’s Human Resources Department.
7/1/07 to 6/30/08: Teacher (Reading Coach) at Piper High School
7/1/08 to 6/30/09: Teacher (Language Arts) at Piper High School
7/1/09 to 6/30/10: Teacher (Reading Coach) at Piper High School
7/1/10 to 1/16/11: Teacher (Reading) at Piper High School
1/17/11 to 9/16/13: Teacher (Reading) at Piper High School
9/17/13 to 6/30/15: Teacher (Reading) at Western High School
7/1/15 to 7/28/15: Teacher (Language Arts) at Western High School
7/29/15 to 6/30/19: Asst. Principal at Boyd Anderson High School
7/1/19 to Present: Principal at Charles Flanagan High School