Did Darryl Willie lie or interfere in the whistleblower investgation? Why not both?

 Willie said below to Action News Jax

It's troubling for quite a few reasons. First he is saying the board knew about the complaint and didn't inform people locally. They hid it from us when they asked questions and when they asked the people to weigh in.

I also don't believe he or the board did any investigation. I believe Willie was less than honest, and this was just a knee-jerk response he gave so he and the board didn't look bad or, in my opinion, worse. I think DCPS relied almost exclusively on Andrea Messina of the Florida School Board Association, but that's for another email.  

If he or DCPS investigated the whistleblower complaint, that should be public record; the media and people of Jacksonville should be able to see who they talked to and what they talked about. There is no whistleblower third-party immunity.

Whether Willie lied or not, either is still troubling. If he didn't lie, he said he talked to a few people Bernier told him to and then dismissed the complaint; that's hardly an investigation, and it may damage the actual investigation. Or he wasn't honest, with the media and the people of Jacksonville and that's bad too.  

Below is a letter an activist in Lee County sent to request information, and I would encourage you to do the same.

CG

To: <PRR@duvalschools.org>, <willied@duvalschools.org>, Prr lee Schools <PublicRecords@leeschools.net>, Kathy Dupuy-Bruno <KathyD@leeschools.net>, Board <BoardOffice@leeschools.net>, James Buchanon <JamesLB@leeschools.net>
Cc: <hersheyl@duvalschools.org>, Jada Langford <jadanfl@leeschools.net>, Kathy Dupuy-Bruno <KathyD@leeschools.net>, Betsy Vaughn <esv460@gmail.com>, Sam Fisher <samueljf@leeschools.net>, Cathleen Morgan <cathleenom@leeschools.net>, Armor Persons <armordp@leeschools.net>, Larry Stephens <larryst@leeschools.net>, Melisa Giovannelli <melisawg@leeschools.net>, <cpgbonjovi@gmail.com>, James Buchanon <JamesLB@leeschools.net>, Joe Philips <Smokinjoeharvesting@gmail.com>, <carneya1@duvalschools.org>, <Jonesw2@duvalschools.org>, Debbie Jordan <DebbieJ@leeschools.net>, Vicki Santini <Vickiasantini@aol.com>, <cokerk@duvalschools.org>, <pearsonc1@duvalschools.org>, <joycec@duvalschools.org>

Based on the board member’s below comment below from Duval County please send me the list of employees from the Lee County School District and any board members who participated in Duval County’s “investigation background,” of the whistleblower complaint. 

Please send the information mentioned and offered to the board in Duval, as well any memos, notes, history of phone calls, text messages, emails, any documents pertaining to “research” and any other correspondence or documentation that substantiates the statements made by Board Member Chairman Darryl Willie District 4. 

If public employees and or any elected officials from the Lee County School District participated in interfering with an ongoing investigation which disparaged or discredited the whistleblower the whistleblower is entitled to this information for his ongoing investigation and possible litigation against the district for defamation and damages to his reputation. 

According to this Duval elected official he spoke with individuals that sent emails and I can certify in this email that he has NOT spoken to;

Joe Philips 

Vicki Santini 

Dr. Doug Santini 

Or myself Jacqueline Perez 

Now that the Chairman from Duval has made a public statement the public is entitled to those documents-information as well as it is in the interest of the public..

Thank you,

JP