BARTOW, Fla. — A Polk County School District Official has until the end of the week to respond to the findings of an investigative report that support allegations he used profane, abusive, and intimidating language in text messages to the president of the county's teacher's union.
- Chief Academic Officer Michael Akes placed on leave when behavior reported
- Akes admitted that language was inappropriate, claims texts were not meant to intimidate
- More Polk County stories
According to the findings of a district internal investigation, the communication between Stephanie Yocum, president of the Polk Education Association, and Chief Academic Officer Michael Akes, Ph.D., took place on January 10, the same night district staff received an email which appeared to inform teachers they could lose their jobs if they attended an education rally in Tallahassee.
Yocum told investigators that Akes texted her just before 11 p.m. and asked her to call him, which she did.
“The first thing out of his mouth was you better not be f***ing recording me,” Yocum said in an interview with Spectrum News.
She said he sounded intoxicated.
“He seemed very drunk," Yocum explained. "His words were slurred. His phrases were disjointed."
The call lasted about five minutes. Then came the texts.
“I wanted to get off the phone as quickly as possible. I was very uncomfortable," she said. "Right after the phone call ended, he sent a series of text messages saying, “You better not name me. I’m not f***ing with you."
She felt Akes was trying to intimidate her, so four days later, after returning from the rally, she reported the encounter to the superintendent.
“Too often men like that typically get away with it and they’re used to being able to do that and shut it down and I wasn’t going to be a part of that,” Yocum said.
Akes was placed on leave that day.
Actions "constitute serious misconduct"
According to the investigative report, Akes admitted his choice of words were inappropriate, but said it wasn’t his intent to intimidate Yocum. He explained his behavior by saying he was concerned about Yocum due to the pending teacher absences and was calling her as a friend.
Yocum said she did not consider Akes a friend and found the conversation "bizarre."
The report concluded Ake’s actions “constitute serious misconduct. “
Yocum said she won’t demand Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd fire him, but she considers it a fireable offense.
“I think people have been fired for less," she explained. "I think when you’re in this kind of position this is unacceptable."
Byrd is giving Akes until the end of February 14 to respond to the investigative report. After that, she plans to make a decision.
Akes was hired in December, 2016. Prior to working for Polk County, he served as Osceola County’s Assistant Superintendent for High School Curriculum for two years, and before that the Florida Department of Education’s data captain.