JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former teacher spotlights what she claims are nasty conditions at a local school, but sharing a video to social media isn’t the reason why she says she was let go.
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“This is the condition y’all kids be in, look at it!” Javone Kereenyaga said in a TikTok.
Video posted from a now former Lakeshore Middle School teacher shows what she says are cockroaches in her classroom.
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“Every morning there were roaches in my desk and I’d see them everywhere in the school,” Kereenyaga told Action News Jax.
Kereenyaga taught 6-8th grade health class at Lakeshore Middle School, she claimed the school didn’t do enough so she purchased bug bombs in September.
“I come back on Tuesday, I open the door and I literally see roaches everywhere,” she said.
“Our first video here is my roach infested classroom!” she said in the TikTok.
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She says roaches weren’t the only problem in her classroom.
“My kids health at risk, mine was, their safety was, lack of resources, so many things that aren’t helping my kids on and move up as education goes,” she said.
The video wasn’t the reason why she was terminated, since it was posted after being let go. She said she would’ve posted the video while she was still employed but was worried about repercussions, saying she worked through it at the time.
She believes she was fired one day after live streaming her lesson on TikTok.
“With the Tik Tok live and the way it set up, do you feel like you did anything wrong?” Action News Jax reporter Ben Ryan asked.
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“No, I do not,” she said.
Action News Jax obtained a message that was sent to Duval County Public Schools, an anonymous tip came saying it wasn’t appropriate and she paid more attention to the comment section than her class.
Kereenyaga disagrees, and claimed officials never gave her a true reason for letting her go.
“I felt it be such a good way to engage my audience and let them come into my world and especially because I see teachers go live all the time,” she said. “You see me, you see my board and you see me teaching my kids.
It should be noted Kereenayga said while it’s against the classroom rules and students aren’t supposed to walk behind her desk, she said some did and showed their faces in front of the camera.
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“I didn’t say a kid’s last name, I personally did not show any of my kids. So, I personally don’t think I was doing anything necessarily wrong,” she said.
for Kereenyaga, she said she loved her job.
“To just be ripped away from them is very hurtful,” she said. “I know my kids are wondering where I’m at, where is Ms. K?”
She plans to take legal action against DCPS.
Action News Jax reached out to the district about her claims regarding the school and the reason for termination.
“The individual was terminated during their probationary period. We are aware and looking into the allegations listed below. As we have been notified of possible legal action by this individual, any additional information will be reserved for potential legal proceedings,” A district spokesperson said to Action News Jax in an email.
Action News Jax has also asked the district for any sort of potential policy regarding teachers using social media in the classroom and we’re waiting to hear back.
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