Two years after Flagler County schools ended her stellar 12-year teaching career over a 15-second TikTok video of her dancing with some of her sixth-grade students to the sound of Lizzo and an errant, barely audible four-letter word that many students sing or mouth a dozen times a day, Abbey Cooke has signed a settlement agreement with the state, neither admitting nor denying guilt, and preserving her teaching license.
The agreement issued by the Education Practices Commission calls for a two-year probationary period, not retroactive to 2022, which Cooke found excessive and unnecessary: never contesting that including the Lizzo split second from the song “About Damn Time” was a misjudgment, Cooke had expected a letter of reprimand at most, especially from Flagler schools, where the matter would have ended, as her teaching there would not have.
But the district then as now was in the grip of vindictive school board members and fearful administrators quick to the warpath, as then-School Board member Jill Woolbright was when she got wind of the TikTok Cooke had made, by way of a Belle Terre Elementary teacher who didn’t have a child in Cooke’s class, but who made sure the children’s parents got wind of it, too. Inappropriately, but effectively (school board members are barred by law to interfere in the day to day operations of a district), asked that Cooke be fired and the video reported to the state Department of Education.
Then-Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt, fighting for a job she would lose anyway, complied. Cooke, a former Teacher of the Year without a blemish on he record, was escorted off campus at Belle Terre Elementary, as if she were a threat to students.
Of course the TikTok video had been a pretext: Woolbright, who had the same retaliatory instincts as fellow-Board member Janet McDonald, had long wanted Cooke gone because Cooke was an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ students and she had spoken repeatedly and critically to and of the School Board on those issues.
School Board member Colleen Conklin’s reaction to Cooke’s firing, in a text to Mittelstadt outlizzoed Lizzo, summed up both the administration’s overreaction and the reigning atmosphere outspoken teachers contended with: “12 years of highly effective, including this year. Never any official reprimands. Teacher of the year. Great scores. Multiple years as a Florida High Impact teacher. 8 years as the 6th grade team lead. And we FREAKING FIRE HER! WE LITERALLY SUCK. THIS DISTRICT COMPLETELY SUCKS. We treat kids and teachers like shit and when teachers are brave enough to speak up for our most vulnerable kids we FUCKEN FIRE THEM!! Really!?!! I am so disgusted by this I can’t even comprehend that we did this. PATHETIC. I hope she SUES THE SHIT OUT OF OUR DISTRICT AND I HOPE SHE WINS. DISGUSTED BY WHO WE HAVE BECOME.”
Woolbright wouldn’t let go, emailing her board colleagues with what Conklin called her “silly culture war emails.”
“Students are fearful to tell their parents what happens at school, and staff is fearful of retaliation. You can choose to believe that or not,” Woolbright had written in an Aug. 19, 2022 email. To which Conklin answered: “I have heard from plenty of staff, teachers and students who are disappointed in the aggressive behavior shown by YOU. The retaliatory nature of some on this board who have gone out of their way demanding teachers be removed and disciplined, administrators admonished and disciplined and students targeted and disciplined differently than others is outrageous and crosses every line of a Board members responsibility. You need to take a good hard look in the mirror.” (Woolbright, who considered the district office to be full of “evil spirits,” lost her seat to Sally Hunt, who has said she is resigning, enabling Woolbright to angle again for a governor’s appointment back to the seat she lost.)
The text and exchange with Woolbright may explain at least in part why Conklin, on the board for 24 years, had had enough.
There would be no lawsuit from Cooke. She had various options, including contesting the firing through informal and formal hearings. She opted for the settlement, which includes a $750 fine and requires completion of an “Ethics in Education” course.
News of Cooke’s firing two years ago had the effect of black-listing her in the region. After what was officially termed a “release” from Flagler schools–her contract was not renewed, though obviously she’d been summarily fired–she went on a dozen interviews in Flagler County, was highly qualified for all the jobs she was applying for, and got none of them. In contrast, before the TikTok incident, principals were trying to woo her away from Belle Terre Elementary to go work at their schools.
She’s had to work three jobs simultaneously to support her family. She briefly worked for a charter school. She was diagnosed with PTSD. She now works in life insurance, but keeps looking to get back into teaching, where she feels she belongs. She just renewed her five-year teaching certificate, which was expiring in June.
“I miss having a job that feels like it matters. I miss feeling like I’m making a difference, a lot,” Cooke said in an interview today. “And I miss kids. I just miss kids. I don’t know. Our county is so small. It’s not like just because it’s been two years, and just because there was a settlement that means that I’m going to be marketable.”
The state Department of Education’s investigation included soliciting statements about her from her students. “Amazing teacher. I never had any issues with her.” Another: “She taught really well and 6th grade was my favorite year. I really liked having her as a teacher and I felt I could talk to her about anything. I had no problems or issues in her class. I don’t remember Ms. Cooke ever showing any TikTok videos in class.” Another: “She was rude when she talked sarcastic most of the time. it was to all of the class. I don’t remember her saying anything mean.” Another: “She always made us feel
comfortable no matter what. she always had our backs. i did not have a problems with her.”
The students had her back, too. The district did not.
