Palm Beach Co. superintendent defends firing of former Spanish River High principal

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A hearing was held Tuesday for William Latson, who was fired last year over his controversial comments about the Holocaust.

Latson, the former principal for Spanish River Community High School, is trying to get his job back by appealing the Palm Beach County School Board's decision to oust him last October.

If an administrative judge decides in Latson’s favor, the School Board would vote again on whether to reinstate him, the Sun Sentinel reported. Latson had been the principal of Spanish River High since 2011 before he was fired.

In 2018, Latson wrote in an email to a parent, "I can't say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee."

He later claimed in a farewell letter sent to schFormer Spanish River High principal fights firing at hearing ool staff members that his words were twisted and blamed the parent.

The letter states, “I have been reassigned to the district office due to a statement that was not accurately relayed to the newspaper by one of our parents.” He went on to say, “It is unfortunate that someone can make a false statement and do so anonymously and it holds credibility, but that is the world we live in.”

Superintendent Donald Fennoy said he had to fire Latson because "we were in a crisis situation" and "the damage done by his written statements would follow him wherever he would go.”

However, Latson's attorneys said he was being punished for a "poorly worded email" and that there are others at fault, including school district staff who knew about the emails for 16 months before deciding to do something about it once Latson's remarks received national attention, the Sun Sentinel reported.

The hearing will resume Wednesday at 9 a.m.