A school board candidate's ACPS file reveals an incident that resulted in a two-day paid leave

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – After an anonymous social media post was shared claiming that school board candidate Thomas Vu was expelled from Mebane Middle School for an incident involving a student, the Alachua Chronicle requested all investigation and disciplinary reports in his personnel file. The response indicated that he was once placed on two-day leave for a separate incident, but there was no evidence of an investigation consistent with what was stated in the social media post.

The initial response from Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) on August 15 stated, “Thomas Vu’s personnel file contains no investigation or disciplinary records,” but this morning ACPS sent a leave of absence request from 2016.

The document describes a two-day paid administrative leave from October 5-6, 2016, because “Mr. Vu was involved in a scuffle with a student.” The “Employee Statement” field is blank, and the “Resolution and Assistance if Needed” field states, “Mr. Vu will not have any physical contact with students unless safety concerns require it.”

The anonymous social media post states that Vu was “expelled from Mebane for not allowing a student to use the restroom. The student wet his pants and was in them all day.”

Vu sent us the following statement:

“As someone striving to bring a new kind of leadership to our country, I welcome the opportunity to respond. Accountability is critical for any leader, and that includes being transparent about our pasts and careers.

“First, regarding the 2016 incident, a student made a false accusation after I sent him to the dean's office. I asked him to leave my classroom to ensure the safety of my other students. The district conducted a full investigation into the incident, including reviewing camera footage and taking statements from students. The investigation corroborated my account of events and cleared me of any wrongdoing. I am glad the district took the time to investigate this.

“To the rumors circulating on social media, here are the facts: Before class began, a student asked if he could go to the bathroom. I gave the student permission, but the student chose not to use the bathroom. Within the first 5 minutes of class, the student told me he had had an accident. I immediately sent the student to the nurse so he could change.

“My accomplishments as an educator reflect my commitment to student development and support, and I remain committed to transparency and honesty in all my actions. These values ​​will continue to guide me as a member of the school board.”