Leon County School Board candidate Jeremy Rogers is pushing back on a late-in-the-campaign controversy: news that he’s suing the city of Tallahassee.
Rogers is a Tallahassee firefighter. He sued the city last year, claiming he was denied reasonable accommodations for mental health concerns related to his mother’s death in an arson fire. According to his complaint, Rogers says he faced a hostile workplace at the Tallahassee Fire Department.
The complaint was sent to several local news outlets, including WFSU and the Tallahassee Democrat.
In a statement to WFSU, Rogers blamed the leak of the lawsuit on supporters of his opponent, school board member Laurie Lawson Cox. He accused them of using the death of his mother and the subsequent lawsuit for, quote: “political gain.”
Local party chair Ryan Ray blamed Cox directly.
She has denied involvement, and in a statement to WFSU, said her campaign is focused on students, teachers and having a successful school year.
While school board races are non-partisan, this race has taken on a very Republican-versus-Democratic tint. The Florida Democratic Party has endorsed Rogers, a Democrat. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is backing Cox, a Republican.
Rogers is seeking damages from the city of over $50,000.
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In a statement, Rogers said, “It’s really sad that my opponent’s supporters would try to use a painful moment in my life -- the devastating death of my mother in a fire -- for political gain. Our campaign will continue to focus on the issues that matter to our families, teachers and students. That's the focus I'll bring as a School Board member-elect on August 21st.”
In a statement, Lawson Cox said, “That is between my opponent and the city. I am fully focused on making sure our schools, teachers and students have what they need for a successful year.”
In a statement, Leon County Democratic Party Chair Ryan Ray said, “Laurie Cox should be ashamed of herself for shopping depraved opposition research on a Tallahassee First Responder. It reeks of desperation. Her entire Moms for Liberty backed, Ron DeSantis-endorsed campaign is wrong for Tallahassee and this sad 11th hour attack just proves it further."
