William Latson Bio
William Latson, the now-former principal of Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton, said in an April 2018 email to a parent who’d inquired about how the Holocaust would be taught that he had to be “politically neutral” on the subject because “not all of our parents have the same beliefs.”
A Principal Who Said “Not Everyone Believes The Holocaust Happened” Has Lost His Job – In an email to a parent, William Latson said he has to be “politically neutral” about the Holocaust because “not all of our parents have the same beliefs.”View Entire Post ›
View the Origin… pic.twitter.com/RMr8BJsRI4— elementarty (@elementartyy) July 9, 2019
William Latson Saying about Holocaust
“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,” Latson said in his correspondence to the unnamed mother, which was made public by the Palm Beach Post on Friday.
Officials said the incident began when a student’s mother sent an email to Latson in 2018 inquiring how the Holocaust was taught.
In his response, the principal remarked that he couldn’t ‘say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee’.
Spoke with @SuptFennoy this morning. This Principal should have been fired, not simply reassigned.
There is no excuse for what he expressed. There is no excuse for holocaust denial. There is no excuse for anti-Semitism of any kind. https://t.co/xbKJYOMtdG
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) July 9, 2019
He added that not all students’ parents believe the Holocaust happened.
The emails are just now surfacing after The Palm Beach Post published the excerpts from the messages on Friday through a public records request.
The mother, who did not wish to be named, replied that: ‘The Holocaust is a factual, historical event. It is not a right or a belief.’
However, the principal insisted: ‘Not everyone believes the Holocaust happened and you have your thoughts but we are a public school and not all of our parents have the same beliefs so they will react differently.
‘My thoughts or beliefs have nothing to do with this because I am a public servant. I have the role to be politically neutral but support all groups in the school…’
Fact that someone charged with educating children would be unable to speak unequivocally on the realities & horrors of the holocaust is incredibly concerning.
Our children and communities deserve better. There’s no excuse for anti-Semitism in any form. https://t.co/H5Lq3mSXnn
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) July 7, 2019
Later, the principal explained that he is not a so-called Holocaust denier, rather that he views it as his place to remain neutral on all matters of politics.
Spanish River High School is in Boca Raton, which is a community that has a large Jewish population.
The Holocaust is taught in ninth and 10th grades at the high school.
WILLIAM LATSON: SPANISH RIVER HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WILLIAM LATSON SHOULD BE TERMINATED – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/dkOMoyreUb via @Change
— Jenji ?? (@jgerken) July 9, 2019
Fast Facts You Need to Know
- A High School Principal William Latson is reassigned to a district job
- William Latson told a parent that ‘not everyone believes the Holocaust happened’
- The parent had sent an email to Latson asking how the Holocaust is taught in school
- Latson reportedly said he couldn’t ‘say Holocaust is a factual, historical event’
- The former principal has since apologized for his response to the parent