An area faculty board chair is going through outrage after publicly celebrating the loss of life of cultural legend and conservative supporter Hulk Hogan.
Sarah Rockwell, Democrat and present chair of the Alachua County Faculty Board, uncovered her radical bias in a Fb remark after the stunning information broke that Hogan had handed away at 71.
As an alternative of displaying respect for the beloved entertainer and WWE icon, Rockwell posted a nasty remark:
“Good. One much less MAGA on the earth.”
Many questioned how somebody entrusted with shaping kids’s training might overtly rejoice the loss of life of an American icon merely due to his political views.
This faculty board chair stated “Good. One much less MAGA on the earth” in response to Hulk Hogan’s loss of life. pic.twitter.com/apjIUKunVd
— Corey A. DeAngelis, faculty alternative evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) July 26, 2025
After being uncovered, Rockwell issued a weak “apology,” proscribing feedback on her Fb put up to silence critics. She wrote:
“Just a few days in the past, I made a merciless and flippant remark from my private Fb account on a buddy’s put up concerning the loss of life of Hulk Hogan. I deeply remorse making that remark and have since eliminated it. I wish to make it very clear that I by no means have and by no means will want hurt on anybody no matter whether or not we share political beliefs. Whereas I strongly disagree with among the feedback Hulk Hogan made, that’s no excuse for my remark.
I additionally sincerely apologize for the best way my remark has eroded confidence in my capacity to signify all college students, households, and employees in Alachua County. I wish to guarantee all of you that the most effective pursuits of our youngsters and our public faculties are on the heart of all the things I do as a board member. I hope I’ve proven that by my document of advocacy for kids, households, and employees members all through Alachua county.
Once more, I apologize for the damage and mistrust I’ve prompted with my insensitive remark. I’ll proceed to do the exhausting work of placing our youngsters and faculties first. I hope that I can earn again your belief.”
Throughout a contentious July 31 board assembly, outraged residents blasted Rockwell. Jeremy Clepper, one commenter, referred to as her “a disgusting, vile human being” earlier than safety almost eliminated him, in response to the Gainesville Sun.
Rockwell’s conceitedness didn’t finish together with her Fb put up. At a current faculty board assembly, when mother and father pressed her on the controversy, she doubled down, claiming her phrases have been “personally protected speech.”
Schooling Commissioner Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas decided that the Alachua County Faculty Board violated the First Modification by selectively silencing speech at conferences.
On August 20, the Florida State Board of Schooling permitted sanctions requiring all the board to bear coaching. In the event that they fail to conform, or repeat their antics through the 2025–26 faculty yr, their salaries can be withheld.
Rockwell continues to dodge full accountability, even refusing to immediately apologize to conservative mother and father on the August board listening to. As an alternative, she arrogantly stated voters can “resolve on the poll field” subsequent cycle.
Sarah Rockwell:
“So, to start with, I’ve already made two public apologies for my remark, and I’m not going to talk to that once more as a result of that’s my personally protected speech that was not made in my public capability.All the mother and father who got here to talk that night time got the chance to talk. No one who had signed as much as communicate selected to not communicate. To my information, there are usually not mother and father who got here to talk who have been afraid to talk, as a result of everybody who got here and signed as much as communicate did.
So far as—you recognize—the board chair already answered, however so far as what constitutes a disruption to the assembly: if the enterprise of the assembly is interrupted, that may be a disruption. What interrupted the enterprise of the assembly was the speaker. As he walked again to his seat, he was participating with different viewers members, and it was stopping the following speaker from having his time. It was disrupting the order of the assembly.
I nonetheless intervened to not have him eliminated as a result of I believed that one other warning was warranted. However, to me, what constitutes a disruption is when the enterprise of the assembly is delayed or interfered with.”
BREAKING: Alachua County Faculty Board Sarah Rockwell on her remarks after Hulk Hogan’s passing, “Good. One much less MAGA,” which are actually going through backlash.
“I’ve already made two public apologies for my remark and I’m not going to talk to that once more as a result of that’s my personally… pic.twitter.com/XWo4bjcMRj
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 20, 2025
Extra from The Gainesville Solar:
Rockwell confronted questions on whether or not she apologized to the general public commenter or if she had a message for conservative mother and father involved whether or not they might belief her to be honest. She famous that she can be up for reelection subsequent cycle, and that folks might vote her out of workplace.
“My document speaks for itself,” Rockwell stated. She declined to additional apologize for her feedback when requested by a board member, noting her social media apology simply after her feedback drew backlash on-line and in addition on the July 31 faculty board assembly.
Greater than 20 individuals appeared for public remark on the assembly in St. Augustine, many from Alachua County. Remark ranged from individuals agreeing that the varsity board ought to face sanctions and others arguing that the varsity board didn’t violate any First Modification requirements.
“The explanation why there are usually not extra conservatives in that room, is due to the poisonous atmosphere that has been created in and outdoors of those conferences,” stated Tim Marden, Alachua County Republican Occasion chair and mayor of Newberry, a metropolis within the county.
“That is simply the tip of the iceberg. I don’t imagine sanctions are sufficient, I believe you must go additional and use any authority that you’ve got.”