Broward School Board member Allen Zeman is accusing fellow school board member Torey Alston of violating Florida ethics laws.
On June 18, Zeman recalls Alston publicly declared he would not vote on the agenda item related to the Broward County Schools paying charter schools $120 million.
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WATCH HERE“Torey Alston recused himself during these three School Board meetings after advocating for the agenda item to pass — I believed each time was a violation of Florida ethics law,” Zeman wrote in the complaint obtained by NBC6.
The complaint goes on to say, “Torey Alston, as a member of the Broward County School Board, advocated multiple times in public and closed-door meetings for Broward County Schools to pay Broward charter schools roughly $120 million. At the same time, a company that he owned in 2022, and continues to be owned by an immediate family member, received revenue from at least one Broward County charter school.”
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The ethics complaint alleges Alston advocated on the charter school issue during five closed-door meetings and at least two school board meetings, before recusing himself from voting on the issue.
NBC6 reached out to Zeman, who confirmed he filed the ethics complaint on July 11.
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“Every time I see somebody break the law I report it,” Zeman told NBC6.
He added, “I watched him advocate for one side for six months. I immediately said, ‘You just broke the ethics law.’”
Alston argues this is politically motivated.
“This was filed by my male colleague who used his right hand to hit a male district employee on the buttocks embarrassing him in front of other staff and witnessed by another board member? I’m not surprised my ethically and morally challenged colleague is attempting to rescue his former employee’s sinking campaign that isn’t focused on issues and our children,” Alston said in a statement he texted NBC6. “He’s a part of a coordinated effort to block a young, qualified black man to remain on the school board. The optics of this race is black and white and the voters will see his political games.”
Alston, who was appointed to his post by Gov. Ron DeSantis, is now running to be elected to the District 2 seat. His opponent is Rebecca Thompson. She is Zeman’s former executive secretary at the district.
NBC6 reached out to the Florida Ethics Commission, but a spokesperson could not confirm nor deny the existence of Zeman’s complaint. The complaint will be made public once it goes under review by the commission.
NBC6 also reached out to several school board members, who chose not to comment on the issue.
