Clay County School Board member, off-duty firefighter sues JFRD over reprimand after controversial remarks about race

A Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighter has filed a federal lawsuit against the city, alleging he was punished for exercising his First Amendment rights when he posted controversial remarks about race on social media while off duty.Robert Alvero, who also serves as a Clay County School Board member, filed the lawsuit Tuesday.The lawsuit says Alvero was not responding to an emergency, speaking on behalf of JFRD or carrying out his responsibilities as a firefighter when he posted the video on Facebook in December 2025.The video drew widespread criticism after he made comments about his experiences with the African American community. It was later removed.PAST STORIES |Clay County School Board to address board member’s controversial remarks about Black people being ‘rude,’ ‘problematic’ | Community leaders call for accountability over Clay County School Board member’s inflammatory social media commentsAt the time, Alvero was serving as a Clay County School Board member and w