Case To Be Discussed At This Week’s School Board Meeting.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A longtime custodian with the School District of Palm Beach County has been fired following an investigation that revealed nearly 100 incidents of attendance issues in just one year. Billy Jackson, who had worked for the district since 2009, was terminated after a final order was signed in January 2026. It will be discussed at this week’s School Board meeting according to an agenda reviewed by BocaNewsNow.com. An administrative law judge found that Jackson’s chronic absenteeism and tardiness created a hardship for his colleagues at Gove Elementary School.
The investigation into Jackson’s employment began in August 2024 and focused on his attendance over the preceding 12 months. Investigators determined that Jackson was involved in 91 separate incidents of being tardy, absent, or leaving work early without permission. According to court documents, the majority of these absences showed a clear “patterned” behavior, frequently occurring immediately before or after a weekend.
Jackson’s disciplinary history showed that the district had attempted to correct his behavior through progressive discipline for years. Since 2017, he had received multiple verbal and written reprimands for excessive absenteeism and leaving campus without approval. Despite being offered help through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for his ill wife, Jackson reportedly failed to submit the necessary paperwork to excuse his absences, later telling officials he simply forgot to return the forms.
In the final ruling, Administrative Law Judge Meredith C. Hinshelwood noted that Jackson’s actions constituted a “flagrant or purposeful” violation of school board rules. The judge determined that his persistent failure to show up for work negatively impacted the school’s ability to maintain a clean and safe environment for students. Along with his termination, Jackson was also handed a 15-day suspension without pay as part of the final agency action. Gove Elementary School is in Belle Glade.
