AP Insight

AP+Insight

Sam Allen, Student Features Editor

Brian Williams has been an assistant principal at Freedom High School since 2012. We as a school know little about our administrators because most of them are new. As hard as it is for us to see them past their titles, they do in fact have a life outside of school.

”I’ve been married for nine years, and right now I have a two-year-old daughter so that keeps me busy. If I have free time I’ll just play some basketball or work out,” Williams said.

He was even your average college student. Williams neither favored not neglected parties, but still gave it a try every now and then.

“I got my undergraduate degree at Florida State. I didn’t go to parties more than normal, I didn’t live or die for it, but yeah I went out,” Williams noted.

Mr. Williams’ music preference stays mostly within the genre of rap, but he is willing to give other genres a chance.

“I listen to a little bit of everything, but mainly rap and R&B. I listen to everything from Maroon 5 to Jay Z, to Marvin-Gaye. If I like it I’ll listen to it, but not Taylor Swift, yeah no Taylor Swift.  My top artists would be, Jay-Z, Rakim, Biggie, 2-Pac, and Nas. Though the best rap group of all time would be Outkast,” Williams listed.

The field of education has run through Williams’ family making it an immediate interest of his.

“My mother was in it for forty-two years up in Gainesville, all of my family was in education so it just came easy to me,” said Williams. “I taught middle school social studies at Burns, and Adult Ed at Brewster. Then after that I was a guidance counselor at Sly Middle School, and then I got into administration at Freedom. I like administration the most, it would go administration first, guidance second, and being a teacher last.”

His past experiences help him to connect with teachers in their struggles.

“Having been a teacher helps, just sometimes teachers think you don’t understand, but you do because you’ve been there, said Williams.

The educative system isn’t perfect, and students aren’t the only ones aware. Mr. Williams recognizes the flaws and shares his thoughts.

“If I could change one thing it would be testing. Standardized testing. If you’re not a good test taker it could fail you. Students do well in class but aren’t good at tests, if you’re working hard and getting good grades then one test shouldn’t keep you from graduating,” Williams believes.
So if you see Mr. Williams walking around campus, stop and say hello. He is a normal person just like everyone else.