Anthony Hamlet

Anthony Hamlet was the superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from July 1, 2016 to October 1, 2021. In September 2021, Hamlet announced his resignation as superintendent following a state investigation that found he committed multiple ethics violations. He played football for the University of Miami and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1992 NFL Draft.

Education Hamlet attended public schools in Palm Beach County, Florida. In 1992, he earned a bachelor's degree in general studies from the University of Miami, where he was a starting defensive tackle on the Hurricanes' undefeated 1991 team, which was national co-champion.

He earned two degrees at Nova Southeastern University: a master's in education leadership in 2003 and a doctorate in education in 2007. In 2015, he was a member of the first class at the AASA-Howard University Urban Superintendent Academy, a program intended to train leaders for urban school districts.

Career Hamlet was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 10th round (283rd pick) of the 1992 NFL draft. He was a defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts in 1993, but did not play in any games. Hamlet said he also played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League for a short time.

He began his educational career as a case manager and behavioral specialist with a Palm Beach County, Florida, mental health unit. He subsequently held positions as teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, principal, and district administrator, mostly with the School District of Palm Beach County.

The school district reviewed a trip several administrators took to Cuba in April 2019 without the required approval of the school board. Hamlet and five administrators accepted a trip to Cuba with travel and accommodations paid for by an education consulting group, The Flying Classroom. The trip raised questions in regard to state ethics laws.

In an investigation report released in August 2021 by the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission, Hamlet was cited with multiple ethics violations, including improperly receiving travel reimbursements, getting payments for appearances related to his job, and incorrectly filing financial documents. He was ordered to pay nearly $8,000 and to forfeit two weeks of vacation, valued at over $12,000. Hamlet stated at a news conference that he did nothing wrong and said the violations were due to clerical errors, a lack of ethics training, and a clause in his contract regarding receiving payment for speeches that conflicted with state ethics laws. The executive director of the Ethics Commission, Robert Caruso, said Hamlet's conduct occurred over a number of years and "was an egregious violation of the public trust". City and school district controller Michael Lamb, who initiated the complaint with the Ethics Commission in 2019, recommended that the school board fire Hamlet. On September 8, 2021, Hamlet announced his resignation as superintendent. Per the state's school code, he will receive a severance package of just under $400,000, the equivalent of one year's salary and the value of his benefits.