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The elementary school students who targeted Black classmates with horrifically racist drawings aren't being held accountable, despite multiple other incidents of bigotry ... so says the SoCal school's PTA President.

Robin Allen joined "TMZ Live" Thursday, and unloaded on the school district for failing to issue any meaningful punishment for the students at Pepper Tree Elementary in Upland, CA. She also shot down the theory parents are behind the racist drawings.

Robin pointed out 6th graders made the offensive drawings on their own, completely unsolicited by teachers -- in other words, this was NOT a Black History Month lesson gone awry.

As we reported ... the drawings included captions like, "You're my favorite monkey," and "To my favorite cotton picker."

Even more disturbing ... Robin says the group of students responsible for the drawings have been calling Black kids monkeys and making animal noises all year -- not just this month.

Unfortunately, she claims the school district has let them get away with it for far too long.

One pair of parents of a Black student is blaming the parents of the offending students for teaching them bigotry -- but, as we said, Robin isn't letting the kids off that easy ... and wants the school district to prove it really does have a zero tolerance for hate.

Robin also feels the principal's apology for the incidents was far too delayed, coming 2 weeks after news of the drawings.

A Florida TV journalist broke down in tears live on camera while covering a shooting that claimed the life of both a 9-year-old and a reporter.

WESH correspondent Luana Munoz was doing a live shot outside an Orlando hospital Wednesday night after she had gotten word that fellow journalist Dylan Lyons was one of 3 victims fatally shot in the savage attacks that left 2 others critically wounded. The surviving victims had been rushed to the hospital.

Munoz opened her report with her voice cracking and wiping a tear from her eye. She said, "I apologize. This is really difficult to cover. This is every reporter’s absolutely worst nightmare. We go home at night afraid that something like this will occur and that is what happened here."

She also got choked up talking about Lyons' fianceé, saying they had embraced earlier as other journalists stood in solidarity with their fallen colleague.

Munoz ended with ... "So again we are at Orlando Regional Medical Center where we have learned that one of our own, a fellow reporter, has died while out covering a shooting. There are members of his family here along with his fiancée who are just incredibly distraught tonight."

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Keith Melvin Moses began his shooting spree late Wednesday morning when he murdered a woman -- with whom he was acquainted -- inside a vehicle and then fled.

Mina said Lyons and a photographer then showed up at the scene to cover the slaying for Spectrum 13 News. While they were doing their jobs, Moses allegedly returned to the scene and shot the journalists, killing Lyons and critically wounding the photog.

But, Moses wasn't done. He allegedly slipped inside a home nearby and shot a mother and her 9-year-old daughter. The mother was critically injured. Her daughter died.

Not only is Don Lemon thankful to be back on the air at CNN, he wants to remain there for the foreseeable future, and worked hand-in-hand with the network on his return apology ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, Don was in contact with CNN honchos throughout his entire time off, with a common goal, get back to work and apologize for his wrongdoing.

In fact, we're told it was agreed upon by both Don and the network that he would tweet out an apology before getting back on-air Wednesday. Our sources say Don never refused to apologize on-air ... everyone, including the network, thought it would be best they get back to reporting the news and move on from Don's mishap.

Additional sources say there was never an impression, internally, Don would be fired -- despite many outside CNN calling for that. We're told both he and the network are looking forward to continuing a long-term working relationship. We're told Don really enjoys working on 'This Morning' and is fully committed.

Our network sources say Don feels awful he said something dumb and made the mistake, but he's now acknowledged it and apologized publicly and internally.

The 911 call from an alligator's deadly attack on an 85-year-old woman in Florida has just been released ... and it's terrifying.

The frightened caller, who saw it all go down, tells the 911 dispatcher ... "There's a woman in the lake. The alligator's got her!"

The caller says the huge gator grabbed the woman as she walked her small dog by the water, telling the dispatcher ... "He pulled her into the lake."

The dispatcher asks if the gator dragged the woman below the surface ... and the caller says "Yes."

As the call unfolds, the caller says she hasn't seen the woman surface for several minutes ... but about 8 minutes in the caller notices a body floating in the water and exclaims, "I think she's gone, oh my God."

As we reported ... the attack happened Monday at a retirement community in Fort Pierce, FL, where the victim, 85-year-old Gloria Serge, was walking her dog near a retention pond when the gator lunged at them.

The roughly 10-foot alligator was ultimately captured and killed ... but the woman's dog survived.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg had a weirdly tense and terse reaction when a reporter asked him about the residents suffering in the wake of the East Palestine train disaster, refusing to answer questions, saying he was on "personal time."

Buttigieg was in Washington D.C. Tuesday, when a reporter with the Daily Caller approached him and asked what he would say to the folks in East Palestine. His response -- "I'd refer you to about a dozen interviews I've given today, and if you'd like to arrange a conversation, make sure to reach out to our press office."

When the reporter persisted, Buttigieg, who was walking with his husband Chasten, brushed her off, saying, "... I'm taking some personal time and I'm walking down the street."

That wasn't the end ... the reporter asked when the former presidential candidate would go to East Palestine, he said he'd "share that when I'm ready."

And then the bizarre turn ... he stopped and asked the reporter if he could take a picture of her. It seemed like an intimidation tactic ... the reporter later Tweeted, "I guess he didn't like that so he took a pic of me ... just doing my job, sir."

Don Lemon is on thin ice at CNN -- although he's being welcomed back for now, TMZ has learned he's a strike away from getting the boot permanently, and he knows it.

Sources with direct knowledge about Don's situation tell us ... when the veteran anchor spoke with upper management this week to discuss his sexist comments and the path forward, he was told this was his final warning on such antics.

We're told it was communicated to Don in no uncertain terms ... the next time he insults his cohosts or creates a toxic environment (on or off-air) will be his last with the network.

Of course, we know Don agreed to these terms in addition to signing off on participating in formal training of some sort. The guy's set to return to his job Wednesday, so he's up to speed on all this.

It's interesting Don was given this ultimatum, especially since we've heard from people in his world that he's not happy at CNN -- not at all -- so the uneasiness is mutual.

As for why Don was given such a short leash -- well, the fact is ... he's pretty polarizing. DL's racked up negative headlines (for one reason or another) in recent years, and not just from criticism from people on the right.

There's another factor here too that must be on the minds of CNN Worldwide CEO Chris Licht and co. ... ratings. Not only were Don's numbers for his former primetime slot not strong enough to warrant him sticking around there ... ratings on his new gig have tanked.

Plus, we're hearing staffers at CNN are still on edge over Thursday's incident ... with one source saying the anger is real and hasn't died down. It's truly become a distraction.

Don Lemon returned to his CNN morning gig Wednesday and, if you tuned in to see some fireworks on set or an apology from the anchor, you were very disappointed.

Instead, Lemon tweeted an apology about 30 minutes before appearing on CNN This Morning, nearly a week after he made sexist on-air remarks.

Lemon tweeted, "I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today. To my network, my colleagues and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. “I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better. See you soon."

Then Lemon opened the show with a rather dull segment alongside cohost Poppy Harlow in the studio while Kaitlan Collins was reporting from Warsaw, Poland, where she's covering President Biden.

Don commented on Biden's speech about Kyiv standing strong one year after Ukraine was invaded by Russia. He turned to Harlow and said, "Very powerful speech from the President."

Harlow responded, "Very powerful and juxtaposed to what we heard from Putin in the morning," referring to the Russian President's speech in opposition to Biden's.

Harlow then turned to Lemon and cheerfully added, "What a day. Good morning everyone, Don and I are here in New York. And Kaitlin is live again in Warsaw Poland."

There was no mention of Don's sexist on-air remarks from last week -- nor was there an on-air apology from Lemon. It seemed like they were playing the role of a happy family on set or, at least, that's how the hosts were trying to portray it.

But, behind the scenes, there's much tension. As we reported ... Don is one strike away from being canned by the network. Our sources say if he screws up again, he's out!

We're told senior CNN executives gave the final warning to Don when they spoke to him this week. Don might not be so sad if he leaves. We're told he's not happy at CNN anyway.

And last week's debacle only ratcheted up the tensions. As you know, Lemon made sexist comments on air about 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley calling her past her prime at 51.

Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes can't keep their lips to themselves down in Mexico ... their getaway south of the border keeps heating up, with some steamy PDA by the beach.

The former 'GMA3' cohosts enjoyed a romantic stroll along the coast in Puerto Vallarta, showing off their toned beach bodies and kicking back with some cold cervezas at an oceanfront bar.

Amy soaked up the sun in a black bikini as she walked arm in arm with a topless T.J. ... and by the time they threw back a couple Pacificos at the cantina, they couldn't hold back any longer and started making out.

The lovebirds shared a bunch of laughs too ... and they're definitely putting the fun in funemployment.

Remember ... Amy and T.J. recently excited ABC with nice little payouts from their contracts after their affair forced them off the air ... and they've spent the last week locking lips all over Puerto Vallarta.

As we first told you, Amy and T.J. popped up in Mexico on Wednesday, attached at the hip as they strolled the streets, shopping and even stopping to talk with fans.

An elderly woman is dead after an alligator attacked while she was walking her dog -- and her efforts to save her pooch ended up costing her her life.

The tragedy happened Monday at a retirement community in Fort Pierce, FL where the beast lunged at 85-year-old Gloria Serge. The gator reportedly went after the dog first, but Gloria wasn't giving up her pet without a fight.

Unfortunately, Serge got knocked over in the struggle, and the alligator yanked her by the foot into a nearby pond ... where she drowned. Not too long after that, the authorities were called in to wrangle and kill the gator.

Photos released by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Dept. show the dramatic scene ... officers straddling the reptile and tying it up as they prepared to haul it off in the back of a truck.

This one was estimated to be 10 feet in length, and was ultimately euthanized ... while the dog survived the ordeal.

As we know, gators are a dime a dozen in the sunshine state, and are incredibly dangerous. A toddler was killed under similar circumstances at Disney World in 2016.

Don Lemon seems to be trying to push himself out of the limelight amid all the anger pointed his way ... because TMZ has learned he's backed out of an upcoming event he was set to moderate.

Don was scheduled to host an event in NYC Tuesday, all about race and real estate in honor of Black History Month.

TMZ has learned Don stepped away from the gig ... making the decision not long after facing serious backlash for last week's misogynistic comments about Nikki Haley.

We're told Don was worried about his current news coverage overtaking the event, and our sources tell us event coordinators at Douglas Elliman agreed ... so he bowed out.

We've learned he's been replaced by real estate broker John Gomes, who works for Elliman -- the event will go on as scheduled.

As you know, Don was dragged after categorizing a woman's "prime" based on her age in regards to Nikki -- not only being met with anger online, but echoed by cohost Poppy Harlow.

President Biden just made a surprise visit to Europe -- touching down in Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ... as we come up on a year of warfare.

Biden popped up in Kyiv early Monday morning, a stop that wasn't previously announced -- and perhaps for good reason. It seems POTUS wanted to keep this trip under the radar, which makes sense considering he's in a literal battle zone.

The purpose of the visit is to announce new financial assistance -- upwards of half a billion dollars, Prez Biden noted -- which will cover everything from more military equipment, artillery, ammo and weapons for the Ukrainian army as they continue to fight Putin's troops.

On top of that, he said the U.S. would impose new sanctions against Moscow -- all on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris declaring Russia has committed crimes against humanity by waging war.

In other words, Biden simply wanted to show in-person solidarity and reaffirm America's commitment to the embattled nation ... and his presence was certainly a sight to behold, especially with sirens sounding off as Joe did a walkabout with Zelensky.

The timing here is also noteworthy ... Feb. 24th will mark the one-year anniversary of the day Russia launched a full-scale invasion.

Don Lemon will not be on the air to start the new week -- and his future at CNN seems a little uncertain too in the wake of his sexist comment ... this according to new reports.

Per the Daily Beast -- which cited insiders with knowledge of the situation -- Lemon will miss Monday's show for 'CNN This Morning' ... and will simply enjoy the holiday, President's Day. It's being reported that his upcoming absence was not planned prior to Thursday.

Rather than Don there, the two anchors that'll be holding it down are Poppy Harlow and Sara Sidner ... with Kaitlin Collins, another regular co-host, being stationed in Poland for coverage. Monday's on-air lineup was sent out to CNN staffers this weekend, so says DB.

That's not all ... according to the outlet, DL's position at CNN is apparently up in the air at this point -- with one of the cited insiders saying his time there is being discussed at the highest levels, while also adding ... "He is a constant distraction."

Another report by FOX News cites yet another CNN source, who says Lemon should return by Tuesday, but not even that is guaranteed ... because, apparently, it'll depend on "where his head is at." It's also unclear if this a straight up suspension, or if it's on Don's terms.

In any case, it sounds like there might be changes in the near future. We'd already reported that Don hopped on a staff call Friday to apologize, but it did not go over too well on the receiving end ... with sources telling us many took it has him patting himself on the back.

CNN Worldwide CEO, Chris Licht, is also said to have been pissed about the Nikki Haley quip, reportedly saying ... "His remarks were upsetting, unacceptable, and unfair to his co-hosts, and ultimately a huge distraction to the great work of this organization."

The heroic Florida woman who bravely fought off an alleged sexual predator during her workout is keeping her head up, and not allowing the violent incident to derail her lifestyle ... even in the gym.

Nashali Alma joined "TMZ Live" Friday to talk about the terrifying moment she had to fight off the guy in the gym of her Tampa apartment complex.

She says he was a good 6 inches taller than her, but as we've seen in the video ... Nashali gave him all he could handle. She told us exactly what she did to fend him off.

She says she has gotten an outpouring of love and support in the last few days, since cops released the surveillance footage of the January incident -- and it all has her feeling really good.

As we reported, Nashali was working out in her gym when Xavier Thomas-Jones came to the door and she let him in, thinking he forgot his key.

Minutes later, he charged at her, but the nursing school student wound up giving him a major beatdown ... before eventually breaking free.

Xavier was arrested the next day and charged with sexual battery and kidnapping.

A family dealing with the fallout of the toxic chemical disaster in Ohio say their health and their property are in decline with no end in sight ... and they're pissed at the fed's response.

Nathan Izotic, whose family owns a home two miles from the train derailment that unleashed toxic chemicals into the air, water and ground, joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday and shared what life is like for folks in the area ... and it ain't pretty.

Despite getting the green light to go home, Nathan says he and his family are still suffering from headaches, confusion, tiredness, vomiting and difficulty breathing ... he says the air smells like burnt plastic, there's a chemical sheen and rainbow coloration in the creek running through their backyard and everything reeks of chemicals.

In perhaps the most damning sign of what's happening ... Nathan says there's absolutely no sign of wildlife anymore ... and his dog keeps throwing up.

Of course, it's been two weeks since the Feb. 3 train derailment that started the environmental disaster, and Nathan says folks are fed up with a lack of relief from the feds.

The way he sees it ... authorities and the EPA are "pissing down our backs and telling us it's not raining."

Nathan wants to see investigations and accountability from railroad operator, Norfolk Southern ... and he and his wife are planning to take legal action.

The mother of Tyre Nichols says the 5 former Memphis police officers on trial for her son's death are clearly afraid to face some hard truths ... 'cause she says they won't look her in the eye.

Tyre's mom, RowVaughn Wells, says she's going to be front and center at every court date as the trial unfolds ... but she says, so far, the ex-cops lack the courage to face her.

Former Memphis PD officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith made their first court appearance Friday ... putting them in the same room as Tyre's mom and stepdad. She says they refused to even look her way.

The fired cops were arrested and indicted last month on a slew of felony charges ... second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression ... and on Friday they each pleaded not guilty.

Tyre's mom says she's living a nightmare ... but she's vowing to keep showing up to court in support of her late son and see the trial through to the end.

Don Lemon jumped on a CNN staff call Friday morning to apologize for his sexist on-air comment Thursday that women are not in their prime after their 40s ... but it did not go over well.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Don jumped on for only 90 seconds to address what he said about Nikki Haley and, for that matter, all women.

He said he didn't mean what he said, adding he's going to continue to fight discrimination against women. He essentially said some of his best friends are women, citing his relationships with CNN talent Dana Bash and Erin Burnett, VP for Talent and Content Development for CNN Amy Entelis, and his mom and sister.

We're told some people on the call talked afterward and called Don "tone deaf," with one saying it looks like Don was giving himself kudos for owning his mistake.

The embattled anchor had the day off Friday ... this after enraging his cohost Poppy Harlow with his comment. Although, our sources say his day off had been scheduled beforehand.