A scathing grand jury report that led to the suspension of four Broward County school board members has now also led to three senior employees choosing to resign or retire.
At Tuesday’s regularly scheduled school board meeting, the new Chairman, Torey Alston, talked about all kinds of changes happening in the district in the schoolhouses and with the administration.
"The order of this agenda does not make sense," he said. "So we are going to get through this today because that is what we talked to staff about, but there will be changes for the October board meeting."
Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, who replaced Robert Runcie last summer, presented a 28-page report, ticking off improvements made since she’s been on the job.
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All schools now have a single point of entry along with a video intercom at the entrance to communicate with visitors.
Automatic locking doorknobs are being installed on every classroom door and students are being randomly selected for screening with hand held metal detectors to keep guns and other weapons off campuses.
“We have a few goals that are still out there, we are constantly working on that,” said Cartwright.
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Cartwright became superintendent after Runcie resigned following his indictment for allegedly lying to the grand jury.
As a result of the grand jury investigation, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis removed four Democratic school board members, replacing them with members of his Republican Party, including Alston.
Some called that pure politics.
The State Board of Education followed up with a letter to Cartwright urging her to take action against three employees named in the grand jury report. The senior staffers were accused of guiding failed decisions on school safety.
They are Ron Morgan, an assistant chief building official, David Watkins , Director of Diversity and School Climate, and Jeff Moquin, Chief of Staff.
On Tuesday, Cartwright said those employees have, or will be, resigning or retiring.
The board chairman insisted that decision had nothing to do with politics.
"Partisanship remains at the door," said Alston. "So regardless of who the governor is, he or a she, clearly, I am sure if there was a grand jury report, some action would have been taken."
