School Superintendent Runcie Wearing Out His Welcome In Broward?

 

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

UPDATE

 

Five Broward School Board members caved in to Superintendent Robert Runcie on Tuesday, reversing an earlier vote and giving huge raises to three administrators.

But that’s not the whole story.

The vote was 5-4.

That is not exactly an overwhelming show of support for the superintendent who in the past could do no wrong.

It followed an acrimonious debate and significant opposition to Runcie’s raises from four School Board members.

This is the first time that so many Board members have openly defied Runcie on a very public issue.

It signals that some Board members are no longer going to be an automatic door mat for the Runcie and his imperial administrative staff.

Runcie had asked for 22.5 percent raises for three of his handpicked administrators.

The Board turned him down in June. On Tuesday, they reversed themselves.

The three administrators got a 22.5 percent pay increase.  Other employees like teachers got roughly 2.5 percent.

The good guys showing backbone on Tuesday were Board Chair Patti Good and members Robin Bartleman, Laurie Rich Levinson and Nora Rupert. They stood up to Runcie and his argument that the administrators deserved the raises.

Bowing to Runcie were Heather Brinkworth, Abby Freedman, Donna Korn, Ann Murray and Rosalind Osgood.

It should be noted that Brinkworth, Freedman and Murray are running for reelection, so there is alternative to these lapdogs for the school administration.

Nick Sakhnovsky and Sam Budyszewick are running against Brinkworth.

Bob Mayersohn is Freedman’s opponent.

Felicia Brunson is challenging Murray.

Murray’s hold on office is most tenuous and it has little to do with her vote Tuesday.

Murray is the School Board member who used the “N” word to describe the cheap seats at Sun Life Stadium.

The Sun-Sentinel reminded voters this week about her use of the “N” word in two stories.  Two stories in one day.

That kind of attention for a reelection story is generally unheard of in the current scaled-down Sun-Sentinel. And I bet is won’t be the last time the paper (and the rest of the media and Brunson) reminds voters about Murray’s intolerance.

Ouch.

Browardbeat.com was the first media outlet to write about the administrative raises a month ago. The link is below.

Also, an earlier piece from two days ago on the administrative raises is below.

 

XXXXX

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

The book The Joys of Yiddish defines Chutzpah as meaning “gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible ‘guts’ and presumption-plus-arrogance.”

I’m surprised the book doesn’t have Broward School Superintendent Robert Runcie’s picture next to the word.

What part of the word “No” does Runcie not understand?

“No” is exactly what a five-member majority of the School Board told Runcie last month when he asked for huge raises for three administrators.

Guess what? Runcie has again requested the exact same huge raises for the three administrators.

Runcie has repackaged the raises to make them appear smaller. Oh, like that’s going to fool anybody!

Instead of getting a 22.5 percent raise, Runcie’s agenda backup for Tuesday gives the appearance that the pay hikes are roughly 10 percent. That’s still four times what the 2.5 percent that average school employee received.

But Runcie’s agenda item is a bit of trickery. It is far from the “transparency” he proclaims his administration practices.

What it doesn’t mention is that the three administrators already received raises of over 10 percent when they took over the jobs temporarily in the 2013-2014 school year.

This is all in the School Board’s court once again.

The public, who are being asked to approve a $800 million in new school bonds in November, should be very, very interested in how they react.

In most workplaces I know, if you openly defy your bosses you get shown the door.  Are School Board members going to let Runcie thumb his nose at them?

We already know what Runcie’s feelings are towards the Board.  One is his first proposals when he was hired to suggest cutting the number of Board meetings by 50 percent. That way Runcie wouldn’t have to deal with those pesky members publicly.

So are Board members going to be a rubber stamp for Runcie?

Are they going to send the message that three already high paid employees are more valued than those in the classroom?

Or are they going to show Runcie who exactly is the boss?

We will see on Tuesday.

My previous post in this matter is here.

Here is the item on Tuesday’s agenda (click to enlarge):

 

 

salaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



26 Responses to “School Superintendent Runcie Wearing Out His Welcome In Broward?”

  1. Sam The Sham says:

    What part of the word “No” does Runcie not understand?

    All of it.

    Are School Board members going to let Runcie thumb his nose at them?

    Yes.

    So are Board members going to be a rubber stamp for Runcie?

    Yes.

    Are they going to show Runcie who exactly is the boss?

    No.

  2. s only says:

    what is the pay for those area sups and all of those dept. heads and”chiefs of this and that” on all those flow charts in his organizational maze?

  3. Inside KCW says:

    There are no area sups. They consolidated the areas to the district in the 2012-13 school year.

  4. chacha says:

    And, we are supposed to be shocked by more of the decades old SAME?

  5. Outspoken says:

    The Board was more concerned with the way the item was brought to the last meeting, buried within an agenda item. The raises may or may not be appropriate, these are after all people being promoted to positions with more responsibility.

    Transparency is a farce, and things are as transparent as the Superintendent want them to be. Burying an “unpleasant” or “politically hot” item in an agenda item to be passed with a bunch of common decisions as camouflage is a toutine tactic, just like waiting until the board is up against a deadline before bringing something to them.

  6. UnFoCuSeD says:

    Any political candidate or incumbent worth voting for would not be commenting on this blog-especially in an obvious way. Instead s/he would be spending time talking to the voters in h/her district.

    #ijs

  7. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Give me a break he has demonstrated ZERO respect for the “First Ladies of Broward” Dr Osgood LOVES that one. He promised investigation into Jon Marlow and that abusive leadership in June 2012….yup…then again to media with MANY stories,,,to the board LIED and said he would or did investigate….nothing and they the board praise him for sell 8 million dollars in REAL property (Real Estate) while planning to finance computers over 30 years. Isn’t he supposed to be some financial wizard? The only magic I see is financial and at the cost of students, staff AND parents….now lets talk about how the tax payer gets screwed! will be speaking A LOT on Tuesday about this and other issues. Buddy and the Broward Beat Thank you for your HONEST reporting Not much of that happens in South Florida!!!

  8. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Hey Buddy,
    What about the NEW Police Chief…I didn’t see it advertised. There is HARDLY any information on the agenda about him. Did he come from Chicago too? Just a year or two ago?? Why is he asking where staff that DARE to speak before the board are assigned?? Something is rotten in Denmark! Have SO much to reveal. If ANYONE wants a copy of MY case…allegeation….teacher (me) possibly contributed to the students homosexuality. The parents that supposedly filed the charges talked about how wonderful I was and that they never accused me of touching her….they were made i reported the abuse and the 18 year old, decided not to return home and I didnt tell them that she was gay. this was 2011 and the case is CLOSED but I was NEVER cleared. The case at the state level has modification like time date stamping to begin with. All I want is a safer system for students, staff and parents and a say for the taxpayer…right now the BOARD doesn’t even have a say

  9. Juliet Hibbs says:

    UNFoCuSed….that is ALL they ever do! Talk and write policy that the leadership ignores. The Anti Bullying policy…the school I worked in we, as a staff, we told to LIE to the students and stay that administration and teachers were not covered. I told the students the truth

    How about the LGBT policy….oh right that was when I was accused, after I reported cyber bullying from THAT parent to that child about her sexual orientation.

  10. TYPO ALERT says:

    Buddy
    His picture is not next to the word Chutzpah, because he was either not born or as toddler when Leo Rosten wrote the book. more contemporary wordS would be SHAMELESS AND UNAFRAID DUE TO HIS GENEROUS SEVERANCE PACKAGE.
    JUST ANOTHER REASON TO VOTE NO ON THE BOND PACKAGE

  11. Internal Veteran says:

    The Chief of Police is advertised. Was a new one selected yet? It would be nice to know, but then again were the last to hear anything.

  12. Corporate World says:

    It is sad, but it takes first-year teachers 20 years to earn $10,000 more than when they started. If administrators want to be paid the same as in the corporate world, let them also accept the same benefits that are offered in the corporate world.
    -Pay a portion of healthcare premium for employee only. Pay high individual and family deductibles. Pay a higher premium as the number of children covered increases.
    -No pension. In the corporate world, an individual has to save in a 401K with a company match. Cash is put into a retirement account based on age and years of service. When you retire, what you see is what you get. In addition, in the corporate world there is no spouse option to continue pension after the employee dies.
    -Before getting a raise, you have to set and achieve objective goals.
    -Pay for disability insurance.
    -No unused sick leave payouts.

    Teachers are expected to accept low pay for the love of the children. Why don’t we have the same expectation for the administrators? I’d rather see the money put into classrooms in the form of textbooks, technology, aides, and teachers.

  13. Mia says:

    I am ashamed to work for Broward Schools. As I watched this meeting today I felt sick to my stomach. Let’s remember how our School Board votes on these items. Then WE can vote THEM out!

  14. Charlotte Greenbarg says:

    I heard they just reversed that vote and gave them raises. Dr. Osgood apparently was the swing vote. And the beat goes on.

  15. Stakeholder says:

    Another day, another disappointing board meeting. On a positive note, it looks as though some of the board members are growing tiresome of Runcie’s pathetic attempt to run the 6th largest school district in the nation with the incompetent staff that he has handpicked. The staff that chooses not to follow policies and can’t seem to answer questions posed to them by the board. Is it because they are told to play dumb and not answer questions or are they truly that dumb? Lets think about this one for a minute… While he brags about low administrative costs, he continues to pour money into the top. His loophole of filling jobs without advertising and calling them “temporary” until he can slide his people into positions permanently is his way of saying he can do whatever he wants. I can’t even get started on the Chief Human Resources Officer’s $129,000 salary. They may as well update the job description to require lying to the board! Yes this is a reference to the district’s disregard for policy 4.9 and Bailey’s bold-faced lie to the board that it is being followed. It’s her job to know whether or not policy is being followed but we give her a permanent position and a 22.5% pay increase to lie and then play dumb. Then there is the large pay difference of the two Director’s, Canning and Davis, and the Superintendent and staff cannot give an explanation. Can someone please tell me what Davis has done for Employee Relations?!!! I don’t know about you but I saw a lot of shuffling of papers, blank stares and “I can’t answer that question at this time” throughout today’s meeting. I have an idea, maybe give the staff a 1% raise for every question they can actually answer competently and truthfully! Sadly, Runcie and his staff are incapable of showing up to a board meeting prepared to explain why the three administrators should be given a 22.5% raise in one year. That’s it, just show up and justify your decision in complete sentences! Is he that incompetent or is he just that arrogant and corrupt?

  16. Charlotte Greenbarg says:

    Buddy, thanks for giving us the complete story. Amazing that they would do something so stupid, but then again…

  17. Get a clue says:

    Get a clue people.
    It was a promotion. Bailey went from chief negotiator at $111k to head of hr for $125k. Her predessor made $145k.
    She showed up the legal team during negotiations about two years ago and they have had it out for her ever since.
    This wasn’t about the money. It was about Amanda.

  18. SoB says:

    Jose Dotres was earning $125 in Miami-Dade. He came to Broward as Academic officer and earned $165 and in 6 months is back in Dade making $205. That is an $80,000 increase. Any articles about that or 3 hour board discussions? No. Also on grand jury reports for micromanaging in Miami Dade either.

  19. Parent says:

    As a parent, nothing has changed since Runcie took over. If anything, the principal who he installed is even more arrogant than the past principal. He is a failure.

  20. Lamberti is a Criminal says:

    He wore out his welcome the day he showed up. You people keep allowing it.

  21. Former School Board Insider says:

    Another example of how the Board has no regard for taxpayer money. Just say NO on the bond!

  22. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Dr Osgood doesnt even bother to listen. She sits and plays on her computer Yesterday she was chewing gum and blowing bubbles!! She on the board of TWO non-profit companies including Dr. Rosalind Osgood International Ministries. she is just too busy promoting herself to even pay attention. Mr. Runcie reminds me so much of Tricky Dick Nixon….all the back room dealings…and so I call him now Bogus Bob Runcie shameful

  23. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Oh and Dr Osgood ALL the time says she is new to the school board. Employees that DONT DO or UNDERSTAND their jobs get 90 days she has had almost 2 years when will she stop saying she is new. I hope she says it after someone else is elected!!

    Also on the service dog policy…the employee LIED that they did not deny the student. That parent had to file a lawsuit…but the play the semantic game all the time

  24. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Buddy, was told by TWO reporters from TWO DIFFERENT media outlets that they are not ALLOWED to write any stories that are not positive or in court. Mr. Murry….they want her out…so they can write about it Way I see it anyway!!!

    thank you for being the ONLY place in Broward to get this REAL news. David Golts resignation made it to local new channels in Palm beach…broward..I didnt see anything..other that yours…except the fluff piece done at the sentinal

  25. Runcie-a-great-lier says:

    Runcie is characterless low level slug. He can do anything to keep his job. He basically destroyed the system.

    Surely, when the bond will fail in November he will be on the run.

  26. Stakeholder says:

    That’s funny…”Get a Clue” should be the mantra for Runcie and his incompetent, corrupt, hand picked staff! I’m not so sure that the current board is still backing him. For the first time in a long time the majority of the board seemed frustrated and alerted to Runcie’s back door dealings. I’m definitely not sold on the candidates that are turning a non-partisan race into party bashing politics! Just tells me that they don’t have a clue about the real issues our schools are facing, nor do they care about students! It’s bad enough we have to deal with the corruption Runcie has brought to the district! We need our current board to stand up to him and make the difficult decisions that are best for our district! Keep asking the difficult questions and remember that he works for you and you work for us!!!