Many Reasons Why You Should Vote “No” On $800 Million School Bonds
BY DAN LEWIS
On November 4, a ballot referendum will ask you to tax yourselves a whopping $800 million and give it to the incompetent Broward County School Board!
This is your money. Does the School Board deserve it?
Giving the School Board more money is like giving an alcoholic money to pay their mortgage, or giving a gambler money to get a casino breakfast.
Consider some simple arguments against the bond:
- Absentee ballots are already being cast, yet the School Board still has not definitively said on what or how they will spend the bond proceeds. In their words, “It’s a rolling process”.
- The superintendent is on tape saying that the School Board does not have to honor past Board commitments, but pledges they will this time for these bonds. Really?
- The superintendent said (again on tape) in a mandatory employee meeting that approval of the bonds will prevent layoffs, and without the bond money there will be some painful decisions. He said this at the same time he gave a handful of his favorite administrators in excess of 22% raises.
- The superintendent says they will spend millions on technology with a 5-10 year useful life, and more than $200 million on air conditioning with a 20 year useful life – all with a 30-year bond debt. Any financial advisor would say it’s a recipe for financial disaster.
- The superintendent said in a meeting with one city that they are asking for the authority to issue the debt, but it will take a number of years to spend it due to practical limitations. The first year they think that only $150 million will be spent. The second year they plan to spend approximately the same amount. I guess asking for the money as they need it is too much trouble for the School Board. Broward has elections every 2 years! It’s like a teenager asking to collect for nine years of allowance at their 13th birthday.
- On one list of promised bond expenditures you will find light dimmer switches costing $750.00 each.
- Broward County has a number of well-run charter schools. He’s what we know: these charter schools are A or A+, pay their teachers competitively, and operate at about $7,000 per student producing a small profit for their operator; Broward County operates at about $14,000 per student and are in a financial mess needing regular taxpayer financial bailouts.
- And what about the lottery money for education, or the promised pari-mutuel gambling money promised to our kids in their campaign a few years back? (How many slots do we have in Broward now?)
But these arguments aside, in the final analysis – it comes down to trust, and I just don’t trust the School Board to act in either a responsible or professional manner or neither should you. Evidence of their “culture” can be vividly seen in the many recent headlines and criminal prosecutions of school board members.
Yet, in spite of so many public examples of the problems, they refuse independent oversight from the County’s inspector general. They even refuse to voluntarily be bound by the stringent voter established ethics code for all elected officials and public employees in the county in spite of harsh criticisms from recent grand juries.
In Broward, we care about our children and we care about our public schools. We care enough to be tough parents and say no to this bond. Let the school board take some responsibility, and begin to act as a proper steward of our children, our schools and our money. A good first step would be to irrevocably give the county’s Inspector General full access to the school system, and to adopt the county-wide ethics code for all elected and public employees.
The second step might be to create a broadly based, multi-year financial plan that is both fiscally responsible, and fully transparent based upon the resource equity requirements previously agreed to, but heretofore ignored in the federal CCC Litigation over 10 years ago. Do that, and we can talk about increasing their allowance!
Vote “NO” on the School Bonds ballot referendum.
(Dan Lewis is a well-known Broward County political strategist and former Miramar City Commissioner. The Democracy Project, which is a subsidiary of his technology company, is campaigning against the $800 million school bond referendum.)
October 20th, 2014 at 7:23 am
It would be good to know Whether the stakeholders Who oppose the bond issue If they have any children in the public school system.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:06 am
If Mr. Lewis is going to be given a forum like this he should have to disclose who paid for his red blue cards to determine if what he opines is his own view or one that was bought and purchased by whomever paid for the card.
October 20th, 2014 at 10:27 am
AMEN!!!!!!!
October 20th, 2014 at 1:01 pm
The number 1 reason to vote NO is because of Runcie and the inept School Board who continues to support this man. His conduct has been outrageous and the School Board is not calling him out.
Here is what I find untruthful about this article-it fails to mention all of the Charter Schools who have failed miserable, have been unable to manage their money, and that the public has no control over who serves on the governing Board.
As charter schools have boomed in Florida — 622 operated in 2013-14, up from 257 in 2003-04 — many have also busted. Since charter schools were first permitted in 1996, 269 out of nearly 900 opened charter schools have closed, a failure rate of about 30 percent.
Since 2008, 119 charter schools have closed because of financial reasons, academic failures, student safety concerns or administrative mismanagement. Before closing, those schools taught an estimated 14,000-plus students, the vast majority of whom were forced to relocate to neighboring schools, sometimes in the middle of the academic year.
■ Financial shortfalls were the most common reason for closure, affecting 64 of the 114 schools, yet the state requires zero upfront funding commitment to open a charter campus. In addition, 38 charter school governing boards mismanaged funds, provided lax oversight or failed to properly account for their spending. Despite this, the state doesn’t allow county school districts, which review and approve charter applications, to dig into the financial background of applicants.
Academic failures prompted the closure of 45 schools, most of which received back-to-back state-issued “F” grades. Poor academic performance continues to dog the state’s worst-performing charter schools, about 7 percent of which received an “F” in 2012-13, compared to about 3 percent of all traditional public schools.
■ There’s little in state law to prevent charter school operators that have already failed from receiving taxpayer money to try again. Should an applicant that has previously failed in Florida apply for a new school, its prior failure can’t be cited as a reason to deny its application.
■ There are virtually no qualification requirements for serving on a charter school governing board, which bears the ultimate responsibility for managing the tax dollars it receives in the form of per-student funding. In addition, once a charter application is approved and a contract is signed, neither the county school district nor the state has any control over who can serve as a charter school governing board member.
■ While the state has heralded accomplishments by its many successful charter schools, it does little to document and inform parents about charter school failures. The only easily accessible, up-to-date information available to parents is a list buried on the Florida Department of Education’s Web site. That list has just three pieces of information: the school’s name, its home county and its date of closure.
October 20th, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Broward County has a number of well-run charter schools. He’s what we know: these charter schools are A or A+, pay their teachers competitively, and operate at about $7,000 per student producing a small profit for their operator
—
Question: how do we “know” the profits made from charter schools are small?
October 20th, 2014 at 1:58 pm
This is exactly why, then add the abuse of staff and the covering up of crimes against children! NO BONDS for Broward!
October 20th, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Buddy, I have to say I am more than a bit disappointed that you have given this cat your forum to campaign against this proposal. Not this one in particular but any proposal that someone is against. Are they a PAC taking in money to fight the battle? Agree or disagree on the proposal, I have always come to your site for solid non-biased information. Perhaps this is changing? Thanks for keeping us informed.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
Very offensive writing (see specific example below), though I agree that this is a bad idea and am voting no.
“Giving the School Board more money is like giving an alcoholic money to pay their mortgage, or giving a gambler money to get a casino breakfast.”
October 20th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Full disclosure requested!! Of the following. Bloggers who has children in the Broward County Public system??? Dan Lewis. Charlatan Greenbug. Juliet Hibbs. Chaz Stevens. Buddy. Nevins.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:37 pm
I could not agree with you more! Let’s set aside the fact that Runcie’s million dollar needs assessment is filled with lies, promising millions of dollars for single points of entry that have already been installed and lead paint that doesn’t exist, to get the safety vote. Let’s forget about the millions in Capital dollars slated to replace roofs that were never fixed. Let’s forget that the Superintendent is wasting taxpayer money to not only finance his pro-bond campaign, but is using school resources during school hours! Dragging camera crews onto school campuses to shadow students, displaying pro-bond pop-up advertisements every time employees open email, pro-bond pop-up advertisements when parents access Pinnacle, using school board employees to run other employee’s and their families voting records against the voters rolls to determine voting history. Let’s talk about the corruption, the lies and the deceit. Let’s talk about the culture of fear that Robert Runcie and his Administrative staff have brought to this county.
Let’s talk about the Directors and the Chief of School Performance and Accountability Officer who DESTROY employees that speak out against injustice and speak up for what is right. You know, those employees that chose a career in education because they truly care about children.
“Evidence of their “culture” can be vividly seen in the many recent headlines and criminal prosecutions of school board members.”
The part I find MOST interesting are the statements that come directly from the Superintendent’s mouth! Although these court cases show “Exhibits” of communication with Runcie’s Administration and his Legal team, he maintains he is “unaware”. So we are either debating wether or not to give 800 million dollars to a LIAR or wether or not to give 800 million dollars to a complete IDIOT that is so incompetent that he is “unaware” of ANYTHING that is happening in his own district. Either way, we would be the idiots if we trusted Robert Runcie with this bond money or with anything for that matter! VOTE NO!
October 20th, 2014 at 4:45 pm
Yes…I have children in the Broward County Public School system! I graduated from this system and have worked countless hours for this system. It makes me sick to watch Robert Runcie, Desmond Blackburn and the rest of this Administration destroy this district. Every day I question wether I’m doing the right thing by sending my children to our public schools with the state of this district. The morale has never been lower and the fear has never been greater. A student that spoke out in an open forum about the conditions at Hollywood Hills HS was thrown off the campus. His mom had to intervene and Runcie’s “heart felt apology” turned into a political circus when he showed up with news cameras and his entourage to shadow the student for the day. You can find the picture of Runcie sitting on the ground eating lunch right on the BCPS website. The publicity stunt worked so well he decided to take his little show on the road to a few other schools including Stranahan High School. So don’t try to divert the facts with your condescending questions. I’m a stakeholder and I find it offensive. I also find it offensive that Runcie thinks I am dumb enough to buy into his “Needs Assessment” that changes every time it’s questioned. Get a Superintendent that has ethics that can provide a legitimate needs assessment, that is willing to be accountable for SOMETHING and I will show you my support! VOTE NO!!
October 20th, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Buddy…
Since when did you start accepting AdvertisingEditorials? Is BrowardBeat that hard up for cash?
At the very least, you could put a disclaimer in the piece … something along the lines of “paid for by Dan Lewis and his charter school friends.”
FROM BUDDY:
Advatorials by definition are paid advertising disguised as a story. Dan Lewis paid me nothing nor has he given me anything in the more than two decades I’ve known him.
No one pays me to run stories in Browardbeat. Not even you, Chaz, when I ran your pieces.
It is interesting that you never complained when I ran Mayor Mike Ryan of Sunrise’s pro-school bond piece.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Dan Lewis is correct that the bond proposal should fail. He seems to have done his homework on that issue. However, he must have had blinders on when he placed Bobbie Grace on the palm cards as the candidate to be reelected in Dania Beach (both red and blue!). Ms. Grace treats taxes and IRS regulations as an afterthought. She recently coughed up several years of delinquent taxes only after the media finally caught wind of her actions or rather her inactions.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:46 pm
What does it matter if I have a child in the school system or not?
Do I need to have a vagina to be an Oby/Gyn doctor? Do I need to hate black folk to be a member of the GOP?
October 20th, 2014 at 9:56 pm
Buddy…The charter schools aren’t squeaky clean either. Even the “good ones”. Maybe you could look into why many charters have multiple location numbers at the same site. What a scam! These schools get double start up fees and the taxpayer is paying. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars! This may hit close to home for you Buddy but see below from the Ben Gamla site. Please justify this for us readers. Why does Ben Gamla have IN THE SAME LOCATION a K-8 school and a 6-8??? WITH THE SAME STAFF??
Welcome to Ben Gamla Charter School!
Ben Gamla Charter School is identified as #5410 in Broward County. The school houses students in K-8. In addition to the #5410 school, we have a nested school (#5001; Ben Gamla North Broward) that serves middle school students in grades 6-8. Students in both middle schools are leveled according to their FCAT scores, their grades, and their individual needs. The middle school staff is the same in both schools (5410 and 5001).
October 20th, 2014 at 10:28 pm
Interesting to me that “John Wayne” is only interested in hearing the opinions of parents that have students enrolled in Broward’s public school system. I guess that means you won’t be needing my vote or the votes of anyone in my Condo association.
October 20th, 2014 at 10:42 pm
They really brought in the BIG GUNS for this story!
John Wayne commentary paid for and approved by Citizens for Safe and Modern Schools PAC.
October 21st, 2014 at 7:39 am
Buddy,
This blog entry should not have run on your site and you are a fool by running it and not taking any money to do so. Your defense is that there were not complaints when you posted Mike Ryan’s pro bond article is just lame. Two big differences about that entry and this one. First, you have made it very clear were you stand on the issue with your multiple blog entries opposing the bond, so I commend you for allowing Mike Ryan’s voice be heard showing support of the bond issue. Second, as far as I know, Mike Ryan is not collecting contributions to head a PAC that supports the bond, yet you don’t even have to scroll to far down from this blog entry to find a different blog stating Dan Lewis is mailing out one million flyers for his PAC that opposes the bond.
This is coming from some one who is still undecided on how I am voting on the item. Initially I supported the bond, but I have slowly started siding towards opposing it and that is from reading your blog (minus this entry).
October 21st, 2014 at 8:19 am
John Wayne’s comment about whether a person’s child attends a public school is so much bs. If you pay property taxes in Broward County you are a stakeholder. If my tax dollars are being used I have every right to be concerned about how the public schools are being run.
FROM BUDDY:
We have at least one School Board member who sends one of her kids to private school.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:59 am
Comparing Charter schools with public schools is the ultimate apples and oranges.
When you don’t have to fully comply with “due process” and “equal protection” requirements it’s pretty easy to cut corners and save money.
When you can open up in a strip mall, not pay pensions, eliminate interscholastic sports, the arts and special education classes, reject or throw out kids for minor infractions, it should be damn easy to look good with scores….if you know what you’re doing.
Many still don’t.
Dozens of South Florida charter schools have shut their doors without warning leaving the taxpayers holding the multimillion $$$ bag.
In September, six Broward Charter schools never even opened. Bye, bye tax $$$$$.
Imagine if some public school decided to close its doors without warning!
No study makes it clear that charter schools do a materially better job with an equal student population.
Why not compare public schools to fancy prep schools like the one Dan went to in Connecticut?
I have an idea. Let’s have Broward send all its students to Pinecrest, or North Broward Prep. Instead of the $14,000 per year that Dan decries we can double school taxes and pay the $30,000 that those schools charge.
FROM BUDDY:
Parents have voted. There are waiting lists for the good, well-financed and well-run charters. Forty thousand students have left the public system and has the staff not been reduced to reflect that abandonment of the traditional schools. That says volumes about how the traditional public system is run!
October 21st, 2014 at 1:58 pm
John Wayne, my son graduated from Broward Schools! So no, I do not have MY personal children in Broward Schools. I taught in Broward for almost 10 years and THOSE students do have students entering the system! My problem in CHILD ABUSE allowed and almost celebrated in Broward Schools. With the Bond…these were the bathrooms at DBHS that GAVE me a massive pulmanory systems and spesis that KILLED my ability to work http://youtu.be/E83ysOE5GgU the kids bathrooms are WORSE!
what about the abuse and cover ups….like this boy beaten up by Assistant Principal Ken May http://youtu.be/-I5w-G8zb4I
What about the 4 sexual assaults by the SAME boy….boy protected! how about abusive leaders abusing staff so they WILL abuse children!
I am a produce of Broward County Public Schools! I am a former parent, who tried to protect children then and was ignored…look up the girls murdered and stuff in that mans attic…I exposed THAT school two years prior as a parents and was IGNORED. As a teacher and a parent, I fought for ALL children on the campus I worked for. Mr. Runcie and HIS lies proved that I NEEDED to do this. The staff can NOT speak up and remain employed by Broward. He REFUSED to do ANYTHING and the money is the only way to change anything! He is using the people of Broward, their children and their hard earned money as a personal piggy bank for himself and his friends. And I am hoping to create lasting change in Broward so when ALL children are safe and protected! I could have sued them…but THAT comes with a nondisclosure agreement to get paid and I will NOT be silent, especially when it is about child abuse! I give the balance of my life for this and the blog is NOT all that I do! I am working VERY hard to expose and change this!
October 21st, 2014 at 2:02 pm
John Wayne, I assume another person who makes statements without giving his or her real name, complains about people not having children in the school system opposing the bond issue. Hey, I don’t have kids, but I PAY FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM! John Wayne is so typical of the attacks on people in South Florida on grounds that are pointless. I remember being attacked 10 years ago because I was a renter not a property as I am now about taxes. Of course the attackers did NOT OWN PROPERTY THEMSELVES! TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION IS TYRANNY! Or doesn’t “John Wayne” know NOTHING ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY? Obviously his schools NEEDED MORE MONEY TO EDUCATE HIM!
October 21st, 2014 at 3:25 pm
I am NOW looking into a whistleblowers lawsuit against the district and I would like to use a lot of that to begin a legal defense fund for the people of Broward County Public School and to create classroom grants for teachers. This way the teacher can decide needs that the school system does not provide to them. In my case, a proper working computer or printer for my classroom! what about whiteboard markers? Ect! So even my lawsuit work would work to benefit CHILDREN in Broward Schools
October 21st, 2014 at 3:49 pm
Oh my, John.WAYNE, what I blog must be very disturbing to you. Good!
You have to be a system lackey, especially when you deliberately mock my name. Too bad you don’t have the cred that the man whose name you take in vain did.
I can always tell when the smiling nodders are upset with the truth.
Why would anyone voicing an opinion have to have kids in the school system? Everyone in Broward pays school taxes unless they own a home valued under $50K. Those who have moved, as have I, still have a right to express our opinions based on long (21 years in my case) of up close experience with Broward schools.
Chaz and others disturbed by the charter school slant, I agree that the ed reform movement has been hijacked by the profiteers. I know most of the financial problems are caused by the management fees. I saw this, and you can see it now, from the audits Chief Auditor Pat Reilly’s shop does on the charters. Other charters have problems because they haven’t a clue how to run a school, and/or they went in undercapitalized.
Buddy never takes a cent for anything that’s blogged on the site, nor offers money to anyone to blog.
That having been said, whether you support or oppose charters has nothing to do with the incompetence and corruption that’s still rampant in SBBC. That’s why you should vote NO on the bonds.
October 21st, 2014 at 7:01 pm
So it is apparent that those in opposition to the bond Have very little at risk Since they have no children In the Broward County school system
October 21st, 2014 at 9:29 pm
The Broward School Board voted Tuesday to close two charter schools in Fort Lauderdale, citing poor academics and saying the schools failed to document how they spent $876,000 in taxpayer money.
The Obama Academy for Boys and The Red Shoe Charter School for Girls serve more than 250 students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
October 22nd, 2014 at 6:49 am
Buddy,
Thank you for mentioning my piece. However, I don’t think the reference in the context of Chaz’ question was entirely fair – I made clear my interest as a father, former PTA member, and someone whose community stands to gain significant and necessary improvements to schools located within the geographic borders of the city within which I live. In addition, my piece was against the tide of overwhelmingly negative pieces and posts, meant only to bring some balance to the discussion no matter one’s position. Let me also note:
• I have actually walked through schools, not as part of the bond referendum process, but as a father and PTA member (and later PTA president) starting when my children were in elementary schools. I have children who started in public schools and are still in public school. I visit the schools in our City. I talk to principals, teachers, volunteers, student and parents regarding the state of our schools. I know the level of need is there and recognize that a no vote further defers addressing unambiguous and necessary improvements. That is not to say you have to have children in the schools to have a valid opinion on this topic; I only note my observations firsthand. Neither Mr. Lewis nor those opposing the Bond does not dispute the crumbling nature of schools. Instead they raise valid concerns about how addressing those needs will be planned, managed and executed;
• There is a theory that charter schools would naturally have a self interest in opposing this Bond referendum overtly or behind the scenes; crumbling public schools help charter schools market themselves. Some have theorized charter schools would support the Bond initiative in exchange for a “piece of the action”. The mention of charter schools in this piece has to do mainly with operational efficiencies (e.g. less benefits to teachers, less administrators, etc.) which, as everyone knows, does not translate to the capital budget. Either way, it doesn’t end the analysis regarding capital needs in our public schools;
• As to profitability of charter schools, I leave to others to evaluate the interesting question of “small” profit. As a side note, while there are many good charter schools, each year the public schools are left to pick up the pieces when for-profit models fail, with the real impact on the students who are bounced around and lose precious time. In addition, when charter schools bounce out students for whatever reason, the public schools are, again, there to pick up the pieces. Neither system is perfect;
• Not sure how the point regarding Tallahassee bait-and-switch on lottery proceeds energizes this discussion, other than to note that Tallahassee has also been restricting capital dollars. Some theorize it is part of larger plan to hurt traditional public education;
• I actually debated what the right answer was on the Bond issue, but in the end believed pushing for independent oversight was the right path, while continuing to support efforts to allow the OIG and ethics rules to apply to the Board. Parents and those involved in the school system recognize there are historical inefficiencies and legitimate concerns regarding past management and capital decisions. Do we punish this generation of children for the fault of others when we know what is lacking in our schools now?;
• Failing to renovate, rehabilitate, repair and secure our schools is bad economics and bad social policy, though, as I said earlier, there are those who will attempt to profit and market themselves relative to crumbling public schools.
• I have not received any funding from anyone to print cards or take a position or write any words in this regard. This is not to say that Mr. Lewis is operating from a position other than the goodness of his heart or a core belief in an important social and public policy issue.
October 22nd, 2014 at 11:25 am
@John Wayne.
I’ve got two BS degrees and an MBA.
I thoroughly understand the value of education, both personally and for the future of our community having a well-educated work force.
To think that we all don’t have mutual skin in the game, regardless of having a child in school or not, shows your complete lack of understanding.
October 22nd, 2014 at 11:44 am
I am uncharacteristically moved to respond to some of the ad hominem comments, and in particular to some of the disingenuous “transparency” questions.
Setting aside the historically massive mismanagement of the education resources provided to our public schools by this and immediately previous administrations, some have questioned why I have the right to even comment. First I am a voter, in fact a super voter in that I have voted in every election in Broward since 1977. Second I am a tax payer and successful business owner who does not do business with the school board, and never has. Third, and not to put too fine a point on it – I have some history advocating and working for public education and educational equity issues spanning over 30 years including but not limited to;
• Raised 4 children in the Broward School System through middle school, 2 – in private high school, 2 in Public High School (one of which graduated the IB Program at Boyd Anderson)
• Instrumental in creating and passing the original School Improvement Team (SIT) legislation for Florida in the 1980’s – Member of 7 school Sit Teams, president of 5
• A 20 year member of various PTA’s, and president of 4,
• Part of the ground breaking Federal CCC Litigation resulting in a 2000 settlement establishing the equitable allocation of resources for all public schools and creating the mandated Diversity Committee which both the School Board and the School Administration have since completely disregarded,
• Past multi-year member of the School Board’s Consultant’s review committee and past chair,
• Past multi-year member of the School Board’s Audit Committee,
• 3 time member of the School Board’s Diversity Committee, and past chair,
In addition, I have some public policy experience including but not limited to;
• Elected Miramar City Commissioner for 8 years, Serving as Vice-Mayor and Treasurer
• Broward County Growth Management advisory committee, Chair,
• Broward County Management & Efficiency Study Committee, Chair,
• Broward County Charter Review Committee, Chair
Finally, two points: first, I have a long history of involvement in issues I think are important, and have spent both my time and resources when I believe appropriate; and second – unlike those that make cowardly ad hominem attacks anonymously, I always sign my name.
We can all have opinions, but we should agree on the facts. One fact to which we should all agree, Broward County schools are out of control – and we should vote no on the bonds. Then we should work together to fix the Broward County School system.
October 22nd, 2014 at 2:18 pm
Wow- What an unusually clear one-sided piece of propaganda. I am on the fence about this, and this kind of bs does not help me make a decision.
October 22nd, 2014 at 4:02 pm
Buddy,
If your numbers are correct then over 85% of students pick public schools over Charter Schools!
Sounds like a landslide for public schools
FROM BUDDY:
That’s like calling the winner at the half.
We have no idea how many will continue to drain from the traditional public schools when there are enough charters to accommodate all the students who want to attend. Just wait until the new charters open in Parkland.
October 22nd, 2014 at 4:04 pm
John Wayne! I RISKED everything to create safer schools. Have YET to sue for all that they did! if anyone wants to see the types of cases against staff and what a joke (not to people going through it) it is! They are not even GOOD at doing it! OBVIOUS to anyone that reads any of these unfounded cases! Mine is a matter of Public Record at Broward Schools Request it….I can almost guarantee that you will NEVER get a copy from them. Then email me and I will provide you the case, the abuse I reported and you will see, the corruption is SO out of control, students have crimes committed against them and they are NOT protected. Often, the abuser is an administrator or a teacher. This leads to MORE abuse, students see it and it gives them license to abuse too.
Now, “John Wayne” you are so weak, you wont post your name. So, “Duke” I would have to imagine you ARE a part of the problems. This is not because you are pro-bond It is because you attack people trying to expose the truth. See, even if are NOT some scum from the criminal leadership in Broward Schools, then you are ALSO a part of the problem. They are not accountable now! So, you will not be accountable with more!
“John Wayne” change IS coming! The people, you know, that group mention in the Constitution of The United States, we are tired of corruption from abusive government agencies! Change is coming! More people are seeing reality all the time! So, you hide behind you false name and use the same double talk as the Upper leadership in Broward Schools does. I will continue to SCREAM the truth until I see change!
And I would like to add, I offered Broward Schools fund raising ideas that would supplement the needs of the students to participate in clubs ect! I have at least 2 ideas that could yield Broward Schools Millions of dollars! I offered them my card at the meeting and NOPE, they do not care! Many of these ideas were offered FREE of charge! Could be student lead, so students get practical business/entrepreneurship training. These ideas would cost pennies for them to reproduce MY created materials for free! They do not care! I wanted NOTHING for those ideas and I had another that would have been direct money to them before December 2014
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Not only does one board member send their child to private school, last time I checked, the Superintendent as well as the Chairmen of the Board do not have children in the Broward County Public School System! Don’t let John Wayne, who hides behind his alias, distract you from the point of this story. Thank you Buddy and thank you Dan Lewis for sticking your neck out there to expose the truths! If you worked for BCPS and wrote this you would most likely be subjected to some BS investigation to keep you quiet. Unfortunately for the Superintendent and his corrupt Senior Administration, usually the people that speak out feel as though they have nothing to lose and truly believe that good will prevail. This “transparency” that the Superintendent and Desmond Blackburn speak of is only true if they are referring to how clearly corrupt they are! It’s crystal clear that neither of them care about students, schools and employees. If they did, they would not insult us with Needs Assessments full of lies. They would actually LISTEN to students, employees, parents and members of the community. Pretend like you care about the people on the front-lines! How many more people will you demote, force to resign or “investigate” without merit in order to suppress the truth? I’m tired of hearing Runcie blame the former Board for the stakeholder’s lack of trust! It’s ROBERT RUNCIE’S Administration that has destroyed the trust! It’s his people that have continually brought lies before the Board! The way I see it, these Board members are just Pawns in his game. This Board will take the fall for his corruption, misspending and broken promises! VOTE NO!!!
October 22nd, 2014 at 10:09 pm
Failing to renovate, rehabilitate, repair and secure our schools is bad economics and bad social policy . . .
Amen
October 23rd, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Mayor Ryan, you make some valid points. Especially the following: “…but in the end believed pushing for independent oversight was the right path, while continuing to support efforts to allow the OIG and ethics rules to apply to the Board. Parents and those involved in the school system recognize there are historical inefficiencies and legitimate concerns regarding past management and capital decisions. Do we punish this generation of children for the fault of others when we know what is lacking in our schools now?;”
My question to you is: Has the school board responded to these common sense ideals? I’ll answer. NO. And, I suggest that they will not heed your recommendations either.
As a responsible resident, maybe not as active as most, or that I should be, but nevertheless responsible and attentive to my communities, recommend that this bonds be voted down. Then, if the school remains confident in their need for the bond, the should respect our concerns for fiscal responsibility and oversight. Once they submit to proper oversight, I will beat the drum for future approval, but not until then.
October 23rd, 2014 at 9:21 pm
@Riight on
Amen!
October 23rd, 2014 at 9:30 pm
So I have a lot more at risk since I have two children still in the Broward County school system. So the math is easy for Me. I can risk $4.50. per month Or see that my children are not Able to go to school With working air conditioning Leaking roofs And outdated technology. I will gamble that $4.50 Or I could sit back and say no To the bond referendum And be certain that my children
October 23rd, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Will not get the same opportunity As others did. We are all taxpayers And have the right to our own opinions But nobody Will force me to make bad decisions When my children’s education is at risk. So thank you for this forum and I promise I will never read or respond to any more comments on this block
October 24th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
The bond should be voted down and only brought back after the BCSB agrees to OIG oversight, ethics rules and provides a clear and concise “written in stone” list of what, why, where and how the funds will be spent. We have nothing better than a vague idea of what that might be.
October 24th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
I knew a teacher who spent way too much time outside of school with one of her students. When the parents called foul, she blamed the school administration and SIU. Now she thinks she is a hero. Most just think she is pathetic even if they don’t tell her to her face.
October 26th, 2014 at 8:07 pm
Buck up…that was to me…but I had approval to mentor this student from the parents. Spend two days outside of school with her exactly. American Heart association walk in march and she helped me decorate prom like several other students. I do not think I am a hero, but I do know I have reported MANY crimes against
students and in MY case EVEN the parents said nice things about me. WHT a copy….anyone…email me. Hibbsforchange@gmail.Com and see how awful I am! This BUCK UP is Marlow or his staff. The Bucks are DBHS. Hi Mr Marlow! I won’t stop until the students in Broward are protected and your leadership is full of criminals