School Board Chair Rosalind Osgood’s Disgraceful Refusal To Listen To The Public

 

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

 

The litany of abuse a dozen or so Broward County special needs students are enduring in public school is chilling:

Bruises, bite marks, scratches, alleged molestation and little or no learning.

When parents complained to the staff, they say they got the cold shoulder.

They were ignored.

Nothing was done despite tough policies against harassment.

So these frustrated parents took their grievances last week to the people they elected to provide a safe education for their children — the School Board.

How were they greeted?

 

 

Osgood Faces Down Speakers

Rosalind Osgood scolds speakers at last week’s meeting

 

Board Chair Rosalind Osgood snapped at them. Osgood chided them.

Finally, Osgood cut off them off and told them to leave.

Osgood said she didn’t like the parents “tone” and language, which was tough but far from obscene.

What Osgood really didn’t like is the parents’ message.

She didn’t like it when one parent told the School Superintendent Robert Runcie, “You have failed us.”

She didn’t like it when a parent called the system’s alternative schools “penitentiaries.”

Osgood didn’t like it when a student at Indian Ridge pleaded with the Board to get his tormentors to “stop harassing me.”

When she had finally had enough, she just turned off the microphone.

Osgood ruled that the speaking went beyond the 30 minutes that the Board has –reluctantly– set aside to hear from the public. I would argue that hearing about students’ harassment is more important than anything else the School Board did last week.

My take:

The current School Board Chair’s conduct is an anti-democratic disgrace.

This is a woman who delusionally refers to the School Board as “The First Ladies” and Runcie as “The First Gentleman.” I guess First Ladies’ delicate ears don’t have to listen to criticism.

The real First Lady Michelle Obama hears the most obscene personal attacks on her daily.

Osgood likes the perks of public office, which allows her to act like a Big Shot.

She doesn’t like the responsibilities, which includes listening to the public…whatever their “tone” and language.

These parents and students pointed out real problems in the public school system. One would think Osgood would want to hear about them so they could be corrected.

Instead, she rebuked the parents for their “tone” and language.

“I won’t allow this to continue in front of our children,” Osgood said last week.

What didn’t you want to continue, Rosalind?

Democracy?

 



39 Responses to “School Board Chair Rosalind Osgood’s Disgraceful Refusal To Listen To The Public”

  1. Andrew Ladanowski says:

    Let me try to ask Rosalind why she thinks parents are choosing charter schools. Silly idea, she will cut me off.

  2. John Henry says:

    What do you expect from a garbage elected official from a garbage part of the school district?

    This lady really wears a skull cap to meetings?

    FROM BUDDY:

    The hat is from her sorority.

  3. An Observation says:

    Why does Osgood sound exactly like Miriam Olliphant when Olliphant was School Board Chair? That’s how Olliphant ran a meeting.

    Is she Olliphant the II? Been there, done that, don’t need it and just lost my vote.

  4. Calcetines says:

    Maybe she should change her name to Dr. Rosalind Osbad

  5. Trudy Jermanovich says:

    The parents who came to this Broward School Board Meeting to speak had to come in the middle of the day (12 Noon). That means taking off work, etc. to make your concerns (barely) heard. I wish there was a law requiring one board meeting a month be in the evening hours with one hour devoted to public remarks

  6. Nez says:

    Just disgusting………… another day with the commission. By the way whats with the green helmut??????

    FROM BUDDY:

    Its a hat from her sorority.

  7. Talks like a politician says:

    How sad that some of the people who are in leadership positions in the public school system are the very people who do their best to destroy the public school system.

  8. Teacher says:

    She was at a meeting at the end of last year and was just as rude. She treated parents in a haughty manner, like she was a Queen and they were her subjects.

  9. Vergeree Shaw says:

    Parents of ESE students have rights and the students are entitled to a safe and conducive learning environment. I have an Autistic son, and he loves his school and gets along well with his peers. However, if the school board is failing to protect your children and are aware of the danger, speak their language and file a lawsuit, I guarantee their attentiveness and attitudes would change. I would have sued them after being dismissed in such a manner. Stand up for your children at all cost, make them pay then you can afford to send them elsewhere. It’s sad.

  10. Enough With Slogans says:

    Folks knew that she should not have won her first election. The best candidate happened to be a Republican, which she, Chris, Perry and their flunkies blasted in the black community. She is competent but has no clue of the real issues in the black community. #ENOUGH WITH SLOGANS

  11. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Anybody who has been at the Royal Garden Party at Buck House or met Queen Wilhelmina or Juliana or any royal lady would NEVER CONFUSE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS in Broward County with any Queen I can think of.

  12. MS says:

    I must say I really do not like ms Osborne personally. She needs to stay at that church or go enter a pagent. This time she was right. She tried to work with the parents. She listened. It was one lady that kept yelling on and on. Then someone started talking about Hitler. I was present. At that point I was afraid of the group that was yelling. It really sounded like the parents should go to law enforcement

  13. Jah'nette Bullard says:

    They all need too be replaced except Nora Rupert. Don’t listen to the employees nor do the listen too the parents with concerns about their children. They all need to be replaced.From the very top to the bottom. Sitting in those offices making all the money while sitting on theirs butts doing nothing about the children nor the employees. TIME FOR A CHANGE!

  14. WELL SAID says:

    Buddy,
    A perfect choice for Chair of the School Board would be Comm. Castillo / Pembroke Pines ……..

    just sayin’

  15. former floridian says:

    So glad I left that county and state…its just disgraceful!! Remember these things at election time!!!

  16. Thomas james says:

    She looks like a buffoon.

  17. carolina says:

    Now Critics: hold on just a minute. ms.osgood is correct in that mr. Runcie is a first gentleman & not in a complimentary way. He is the first gentleman to be hired from a school district with the distinction as being the worst in the United States – the Chicago District, to be the Superintendent of Broward County Schools. Now to the “first ladies”: With the exception of Nora, Heather, & one other gal – these first ladies extended the first gentleman’s contract to 2019 in the first two years of his reign. I doubt that his “reign” will last that long, but the damage has already been done. Our school’s are now in a serious case of “Mass Destruction” which we can never recover from until we rid the system of the first gentleman & the first ladies with the exception of the three loyal, concerned board members. LET IT HAPPEN – SOONER RATHER THAN LATER!

  18. Rebecca says:

    It does not matter that the skully is from her sorority. What matters is that it is an inappropriate item to wear at a school board meeting. She certainly could have some other article to represent her sorority.

  19. Sara says:

    While I’m aware the hat was from her sorority, how unprofessional to wear it during a Board meeting.

    That aside, the way to fix this is to VOTE!!!! Had Mayerson won, who’s special needs son graduated from Broward public schools (unlike some other Board members), this NEVER would have been allowed. He would have stood up for these children. And shame on the rest of the Board for not allowing these people time to speak.

  20. julie says:

    Read the First Amendment issues in this letter. It clearly states that what she did was a violation of the 1st Amend rights of these partents. Public Officials CANNOT cap the public hearing segment of a public meeting.

  21. Julie says:

    Well, clearly, Broward County Public Schools is doing the same by capping the public hearing segment of the public school board meeting, among other disgraful and undemocratic acts in direct violation of taxpayers’ constitutionally protected rights.

    Is it any wonder the Florida Legilsature is trying to dismantle the public school board such that parents, teachers and other concerned citizens no longer have a PUBLIC FORUM where to address their issues to?

    Yep! Once the Charter School takeover is complete taxpayers will NO LONGER be able to openly address anyone elected offical – short of going to Tally! Not likely to happen.

    PLEASE I URGE ALL OF YOU TO PLEASE GET ACTIVE. WE MUST STAND UP AGAINST THIS OR YOU WILL SOON LEARN THAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE NO LONGER GOING TO BE LIVING IN A FREE COUNTRY.

    Mark my words.

    If you have children AND you are a teacher you have two reasons to get involved. This is more important to taking little Johnny to practice or little Sue to ballet!

  22. Juliet Hibbs says:

    Dr. Osgood is an idiot that lives in her Church world. In some areas, pastors can’t be questioned…God put them into that position. Dr. Osgood doesn’t appear to understand the voters put her into that position. She uses it to celebrate herself! Dr. Osgood wants all the glory and none of the work. She pretends that Mr. Runcie and she are above those that pay the bills. Since Runcie has been superintendent….Broward schools has a lower rate of qualified teachers in the classroom. The standards have declined. He closed schools and used them for offices for the staff…her district. Was reported then, by several parents that students spent the last 2 weeks of schools with nothing. No desk, materials ect. Kids say on the floor while Blackburn and his crew made plans for the move. Dr. Osgood ignores crimes against children!

    Dr. Osgood celebrates the declining standards in Broward! Dr. Osgood, like many women on that board are useless and criminal wastes. They serve themselves and not the people. At least, Dr. Osgood is so stupid that she would do it in such and obvious manner. The next day I called and used and “offensive” topic as my topic to speak about. Now, will she discipline the staff member that took this topic. She believes that students, staff, tax payers and parents are sitting around and watching every minute of the meeting. She did this years ago, but this boldly. I was her target then. Why do people keep voting for these boobs? One example, Dr. Osgood has met with some unhappy staff and made all kinds of promises. Those people flipped and began to support her. My question is, what has she done for anyone, other than Mr. Runcie, for 4 years. Nothing! Until last year, Dr. Osgood would often state she didn’t understand, after all, she was a new school board member.

    The people (in mass) need to unite for change. The people must look at an officials history in the job! The people need to take back their education and county. With Broward County Public Schools being the #1 employer for Broward, this all DIRECTLY impacts that standard of living. 10-15 years and Broward will look like Detroit! These self serving politicians need to be removed and the people of Broward need to rise together. Sadly, it is too easy to divide people by race. Just use certain language and the sheep follow!

  23. Kcls75 says:

    You voted her in, now vote her out!

  24. Dr. Mark Roseman says:

    I’ve read Rosalind Osgood ‘ s treatment of ‘the public’ in the BOE chambers. If accurate, it is appalling.

    The BOA is not the Polo Club. It’s not a backroom political boardroom.

    The BOA is charged with seeing our chikdren, society’s children, are safely educated and guided in a manner to thrive academically, emotionally, socially. Certainly, as in any entity, feedback is necessary.

    Working with children and parents and attorneys, often case managers, too, I find that their voices are frequently silenced, restricted, or overwhelmed by in the courtroom.

    The Toby Center allows all to be heard, so we can affect a more positive outcome in child custody matters. These are the most traumatic times for most experiencing separation, divorce and time sharing (co-parenting).

    We must all work together, synchronisticalky, holistically, to improve and change positively.

    Those who deny such processes must be replaced.

    Leadership is not measured best by punitive, controlling manners. It is measured by sensitivity, response, clarity, ethics, and justice.

  25. Lee says:

    I think this is terrible. The kids are losing out in this situation. In NJ, all school board mtgs are in the evenings.

  26. WELL SAID says:

    I wonder what happened to my post of yesterday?

  27. Rico Petrocelli says:

    I am extremely disappointed, but not surprised. As a grandparent of a “Special Needs” child (Completely Blind)to hear that others were treated in an unprofessional way, reinforces what #1 stated about Charter Schools.The School Board is pushing parents to look elsewhere, for what’s best for their children, whether or not they have a Special Needs Child.

    As far as not wanting to hear from anyone who has an issue, elected’s are there to hear the good and bad, I know, I’ve been there. People upset about my votes would talk at council meetings, and would not be cut off. There would have been an article on this site immediately, and rightfully so!

    Take the good with the bad, it’s part of representing everyone in your district, city, or State!

    Rico Petrocelli
    Plantation Councilman (2005-2009)

  28. JohnFusaro says:

    That attire is inappropriate for a school board meeting. Maybe they should have dress up day as your favorite peanuts character.

  29. First Ladies???? says:

    Rosalind always refers to the School Board as the “Leading Ladies” and Runcie the “Leading Gentleman.” I’ve never heard her use the term first ladies before.

  30. lacking leadership says:

    What I have not heard mentioned in the article or the comments, is how sad it is the others on the dais sat back and allowed this brutish behavior take place.

    The Board certainly misses the leadership of Katie Leach who was a true champion of special needs kids and because she funded her own race, was never afraid to call anyone out, on the dais or otherwise, who warranted it.

  31. Wendy says:

    If your child has had his/her rights trampled on then there is a system of redress. First you exhaust your remedies through the school, then district, then state complaint system. You can also file a complaint with the Dept. of Justice. If you do not find answers through that process then you must file a due process complaint and exhaust your administrative remedies. Going to a school board meeting isn’t going to accomplish anything. Additionally, the school board legally gets to decide the topic to be discussed and the speakers to discuss it. It is not an open forum for speech. I understand being frustrated with the bureaucracy that is public education but that is the system we must maneuver through.

  32. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    I appreciate Miss Wendy’s comments BUT the cruel reality is you need a lawyer to “go throw the system” in Special Needs cases. In my own family there was a case of sadly twins both with problems and their Mother literally has had to retire from practice to work parttime as a lawyer at home to do legal work to get her sons the help they need even with the private family money spent on helping them. In the case here in South Florida one of my best friends’ wife spent significant time with her husband getting school officials to help a daughter with special needs who after five or six years was so well helped in Miami-Dade Public Schools she left special needs to enter regular courses graduated went to college got a good job married and just became a Mother. But again the MMother was a lawyer with a wealthy husband who spent what was needed in time and money. A second distant cousin had a special needs child nearly mainstreamed with a lawyer Father and family money and a devoted sister who made sure she went to college and worked n married near her Brother. All success stories BUT lawyers in the families and significant family financial resources.
    The Special Needs parents at the meeting went there I am sure WITHOUT AND DO NOT HAVE 1.Significant family wealth or 2. Lawyers in the family.
    The sad fact is without a lawyer and deep pockets citizens are helpless absent some personal connection to an elected or appointed member of the County or City government or an official of some non profit lobbying pressure group.
    Does anyone NOT NOTICE how poor people or middle class working people are treated at public meetings compared to wealthy or “connected” citizens?
    I mean does an average citizen ever meet a County Commissioner or County School Board Member?
    I live in the section of a block I velieve in Dr Osgood’s District but despite going to local events not one person I know including myself has ever met the dreadful Dr Osgood! or if an adjoining district “our” county commissioner – either Tim Ryan or Dr Osgood. In fact Ive never met the current State
    Senator or the two candidates for the position. Congressman Hastings and State Representative DuBose are around for us. The Ft Lauderdale Mayor Seiler Commissioner Trantalis and City Manager Feldman come and talk to anyone but they are exceptions.
    County officials just ignore the public like most State officeholders.
    And I’ve lived in four different sections of town.
    I must add on Miami Beach you get to see every Congressmember State and County elected official WHY NOT IN BROWARD COUNTY???

  33. Melody says:

    Buddy I watched the long dog and pony school board meeting. Dr. Osgood had a room packed with her community. They think she is a beauty queen. Many of them were dressed with the fraternity and sorority lettering. The action that you mention above was Dr. Osgood trying to stop more black on black crime. She would have lost to the other black lady that was yelling at her. Her church jargon went nowhere with this angry woman. This lady even had some child up talking. I’m sure they will handle that in their neighborhood. What made me need a good class of scotch was robin Bartleman she is more and more annoying. She goes on and on talking. I’ve seen her a few times this year. I am irritated by her overbarren hugs, kisses, etc. She is such a fake. I’d rather listen at Dr. Osgood and her hyperinteligent church rattling than robin Bartleman. Here is a question for you. Will Lori Levinson ever stop talking about herself?

  34. Ms.Green says:

    First off, the hat was on because they had a recognition right after for mentoring in the community for GREEKS, which she is a part of a Greek Organizatiom. Secondly, I deal with erratic parents everyday and regardless of how you feel they aren’t always right. And no one has to be yelled at to get their point across. Listening to some of you I’m not too confused as to why some children act the way they do. There are ways in which to address concerns without being down out right disrespectful.

    FROM BUDDY:

    I agree that there are ways to “address concerns without being down right disrespectful.” However, unfortunately being disrespected increasingly is part of public life. Especially for a politician. Remember when a member of Congress loudly said “You lie” to Barack Obama during a speech to Congress?

    When I was on the Sun-Sentinel, I was yelled at by a stranger while shopping in Publix with my wife. I was confronted by angry readers publicly many more times. I received all types of hate mail and weird phone calls, including the sound of a toilet flushing left on my voice mail every Saturday morning (when my column appeared) for years.

    I would advise folks like Rosalind Osgood to get a thicker skin because everybody isn’t going to love her. Or to put it another way, if she can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

  35. moreofthesamecrap says:

    It’s not appropriate for any Board member to be endorsing an entity while on the dais. She could have easily verbally acknowledged her sorority.

    The public speakers were angry, but they were not yelling. The fact is, if the issues were being resolved, the parents wouldn’t keep coming there. And for the parents, if there are such issues, stop wasting your time and go to the police. Have it investigated and file a class action suit. Get an Attorney to represent you. The Board perks up then.

  36. Mixed Up says:

    #12 please tell me where u live. I want to move there. I am tired of Dr. Osgood. She is a want a be model. She is everywhere. I saw her in Lauderdale By the Sea a couple a days ago shaking hands and hugging. She was with a group of well known republicans. She is very mixed up. She is always at that church but hangs out at the Pride Center. She is a registered democrat but spends a lot of time with republicans at the hospital district. She has about 8 children with absent dads. She always talk about basketball but she was in the marching band. I will say she keeps a job and helps the homeless.

  37. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    Dr Osgood is in the Chair because the White upper middle class members who would move out of their homes in a minute if Blacks moved ininto their neighborhoods indulge Runcie n Osgood so they dont have ti do anything serious to educate the under educated under employed badly housed n politically powerless Black communities of the coastal cities of Broward Co. It is NOT Runcie n Osgood BUT the overwhelmingly White Middle Class Board members n voters who control the Board.
    I agree Dr Runcie is terrible and De Osgood distasteful BUT BLAME THW MAJORITY WOULD ELECT SELECT N CONTROL not the EMPLOYEE and SINGLE MINORITY ELECTED BOARD MEMBER.
    I mean everyone thinks Nan Rich is sso liberal and great AND HER DAUGHTER SITS THEIR AT MEETING AFTER MEETING PROMOTING THIS FARCIAL BOARD SUPER N CHAIRMAN TO MAKE SURE NAN RICH GETS BLACK VOTES! and no Black opponents in Democratic Primaries.
    Liberals – that’s code for Browards Jewish Democrats – are such suckers for faux liberals like Eleanor Sobel Nan Rich anyone named Geller Lois Frankel Ted Deutsh et ale.

  38. juliet hibbs says:

    I come from a place of Abby Hoffman view of politics. After all the crimes against children are ignored…why should I demonstrate ANY respect for these liars that pretend they protect.children. they covered up rapes, asaults, that list is endless and the board works to cover it up. Can’t change what you don’t acknowledge. Dr. Osgood said she wanted to address all the crimes I exposed…that was almost 4 years ago and she has done nothing but claim that I and people like me are the problem. I think crimes against children, covered up by then is a HUGE issue

  39. Roger Moore says:

    nice hat Rosie, I wonder how many of her AKA sisters are working in this county? It is a LOT. They protect themselves, more cronyism. More incompetent people being protected by their comrades. We have seen what the “sisterhood” has done to this school district and it isn’t good.