If this is Wednesday we must need a new school superintendent.
Again.
The School Board’s out-of-the-blue termination of Superintendent Shane Andrew is the most surprising development since….well, since the board decided last year to reverse itself and skip a national search in favor of removing the interim from Andrew’s title
This despite considerable staff turmoil and ongoing fiscal problems associated with his leadership.
As the Sun reported, he “once brought a Bible into a meeting with staff and accused them of backstabbing him by speaking with board members. Andrew lied to the public and the board, saying the incident never occurred. He later demoted the person who took notes in the meeting detailing the incident, while another was later admonished for also taking notes in another meeting. Both later resigned and added to an upheaval of more than 50 resignations seen at the district this year, including various key department leaders who have questioned his long-term plans for the district.”
The Sun continued: “During the budgeting process, he left out key financial data, including employee salary raises, and has yet to meet the state’s deadline for teacher union negotiations. And despite leading the district’s problematic rezoning effort for about eight months, his plan has yet to address any of the board’s growing concerns about capacity, transportation, finances, diversity or equity.
But never mind him. He’s history.
He’s also the district’s 8th superintendent in 10 years.
Which raises more pressing questions.
Especially for voters who may be on the bubble about the new one-mil tax for schools that will appear on the November ballot:
What the hell’s wrong with the Alachua County School Board?
And can it even be trusted to spend our tax dollars prudently?
This isn’t the first time the Board’s decision making abilities have been called into question.
After voters approved a new tax for the renovation and construction of schools the Board, in 2020, paid nearly $4 million for 37 acres of land in Jonesville…
…to hold in reserve…
…just in case…
…we may need to build a new school in Jonesville…
…whenever.
This from a Board that has failed to do a proper school rezoning in years.
In other words, the land was bought before the district even had the data to determine where new schools are needed.
Talk about putting the cart before the horse.
Because of the apparently inflated price paid, and related allegations of conflicts of interest, The Sun later reported that “multiple law enforcement agencies” were looking into the deal.
In the face of declining enrollments, a shrinking general fund balance, and the growing availability of charter school options, voters and taxpayers might be forgiven for wondering what the hell the Board is doing with our money.
It is a valid concern.
And voters may be catching on.
This summer they replaced incumbent Diyonne McGraw with newcomer Thomas Vu. But if a course correction is underway, it’s likely to take another election or two.
True confession: When I was an editorial writer for the Sun I used to fret about another kind of revolving door – one that almost always resulted in retired school administrators and teachers getting elected to the Board.
Back then I thought that revolving door produced a school board that was more in tune with the wants of faculty and staff than the concerns of parents and taxpayers.
Looking back on it, that argument seems an almost esoteric philosophical debate compared to what’s going on in the district today.
As for that one mill tax on the general election ballot:
Let’s just say I’m on the bubble.
Because competent leadership of public schools, especially in a university community, is essential.
And the fact that we have run through eight superintendents in 10 years tells me that the district’s leadership problems begin, and end, with the School Board.
FreeGNV 