Update: Black Politicians, Business Community Make Last Ditch Plea To Save Runcie
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Broward’s black elected officials and the downtown business community have made last-minute pleas to stop Superintendent Robert Runcie from being fired tomorrow.
The School Board is expected to consider the fate of Runcie, whose response to the Parkland massacre has been widely criticized.
Runcie’s leadership is currently under a statewide Grand Jury investigation. In addition to the Parkland shootings, his unfulfilled promises concerning the $800 million bond sale and other school system failures may be considered by jurors.
Robert Runcie
The email from the Broward Black Elected Officials are part of wider push by prominent blacks to save Runcie, who is arguably the most visible African American in the county. County Administrator Bertha Henry also is African American, but is much less well-known.
Another email blast was from the business group Broward Workshop Chairman Keith Koenig, who writes amazingly that “one of the Workshop’s key goals is to retain Bob Runcie.” (Browardbeat’s italics.)
Koenig of City Furniture enclosed two attachments, produced by the school system, highlighting Runcie’s alleged progress in education and school safety. He urged other businessmen to send emails supporting Runcie.
It is stunning how the Broward Workshop has blindly gulped Runcie’s Kool Aid. This is a superintendent whose broken promises to voters on the bond spending, repeated failures in hiring, obfuscations and divisive leadership would get him fired at any of the Workshop members’ businesses.
Then again, the Broward Workshop members are not the best judges of the public schools. My guess is most of the well-heeled Workshop members’ children have never seen the inside of a public school.
But that is a story for another day.
The e-mails below were distributed this afternoon:
March 4th, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Is Runcie in much danger? Aren’t most of the school board members Runcie fans or accomplices?
March 4th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
I’m not sure when this became a “black and White” issue. I thought it was about the safety of all students in Broward Schools. I realize, since the MSD tragedy, parents, communities, students, school staff from the entire district are traumatized. This is not about one school and one city. It is about making all of the schools safe so parents feel comfortable sending their children to BCPS. I also believe there is more to their complaints than just safety. Instead of making all of these things about saving someone job, let’s concentrate on the students.
March 4th, 2019 at 5:42 pm
Prediction: Unfortunately for the students, teachers, parents, and all taxpayers in Broward County, the School Board members will vote to retain Runcie. Most of them value their own political aspirations over the health of the public education system. Big donations come from the business world and big endorsements come from fellow politicians. Those variables, combined with the chant of “racist” if School Board members vote to fire Runcie, equal a slam dunk for a Superintendent who has failed his responsibilities.
March 4th, 2019 at 7:00 pm
The “resignation” that Broward County should be concerned about is the money that’s packing up and leaving. It’s been a year. Broward County Schools are wide open to students with weapons. Parents at MSD drop their children off in front of a school where one year later, kids fight violently in the courtyard and no one responds immediately. Most disturbing is that some of the seemingly traumatized and desensitized students fault the arrests; when, in fact, the fight participants were all over 18, and not juveniles. They don’t have the right to behave this way in a public institution. Student critics marginalize this as “just a fight, no big deal” Students have been taught to help keep secrets from the public, the taxpayers who support these schools. Sorry kids; it’s OUR money that built that school and floats that school; and YES we have the right to know. To a student’s point that there have been fights all year and that this was the first arrest? Well, good. Punching a human being in the head is not normal behavior, nor is it acceptable. 18 year olds are adults; and in any other setting this is clearly an assault. It’s about damn time for an arrest. Looking forward to a sheet of mugshots of MSD fight arrests of all demographics since the dog whistle of that SS opinion piece did not go unnoticed. Kudos to BSO. It seems that the practices of the corrupt and secretive administration of MSD have rubbed off on some of the students. The secretive world at MSD that resulted in tragedy needs to be out for all to see.
March 4th, 2019 at 8:25 pm
They conveniently ignore facts to spew division and hatred. The achievement gap is destroying minority children but these toadies play race cards. Shameful And the cowards on the school board who support Runcie protect it all
March 4th, 2019 at 10:59 pm
I stated before the magic #5.Mr.Runcie has his five that will give him a pass.He will have four that say get out.He will prevail.However,with the investigation into his performance etc is under review.So once the investigation is completed and if it comes back that unfavorable I guarantee you the governor will remove.him.immidiately.Even with your big mouth Atty.Thurston will not save Me.Runcie.Again I say he is gone by the end of the school year or once the investigation is complete.To the Parkland School families of the victims hang in there your closure is coming once the investigation that was ordered by the governor is complete.I assure u the governor will send him packing …
March 5th, 2019 at 7:39 am
Keith Koenig should take a walk around his old high school and see how the poster child for the bond has been treated. Yes now Northeast is slated for a new building but it was after much begging by a group to fix our facility! it is time to fire Runcie — he has become the face of incompetence across the state.
March 5th, 2019 at 12:05 pm
#6: As usual you are lacking in the facts department. Because Runcie is an appointed superintendent rather than an elected one the Governor has no authority to remove or suspend him from office. That’s the difference between Runcie and Scott Israel.
However what the Governor can do is remove or suspend the elected School Board members from office. That is why he set up the Grand Jury investigation with the hope that they find malfeasance or misfeasance on the part of some members of the Board.
March 5th, 2019 at 1:24 pm
My take.After seeing Atty Thurston and many others inc.Congressman Hastings( yes u carry alot of pull- give u that) along with Comm.Holeness u know all above mentioned if Mr.Runcie was White or Hispanic or Chinese etc u would not give a damn if Runcie was let go yesterday.Oh I get it he gets a pass because he is Black.So shallow.After the stunt u three(3) amigos pulled last night if I was the governor I would fire Mr.Runcie just because of the racial tension YOU created.How disrespectfull to these victims and their families.U r better than this Mr Runcie cause I’m hearing( sources never,never wrong) that you sir orchestrated these theatrics..How cheap…
March 6th, 2019 at 8:19 am
City Activist Robert Walsh: Your inability to grasp the facts is only out paced by your writing skills. Governor Desantis can’t fire Mr. Runcie because he is appointed, not elected. Only the School Board can fire him and based on last night they aren’t going to do that. What the Governor can do is suspend or remove a school board member for cause who than can appeal to the Florida Senate to get his/her seat back.
March 6th, 2019 at 10:00 am
governor should gut the ENTIRE school board and the equally inept br county commissioners.
March 6th, 2019 at 12:32 pm
#10.Yes and no pertaining to the governor firing Mr.Runcie.
First he checked into it and yes he can’t just fire Mr.Runcie.Hold on now.What his advisers directed is direct an investigation similar to the Grand Jury that just like the last one so noted that they should all be fired.Stated that basically they we’re crooks( yes) and that the body inc.Super was and we’re inept.
So what the governor is doing is once investigation is complete with same results etc then he will either fire school be members and or the Super.
My stragety to the victims families is RECALL.
Pick one go with levenson. U go door to door for your neighbors to sign petition to oust her.Get with SOE as to exact number u need to get new election for Levenson district.
Once you achieve that specified # u then will force a new election.Put one of u to run.I say recall the entire school be.
But even better make them sweat.One by one those that voted to keep Me.Runcie get rid of them one by one.U will prevail.Once u got your school be member in in your favor than u will have enough votes to ouster.Plus wheather the gov.has the authority or not he will give u his support.So while the investigation runs it’s course start with a Recall.Go with Levenson first.To the victims families u have the support not only in the county but entire country.
Poetic Justice ( love it) eget rid of them one by one.Good luck..This as nothing to do with race.Runcie knows this.His only option was the race card.How pathetitic.Again if he was any other race u Black elected officials etc would have cared else ..
March 6th, 2019 at 3:50 pm
We are a Constitutional Reresentative democratic Republic. The people as VOTERS ARE SOVEREIGN. IF THE SCHOOL BOARD and/or County Board of Commissioners is NOT good the FAULT IS WITH THE VOTERS and the CRITICS WHO FAIL TO PUT UP GOOD CANDIDATES WHO CAN WIN ELECTIONS.
March 7th, 2019 at 7:20 am
The governor and many of the Legislative Leaders believe Runcie is incompetent. Broward schools will get NOTHING from Tallahassee. Remember that the governor has a line veto and can knock anything earmarked for Broward out of the budget. That is the real incompetence of the School Board. They put their political careers ahead of the financial health of the schools.
March 7th, 2019 at 10:40 am
#14 ABSOLUTELY!
#12 Again repeats the NONSENSE the Governor can fire a County School Board APPOINTED employee.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:42 pm
No. 12 – Sorry to burst your bubble, but in Florida School Board members are not subject to recall. F.S. 100.361 does not pertain to them, and nothing in our constitution permits it for School. Lard members. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?Mode=Constitution&Submenu=3&Tab=statutes&CFID=38590515&CFTOKEN=5d54497a76cff85e-C544C35C-5056-B837-1A950FDEE090B28D#A9S04
March 9th, 2019 at 11:46 am
Runcie may not think it’s time to “cut and run” but North Broward parents will do just that. Aside from a school board that will defend the indefensible with regard to safety,Broward County School’s drop in rating from an “A” to a “B” during Runcie’s tenure will put a house on the market faster than you can say “NY, NJ and CT relocators will NOT settle in Broward County”
March 10th, 2019 at 11:24 am
There was never a doubt as to this outcome not even for a second.
March 11th, 2019 at 1:00 pm
#16.Then we change the law.Be perfectly clear if the Parkland families of the victims want Mr.Runcie, than he should go.That simple.Whatever it takes…
March 11th, 2019 at 1:24 pm
To all of u esp.u Clickers( defined a certain group of people ( click) that are only interested in their own agendas etc) let me be Christal clear if these victims families want Mr.Runcie gone to achieve closure than again whatever it takes he goes.I also again find it beyond pathetic that some of u Black elected officials are only endorsing and supporting Mr.Runcie is because he is Black.Also to repeat if he was any other race u would not give a damn(yes).I also find it beyond disgust when Mr.Runcie stated at his little rally in reference to the victims families etc that he could not bring their loved ones back.First u spirtituly speaking are not qualified to council,comfort them in any shape way or form.Best bet this investigation the Gov iniatiated will come back with findings previous to send these school be. Members( some) packing.Mr.Runcie u played the race card.Oh it worked for now,but not for long.To the victims families u have the support of the majority( residents) in your desire to terminate Mr.Runcie.Hang in there…..
March 11th, 2019 at 10:21 pm
as former nhl great brett hull once opined, “the big fix is in”.
March 12th, 2019 at 5:15 pm
#20 crystal NOT Christal. I mean we are talking about EDUCATION!
March 13th, 2019 at 1:50 pm
allaboutsafety
If Sheriff Israel was negligent then the School Board should be found as being grossly negligent. Runcie cannot unite this community and he needs to go.
March 13th, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Runcie has created a firewall of Board Members scared of the Black Democratic vote because THEY OR THEIR ALLIES HAVE TO RUN NOW OR IN FUTURE IN BROWARD DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.