Broward School Supt Robert Runcie’s Cop Spied On Email From Principal To Wife
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The teacher that Broward School Superintendent Robert Runcie promoted to a police investigator snooped on a principal’s email to his wife in real time, an internal audit released this week uncovered.
Jillian Haring, a high school behavior specialist who became a police investigator at Runcie’s insistence, read at least one email in real time from Nova High School Prinicpal John LaCasse to his wife Marta LaCasse.
The LaCasse email was innocuous. However, the fact that Haring could monitor email as it was sent is an indication of the power that Runcie gave her. The audit finding also corroborates complaints about Haring’s email access that have been circulating through the school system for roughly two years.
Perhaps more chilling is the auditors conclusion that Haring, who lacked the proper training or required clearance, had “full access” to police files including confidential information.
Robert Runcie: His special cop snooped on email, had access to confidential files
The audit was ostensibly of the Special Investigative Union as the school police are formally known. But the examination of SIU also became another chapter in the strange case of Haring, a story whispered around school water coolers since 2015.
Many believe that questions about Haring remain unanswered. Those questions concern alleged fairness and favoritism by Runcie.
For instance:
Why Haring was pulled out of Cypress Bay High School in Weston in January 2015 and given a job as special assistant to the chief of police, despite the fact that she had no law enforcement training? Haring’s new job came with a 30 percent raise not approved by the School Board and a car.
Now the audit has found that Haring also had unprecedented access to emails and police investigative files in the job Runcie gave her.
The audit only mentions the real time access to LaCasse’s email. It is not know if Haring monitored other employee email, though there are indications she had the ability to do so.
“Ms. Haring did not have access to everyone’s email in the District,” Tony Hunter, the school system’s chief information officer, insisted.
Note the key word in that statement: “everyone.” Hunter didn’t deny she had email access to some.
Hunter’s comments are contained in the audit of SIU, released January 26 and signed by Chief Auditor Patrick Reilly. In addition to examining the school police, auditors delved into four allegations made against Haring:
- Haring was given “several” pay increases after joining SIU two years ago.
“We confirmed the salary increases did occur as stated in the allegation….We noted that Ms. Haring received a total increase of 29.72%, based upon her initial base salary hourly rate of $30.14 as a teacher and the final hourly rate of $39.10,” the audit states.
The School Board did not approve some of this raise, the audit states.
- Haring received “excess overtime.”
It was found that Haring didn’t get overtime. However, she was given a second job by one of Runcie’s top associates Tracy Clark to create a new database and several other tasks. She was paid $13,737 extra over roughly 18 months, despite the fact that “several of these job duties were not performed,” the audit stated.
- Haring was given a car to use.
Auditors found no violation with the car, since it was approved by Haring’s supervisor and 15 other members of the school police were given take-home vehicles.
- *Haring had “access to emails for all employees in the District.”
Auditors reached no firm conclusion whether Haring could access emails for “all employees.” But they found some clues.
The incident with LaCasse’s email is described in detail in the audit:
“An incident occurred on June 25, 2015 which supports, through some other method, that Ms. Haring did have access to live emails. A meeting was held on June 25, 2015 with Mr. John LaCasse, Principal of Nova High School, in Mr. LaCasse’s Office, to discuss a Request for Investigation which he had submitted. The meeting was attended by Mr. Patrick Reilly, Ms. Jillian Haring, Mr. Michael Ramirez and several Nova High staff members. After speaking with Mr. LaCasse and his staff for several hours, Ms. Haring, who was sitting next to Mr. Reilly, commented to Mr. Reilly that Mr. LaCasse had just sent an email to someone stating that the meeting had lasted 7 hours and the meeting was not good. …to confirm if the email actually was written by Mr. LaCasse, we requested a copy of the email from him. Mr. LaCasse acknowledged that he did send the email to Ms. Marta LaCasse on June 25, 2015 at 3:09 p.m.. It was not determined as of the date of this report how his live emails were accessed by Ms. Haring.”
Nova High School’s debate program was under investigation at the time for misusing money. LaCasse faces a five-day suspension for failing to supervise the debate coach, who has since retired. But the punishment, which LaCasse is appealing, came long after Haring poked around in his email.
Auditors did discover that Haring did not go through proper procedures or training to access the email.
“We determined that there was a protocol for requesting access to employee emails upon request to the IT Department,” the audit concluded. “However, this audit did not determine what method was used to access employees’ live emails. Further investigation should be pursued regarding access to live emails.”
Haring has since left the police department and has been moved to the Exceptional Student Education staff. Her sizeable raise remains in effect.
One email that Haring read. How many others did she see?
January 27th, 2017 at 1:02 pm
Buddy:
Have you looked into whether Runcie has had or is having an affair with this woman?
Sounds very suspicious.
January 27th, 2017 at 3:15 pm
I was under the impression that ALL emails of public employees are public records and available by a FOIA request. Maybe not all as some need to remain somewhat confidential but this email snooping is not quite as bad as it seems.
About Runcie, Haring and the abuse of the special Skool Cops unit is outrageous. Time for the FDLE to swoop in and yank their charter. The FDLE, which is ultimately controlled by Skeletor, I mean Gov Scott, is charged with overseeing the police dept charters.
The Skools don’t need a police force, just a security unit or investigative branch attached to HR. Crimes should be handled by BSO.
FROM BUDDY:
Email sent using school system computers are public records. The question is why this woman was given access to them in realtime without going through the proper channels. Don’t school system investigators have something better to do than read fellow employee emails? Who else has access to the employee emails?
The bottom line here is that nobody employed by the school system should send anything confidential by school emails. Use your cell phones hooked up to a wireless provider, not the schools’ wireless.
Your point concerning the continuation of the school police is an argument that has been made by some for years. A generation of school police — probably longer! — have been accused of covering up crimes in the schools, investigating those out of favor with higher ups and incompetence.
January 27th, 2017 at 7:43 pm
I want a raise like Haring.
January 27th, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Jillian Harring was caught red handed when leaving Cypress Bay attempting to steal a laptop. She made a call to her boyfriend, oops, I mean “boss” Mr. Runcie to make things all better…He told security to leave her alone…She constantly was butting in to business that was none of her business nor part of her job description let alone in the arena of her field of “expertise” which no one can figure out…oh, maybe she is good as something that we all are tip toeing around…come one…get her and her bf the hell out of Broward County. Someone please come forward with the smoking gun, hotel receipts, pictures, emails and get the teachers of Broward County the leader they deserve and get this couple out…
January 28th, 2017 at 5:01 am
Todd Sussman is the privacy officer for the district. His info is on the district website. It would be interesting to hear what he has to say about this overreach.
January 28th, 2017 at 2:43 pm
So what is her ESE background? Why put her in another area where they have been in trouble in the past and have not cleared up the problems from their most recent state assessment? This district is an embarrassment to the hard-working, honest and respectable school-based employees.
January 28th, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Runcie has got to GO! Even if Alcee Hastings thinks you are racists.
January 29th, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Let’s not forget that Tony Hunter already has IT on staff that is perfectly competent to create a database. Thus another waste of money to the district.
January 29th, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Apprently Haring is not the only getting a raise!
January 29th, 2017 at 4:53 pm
What about Runcie’s private email being used for School Board related discussions??????? Is that public information??
FROM BUDDY:
Technically, yes it is public record. The school administration are long time violators of the Public Records law. Expect them to stall for as long as possible and then claim there are no such emails.
January 29th, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Little birdie says Runcie sent here by Obama. No wonder Hastings is nervous. Just in time for Rupert to become Chair next year.
January 29th, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Buddy: Who requested the audit?
January 29th, 2017 at 4:57 pm
The School Board can always ask Runcie resign like he does to those he wants to get rid of. You know “to spend more time with his family.
January 29th, 2017 at 4:59 pm
Does Haring still have access to monitor emails or not?
January 29th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
Sun-Sentinel: The job was funded by the district’s Information Technology department. When asked by auditors why the IT department didn’t use its own employees, Chief Information Officer Tony Hunter told them “he did not have the staff available, but they had the funding for the project,” the audit states.
Staff would be available if projects were managed by Directors in an efficient manner and they stop hiring consultants and employees that sleep on the job. Get someone in there that actually manages and motivates their employees.
January 29th, 2017 at 5:13 pm
Sun-Sentinel: Haring’s tenure with the police and IT departments ended June 30, 2016, when she was moved to a district-level job with the special education department. The database she was working on was never completed, the audit says. An IT department official took over the project, but didn’t use any of Haring’s work, the audit said.
“Ms. Haring’s project was essentially scrapped,” the audit says.
Has the project ever been completed. My guess is they gave it to one of those Directors that never gets any project done.
January 30th, 2017 at 7:13 am
Board Members, it’s time to make a change! This situation has become an embarrassment to school board employees as well as the local community. How much longer are we going to allow this to go on? Infighting, favoritism, cronyism, and now using color to attempt to keep a job he should have lost a long time ago?
Board Members – DO YOUR JOB AND FIND A LEADER WE DON’T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OF!
January 30th, 2017 at 12:56 pm
Love how all these people in the comment section apparently know everything that is going on with these ridiculous assumptions on someone you barely know or probably have never even met. You all should be ashamed of yourselves, including the half-wit “journalist” who wrote the post in the first place. If you all think a change needs to be made, then advocate for a change like the adults I hope some of you are, instead of hiding behind your computer screens spreading lies and filth. Do you people not realize that the people you are spreading hate about have families, and friends, who are equally as hurt reading the disgusting things you spread? In my opinion, even if things were near perfect, you sad little people would still find something to complain about, because you have nothing else to satisfy your pathetic lives. And, that’s ok, not everyone can be happy, but I urge you to find a better way to deal with your shortcomings than attacking people you don’t even know.
January 30th, 2017 at 3:29 pm
Bitching and moaning about the unfairness of it all, Get Better Facts anonymously comments about people anonymously commenting.
The cognitive dissonance is strong in this one!
January 30th, 2017 at 7:27 pm
#18 If Mr. Runcie and his joke of a management team would do their jobs, none of us would be here. Those of us who do know the facts can stop holding back and give you more examples if you want to keep opening your anonymous mouth.
January 30th, 2017 at 10:05 pm
how is the rest of KCW and the district not up in arms for a non-teacher to be given salary bonuses intended for teachers? She is no longer in the bargaining unit so why should she get paid like she is?
All they had to say was that they offered a competitive private sector salary, but they didn’t…
How in the world does the School Board let this fly?
January 30th, 2017 at 10:09 pm
@Chaz Stevens, Genius: Yes, while I am clearly not going to expose who I am for the sake of privacy, I still have a right to, as you so eloquently put it “bitch and moan”. I don’t think spreading hateful and malicious rumors about someone is ever ok, and I wish people today would have more common decency. For all they know, she could be doing the right thing, and it is those higher up that are manipulating the picture. And insinuating an inappropriate relationship is just wrong, and disrespectful. People have lost their decency and respect for one another, it is disheartening to say the least.
January 31st, 2017 at 8:11 am
GetTheFacts…
My hard earned money is GetTheFacts is none other than JH or her little protege DA who was recently promoted to an Executive Secretarty position at KCW…..yep JH still calling the shots and pulling the strings..
Buddy. More for you to investigate..JHs one allie in SIU got a heft pay rsise and promotion.
January 31st, 2017 at 10:07 pm
@20 Give me your hard hitting facts please, I am intrigued about what super accurate information you have
February 1st, 2017 at 7:34 am
Ummm…yeah…It is a well know fact at SBBC that people trying to do the right thing like exposing fraud and bid rigging and waste are forced to resign or retire. Only those that are incompetent or pretend to be in order to hide fraudulent spending keep their jobs and in some cases are promoted. This started before Runcie and has been kicked into high gear during Runcie’s tenure. People are dropping off like flies. The proof is in attrition. You know it must be bad for people to be leaving a government job.
February 1st, 2017 at 10:35 am
@25 That is it? My guess is that you have not been in attendance to the board meetings where they have attempted on quite a few occasions to rid JH of a job in the district and, even for jobs that she is qualified for.Why would they try to get rid of a person, if they are in cahoots with the corrupt people? While it is extremely disheartening that there is so much corruption in our district, I urge you to try and realize that not every person is corrupt, even though in this day and age that sounds hard to believe. Also, have you read the audit by chance that was done on the SIU department and to a point, JH?
February 1st, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Get The Facts…..or JH..
Ill ask Buddy to look into…
Was Mr. Griffin investigated like all employees following his arrest?
Is the district now investigsting JH for bullying as determined by Judge Zach?
Is Runcie being investigated for conducting business on his personal e mail?
Is JH being investigsted for her false statements to Judge Zach.
Has anyone requested to see just how much of the. Database JH created and was paid for before her work was scrapped while assigned to SIU?
What exactly has JH been working on since her position was created at the ESE dept. Word is shes never there.
February 1st, 2017 at 8:33 pm
I have personal experience with JH, and she is the absolute most disgusting person I have ever encountered. Why this beast has been GIVEN job after job is beyond me….. Guys usually on do things like that for something on the side if you know what I mean. JH needs to be fired, it’s long long overdue. The school board needs to remove Runcie from his position and send him packing as well. Time to hold people accountable for their actions. Eradicate this cancer from the school board and you will be much better off.
February 2nd, 2017 at 5:58 am
While I am not JH I am a supporter of JH so I am sure this post will be censored as it seems this blog is really just a gossip rag for the rumor mongers of KCW and SBBC.
There is quite a few of us out there that know the truth and know that despite being scruntinized for almost 2 years all of these lies about JH have come up empty. What is known is if you attempt to point out corruption or assume that everyone should be treated equally in SBBC for their misconduct you will suffer a witch hunt. Many of us read the Judge Zack report and many us find it interesting that he never spoke to one of the people that could back JH up, of course not that would not fit the narrative. Many of us know that JH for years fought hard for teachers as a part of the union. Many of us know that tbe Principals JH was a part of investgating have been the focus on this blog before for their leadership issues. Many of us read the audit which confirms that the problems JH pointed out in the SIU were real and needed to be addressed. Yet JH is investigated in the audit and is found she did nothing wrong…Many of us are tired of certain board members who turn every meeting into a trial just watch the last workshop finally one board member is asked to put up or shut up and what does she do?? Something staff can not do she walks out. What is sad is that the people who should stand up for JH will not due to self preservation because we have seen what happens in SBBC if you attempt to
February 2nd, 2017 at 8:32 am
Reading the piece that was done months ago, and then the piece done this past week in the Sentinel, I think that it’s obvious that this is a School Board Member or Board Members, that are very worried that the misappropriation of funds part of this audit, could become public and hinder their future political aspirations, so they have no problem throwing the lady that was overseeing the police department, under the bus. They sit and attack this poor lady’s character and reputation, and all she was doing was her job and doing the right thing! I read some of the childish attacks on this lady with the accusations of affairs with superiors, and just sit in amazement how juvenile some of our supposed educators truly are!
February 2nd, 2017 at 7:17 pm
I have had the privilege of having JH as a colleague and I believe the hate being shown toward her is ridiculous. She is an upstanding person who has done nothing but advocate for the people around her and has always done the right thing. Those who are spreading hate and lies about her were obviously exposed for doing the wrong thing by her, or have never had the chance to meet her and are succumbing to the propaganda being spread.
February 3rd, 2017 at 8:07 am
Thanks #29, #30 and #31! The check is in the mail!
February 3rd, 2017 at 10:46 am
Bartleman did put up. Read Buddy’s latest article. When Runcie and staff played dumb about the memo she send him and her fellow board members a copy.
February 4th, 2017 at 12:24 am
Word on the street is JH is running ESE as she did the other departments. She talks about “BOB” quite often. WHY isn’t she being reprimanded for bullying as found in the report it was her not Bartleman and Rupert. It is not tolerated by the students, why doesn’t she get a consequence? Oh that is right, she got a new job and raise!
February 7th, 2017 at 3:32 pm
@34 Where is your “word” coming from, because that’s absurd. Some “fact” I am sure you made up yourself.