TO THEIR NEW SUPERINTENDENT, DR. >> GLENNA: TO BROWARD NOW. MEET THE NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE
OLD BOSS.
NOT THAT OLD.
VICKIE CART WRIGHT NO LONGER
INTERIM BUT BROWARD SCHOOLS
SUPERINTENDENT.
>> MICHAEL: SHE’S BEEN HOLDING
THE JOB AFTER HER PREDECESSOR
RESIGNED UNDER PRESSURE OF A
GRAND JURY INDICT.
DR. CARTWRIGHT, WELCOME.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I’M HAPPY TO WE HERE AND JOINING
YOU THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> DID YOU GET THE REFERENCE TO
THE WHO.
>> I DIDN’T.
[LAUGHTER]
SORRY.
[LAUGHTER] SORRY. >> MICHAEL: YOU ARE A MUSIC
PROFESSIONAL.
YOUR DEGREE WAS IN MUSIC.
YOU.
YOU WERE A MUSIC TEACHER.
TOMORROW IS THE FOURTH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE TERRIBLE
MASSACRE AT MARJORIE DOUGLAS
HIGH SCHOOL, 17 KILLED AND
WOUNDED.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
PSYCHOLOGICALLY INJURED.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PRESERVE
THAT ANNIVERSARY.
>> I STARTED ACTUALLY -- IT’S
VERY HEAVY ON MY HEART AND VERY
HEAVY ON MY MIND.
YOU ARE ABSZ LAWSUITLY RIGHT, IT
WAS SUCH A TRAGEDY FOR THESE
VERY YOUNG LIVES AS WELL AS FOR
SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES, TOO.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY
THIS IN MULTIPLE WAYS ACROSS THE
COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE THOSE WHOSE
UNFORTUNATELY THEIR SOULS LEFT
US PREMATURE AT THIS AND THOSE
AS WELL THAT HAVE BEEN INJURED
AND COMPLETELY IMPACTED.
LAST NIGHT WAS COCONUT CREEK
WHERE THEY HAD A MEMORY TO
REMEMBER OUR 17 LOST SOULS AND
THEN WE ALSO HAD A MEMORY FOR
ALL THOSE WHO WERE INJURED AS
WELL.
TOMORROW WE HAVE A DAY FULL OF
REMEMBERING AND GOING AND
SHARING LOVE AND KINDNESS.
>> GLENNA: DR. CARTWRIGHT,
THAT DAY, THAT CATASTROPHE
CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN BROWARD AND
ELSEWHERE BUT PARTICULARLY IN
BROWARD.
IN THE SEARCH FOR A NEW
SUPERINTENDENT, THAT WAS RIGHT
THERE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST.
AND THE PARENT ON THE SCHOOL
BOARD, LORI ALA DEF DOES NOT
SUPPORT YOUR CANDIDACY BECAUSE
ONE OF YOUR OPPONENTS WAS
FOCUSED MORE ON SECURITY, THOSE
ARE HER WORDS BUT I DON’T WANT
TO PUT WORDS IN HER MOUTH, THAN
YOU WERE.
OBVIOUSLY IT’S A PRIORITY FOR
ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTSES, STUDENT
SAFETY, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY
WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THAT IN
YOUR TENURE?
>> UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, WE’VE
BEEN DOING AN ALL OF LOTTERY
LATED TO SCHOOL SECURITY.
IMMEDIATELY WENT IN AND MADE
SURE WE REWROTE OUR SCHOOL
UNIFICATION PLAN, SCHOOL CRISIS
PLAN.
WE’VE BEEN GOING OUT AND
ACTIVELY MEETING MEETING WITH
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND
MUNICIPALITIES AND GETTING THE
FEEDBACK ON THE PLANS SO WE’RE
NOT OATH ACTIVELY WORKING
ALONGSIDE BUT OPENING THOSE
LINES OF COMMUNICATION, WHICH IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
ANOTHER THING WE DID IS WE
STARTED RECOGNIZING THAT OUR
VERY LARGE ATHLETIC EVENTS WAS
SEEING SO MUCH VIOLENCE,
THREATS, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL
ACROSS THE REGION.
WE WENT AHEAD AND WENT IN WITH
THE WANING AND EVEN WHAT YOU CAN
BRING IN, WHAT TYPE OF ITEMS YOU
CAN BRING INTO THE GAMES.
NOW WHERE WE ARE IS WE JUST --
IN JANUARY WE PASSED -- OR WE
GOT OUR FIRST READ ON THE POLICY
RELATED TO RANDOMIZED WANING.
SO WANING AND METAL DETECTING.
WE’RE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS
GETTING US MORE TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTATION AT THIS POINT.
EVEN ON THE BORED AGENDA --
BOARD AGENDA ON TUESDAY, WE HAVE
A PRODUCT WE’RE BRINGING FORWARD
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CONSISTENCY
IN TRAINING ACROSS THE ENTIRE
ORGANIZATION FOR BOTH LEVEL ONE
AND LEVEL TWO.
THERE’S A LOT STILL THAT IS
GOING ON.
HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH,
WE’LL START OUR INTERVIEWS IN
ORDER TO REPLACE THE TASK
ASSIGNED INDIVIDUAL TO THE
FULL-TIME CHIEF FOR SCHOOL
SCHOOL SECURITY AND SAFETY.
THERE’S A LOT HAPPENING.
EACH ONE OF THESE IS AN
ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SECURITY AND
SAFETY WE’RE PUTTING INTO OUR
SCHOOLS.
>> MICHAEL: DR. CARTWRIGHT, I
NEED NOT TELL YOU, YOUR MAIN
RESPONSIBILITY IS SEEING THAT
EXCELLENCE REVAILS WITHIN THE
CLASS -- PREVAILS WITHIN THE
CLASSROOM, THAT KIDS ARE
LEARNING AND TEACHERS ARE
TEACHING CORRECTLY.
AS WE SAID EARLIER TO DR. JOSE
DOTRES, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN
WERE LEARNING AT HOME VIRTUALLY
BUT THEY WEREN’T LEARNING AS
MUCH.
WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO REACH OUT
TO THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE
BACK NOW IN THE CLASSROOM AND
HELP THEM REMEDIATE, COME UP TO
WHERE THEY SHOULD BE IN READING
AND MATH AND LANGUAGE SKILLS?
>> THANK YOU.
WHAT WE’VE REALLY BEEN DOING IS
INTENTIONAL WITH ACCELERATING
OUR LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
WE KNOW THAT RESEARCH SHOWS THAT
OFTEN TIMES ONE ON ONE
ASSISTANCE OR SMALL GROUP THAT
IS TARGETED TOWARDS AREAS WHERE
THE STUDENT MAY BE STRUGGLING
AND WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS
EVEN WITH TUTORING OPPORTUNITIES
ARE THE BEST APPROACHES IN WHICH
TO ACCELERATE THE LEARNING FOR
OUR STUDENTS THINGS WE’RE ALSO
DOING ACROSS THE ENAIRLINE TO
DISTRICT RIGHT NOW IS -- ENTIRE
DISTRICT RIGHT NOW IS TAKING AN
INVENTORY OF THE ADDITIONAL
SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES OFFERED
TO OUR SCHOOL SITES AND
EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
THOSE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE AS
WE GO TO SUMMER AND NEXT SCHOOL
YEAR, WE HAVE MORE OF A
STRUCTURED PROCESS, MORE OF WHAT
I CALL A MEN YIEW APPROACH SO
THAT WE -- MENU APPROACH SO WE
KNOW THE RESOURCES OUR TEACHERS
ARE IMPLEMENTING, OUR STUDENTS
ARE USING, ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY
GIVE US THE RUN ON INVEST --
RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH
TIME TO BE WAITING AROUND AND
HOPING SOMETHING IS GOING TO
WORK.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL
ON THAT STRATEGY.
THAT’S ONE WAY IN WHICH WE’RE
DOING THIS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT,
UNDERSTANDING BETTER, WHAT ARE
THE NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS
RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, MAKING SURE WE’RE
TARGETED IN THAT APPROACH AS
WELL.
ANY SUPPORT THAT THEY MAY NEED
TO BE SUCCESSFUL, EVEN A SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATOR, WHATEVER THEY
NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE PUT
THE SYSTEM AND RESOURCE IN PLACE
SO THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL.
BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE
SUCCESSFUL, THAT MEANS OUR
CHILDREN ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL.
>> LIKE MIAMI-DADE BROWARD IS
GOING FORWARD WITHOUT A MASK
MANDATE NOW.
THAT CHANGED THIS WEEKEND AS
WELL.
BROWARD AND DADE WERE TWO OF THE
12 DISTRICTS THAT DEIFIED THE
MANDATE -- DEIFIED THE MANDATE,
PAID FOR IT FINANCIALLY AND
THERE’S $2.5 MILLION SUGGESTED
TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THOSE 12
COUNTIES, MOVED, REDISTRICTED TO
ANOTHER 50 COUNTIES.
THAT COULD BE A BIG LOSS -- NOT
THAT IT WILL HAPPEN BUT IT COULD
BE A BIG LOSS TO BROWARD.
BROWARD IS FACING SOME SERIOUS
FINANCIAL HEAD WINDS.
I KNOW YOU ARE ON IT AND WHAT IS
THE PLAN TO REALLY ADDRESS WHAT
THE DISTRICT MIGHT LOSE OR HAVE
TO OWE?
>> YOU KNOW, I’M VERY, VERY
CONCERNED BY THIS.
I AM GRATEFUL TO OUR GOVERNOR
FOR LEANING IN AT THE END OF THE
WEEK THIS PAST WEEK BASICALLY
SAYING PLEASE -- ENCOURAGING THE
LEGISLATURES TO NOT CARRY THAT
FORWARD.
>>
FORWARD. >> >> GLENNA: THE FLIP SIDE OF
THAT IS HE WAS ENCOURAGING THE
ABILITY FOR PARENTS TO BE ABLE
TO SUE.
THAT WAS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD
RIGHT THERE.
>> YES, WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE.
I DON’T KNOW IF IT MEANS GOING
FORWARD OR RETROACTIVELY
BACKWARDS.
WE STILL CONTEND THAT ALL THE
WAY UP UNTIL IT WAS ACTUALLY PUT
INTO LAW, WE WERE IN
COMPLIANCE.
AND THAT WHEN IT WAS LAW WE FELL
INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW LAW
AS WELL.
IT’S CONFUSING FOR US A LITTLE
BIT ON THAT END BECAUSE, AGAIN,
THE MOMENT IT WENT THROUGH
LEGISLATION AND IT PASSED, WE
CAME INTO COMPLIANCE.
>> MICHAEL: YEAH.
SUPERINTENDENT CARTWRIGHT, LET
ME ASK YOU ABOUT A HOT BUTTON
BILL THAT IS GOING THROUGH THE
LEGISLATURE.
YOU ARE QUITE AWARE OF IT.
GLENNA WAS UP THERE AND COVERED
THE STORY THIS WEEK AND WE’LL
TALK ABOUT IT LATER ON THIS
PROGRAM AND THAT IS THE DON’T
SAY GAY BILL THAT COULD SAY THAT
SCHOOL DISTRICTS LIKE BROWARD,
THE ONE YOU RUN, THAT IN
SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, STAFF MAY NOT
ENCOURAGE A DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL
ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY.
WHAT IS YOUR READ ON THIS BILL?
DO YOU THINK THAT THIS WOULD
PREVENT YOUR SCHOOLS AND YOUR
STAFF FROM HELPING KIDS WHO ARE
GAY OR BI OR TRANSWHO HAVE
PROBLEMS WITH IT?
>> THIS IS A VERY SCARY BILL TO
BE FRANK WITH YOU.
WHEN WE’RE LOOK AT THIS FOR MANY
OF OUR STUDENTS, SCHOOL IS THE
PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL INCLUSION,
THEY FEEL EXCEPTED.
ACCEPTED.
IT’S A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM.
THE IDEA THAT WE CAN’T HAVE A
CONVERSATION OR PROVIDE HELP TO
THOSE WHO IDENTIFY WITH THE
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IS HORRENDOUS.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THE
STATS ON THIS IS ALSO BAD.
THE SUICIDE IDEATION AND SUICIDE
ATTEMPTS FROM OUR YOUTH IS MUCH
HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER GROUPS
FROM OUR CHILDREN AND OWRP --
OUR STUDENTS, OUR YOUNG LIVES.
TO SAY ALL RIGHT WE’RE GOING TO
REMOVE THAT SAFE PLACE NOW.
BY THE WAY WE CAN’T TALK ABOUT
IT, NO, NO, NO, WE’RE GOING TO
EXCLUDE YOU AND NOT EVEN
RECOGNIZE HOW YOU IDENTIFY IS
JUST -- IT’S A SLILY SLOPE.
IT’S VERY DANGEROUS.
>> WE’RE GOING BE TALKING ALL
ABOUT THAT IN A COMING SEGMENT.
DR. VICKIE CARTWRIGHT THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
BEST OF LUCK TO YOU THIS YEAR IN
YOUR PERMANENT POSITION.