I DID TEXT THE COMMISSIONER THIS MORNING FOR HIS REACTION. SO FAR NO RESPONSE.
NOW TO THE SCHOOL BOARD SHAKEUP,
ANOTHER SIGN IN THE GROWING BODY
OF EVIDENCE, THAT EDUCATION HAS
TAKEN CENTER STAGE IN FLORIDA
POLITICS.
>> LATE THIS WEEK GOVERNOR
DESANTIS REMOVED AND REPLACED
FOUR BROWARD SCHOOL BOARD
MEMBERS, ALL WOMEN, ALL WHITE,
ALL DEMOCRATS AND USED A-- THEY
WERE ACCUSED ON A GRAND JURY
REPORT OF INCOMPETENCE, NEGLECT
OF DUTY AND MISNGHT.
THE GOVERNOR REPLACED THEM WITH
FOUR MEN, ALL REPUBLICANS, THOSE
SUSPENDED CALL IT A POLITICAL
HATCHETED -- HATCHET JOB.
>> IT IS RETALIATION BY THE
GOVERNOR AGAINST BROWARD
DEMOCRATS.
AND WE CAN ONLY WORK AS POLICY
MAKERS WITH THE INFORMATION THAT
WAS GIVEN TO US.
THERE IS A LOT OF EDITORIAL IN
THIS, AND IT WAS DONE FOR ONE
REASON ONLY, AND IT WAS TO COME
AFTER OUR FORMER SUPERINTENDENT
AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER WHO
SUPPORTED HIM SUBSEQUENT TO THE
TRAGEDY.
>> OF BROWARD’S NINE ELECTED
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER POSITIONS,
THE GOVERNOR HAS NOW APPOINTED
FIVE OF THOSE MEMBERS.
KEVIN TINEN IS ONE OF THOSE
NEWLY APPOINTED MEMBERS, AN
TOARN AND FORMER SCHOOL BOARD
MEMBER.
ABOUT A DECADE AGO ALSO
APPOINTED BACK THEN TOO, TO
REPLACE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
WHO WAS ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION.
KEVIN, A LITTLE DEJA VU FOR YOU,
WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU ARE WITH US
TODAY, GOOD MORNING.
>> KEVIN WELCOME.
>> GOOD MORNING, DEJA VU IS A
GOOD PHRASE, ALL OVER AGAIN.
>> I WASN’T GOING TO GO THAT FAR
BUT YES.
>> FIRST, MAKE IT CLEAR TO US IF
YOU WOULD, AND TO OUR AUDIENCE
WERE YOU, DID YOU APPLY FOR THIS
JOB OR DID THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
COME TO YOU AND SAID I WANT TO
APPOINT YOU TO THE SCHOOL BOARD?
>> WELL, I HAD TALKED TO A FEW
PEOPLE THAT I KNEW.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE GRAND JURY
REPORT CAME OUT, I THOUGHT THAT
THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE
GOVERNOR WOULD BE LOOKING FOR
NAMES.
I TALKED TO ONE OF TWO PEOPLE TO
SAY IF THE GOVERNOR NEEDS
SOMEBODY I’M GLAD TO HELP.
SO TECHNICALLY I DID APPLY.
BUT YOU KNOW THAT WAS ALL LAST
WEEK.
>> YEAH.
WELL, JUST TO MAKE SURE, PUT A
POINT ON THIS.
IN 2010 YOU IN FACT AFTER YOU
HAD BEEN APPOINTED BY THEN
GOVERNOR CRIST, YOU APPLIED AND
YOU WERE A CANDIDATE IN 2010.
AND YOU LOST TO PATRICIA GOODE
WHO IRONICALLY YOU AND THE OTHER
THREE, ONE OF THE FOUR NOW BEING
REPLACED.
>> YES, IT IS.
AND IT IS A CHALLENGE FOR THOSE
OF US WHO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED,
ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO HAVE
GOING TO BE SHORT TIMERS TO COME
IN AND TRY AND AFFECT YAIT SOME
CHANGE, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY
WE’RE IN BUDGET SEASON AND THAT
MAY BE WHERE OUR FOCUS IS.
>> YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE
REACTION THAT I HAVE BEEN
READING, IT’S VERY INTERESTING,
A LOT OF THE OPPOSITION SAYS
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
APPOINTED ARE NOT EDUCATORS.
THEY ARE NOT TEACHERS.
BUT REALLY THE SCHOOL BOARDS
POSITION IS MORE ADMINISTRATION,
MORE FINANCE, AND A LOT OF THE
GRAND JURY, WELL, ALL OF THE
GRAND JURY REPORT REALLY TAKES
TO TASK THE MEMBERS OVER
CONSTRUCTION AND BUDGETING.
MISMANAGEMENT, MALFEASANCE,
POSSIBLY DECEIT INVOLVING THOSE
KIND OF THINGS.
THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE
APPOINTED SEEM TO, ON PAPER,
INCLUDING YOURSELF, HAVE SOME
KIND OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT.
BUT IT DOESN’T GET AWAY FROM THE
POLITICS OF IT AND YOU WERE JUST
SAYING, MR. T TINEN, YOU SAID I
WILL THROW MY HAT IN THE RING.
MAYBE THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO
REALLY DO WANT TO BE SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBERS, THEY ARE
NONPARTISAN SEATS.
DID YOU JUST HAPPEN TO YOU WILL
CA THE GOVERNOR, DO YOU AND YOUR
COLLEAGUES APPOINTED HAVE JUST
GET IN.
>> NO, I DIDN’T CALL THE
GOVERNOR, I HAVEN’T TALKED WITH
THE GOVERNOR ABOUT THIS AT ALL.
AND YOU KNOW, HAVING SERVED
PREVIOUSLY IN THAT ROLE, I
THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO
MAKE AN IMPACT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN IMPACT
WHILE I’M THERE.
AND YOU MENTIONED EXPERIENCE, I
THINK THE GOVERNOR WITH THE
RECENT APPOINTMENTS PUT SOME
EXPERIENCE ON THE BOARD THAT WAS
LACKING.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE
GRAND JURY REPORT, ONE OF THE
BIGGER AREAS IS CONSTRUCTION AND
THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN
INHERENT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS
IF NOT LONGER WITH ALL THE GRAND
JURY REPORTS.
>> YEAH.
>> MR. RYDER HAS THAT
CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE.
I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, I’VE BEEN
THERE.
AND THE CRITICISM, YOU KNOW, I
TALKED FOR DID SHALL-- TAUGHT
FOR AWHILE, AT A PARALEGAL
SCHOOL.
BUT HERE, I THINK YOU KNOW, MY
EXPERIENCE IS IN GOVERNANCE, IN
GOOD GOVERNANCE.
I SPENT EIGHT, NINE YEARS ON THE
SOUTH BROWARD HOSPITAL DISTRICT.
YOU KNOW, WE’RE HERE TO ADDRESS
WHAT REALLY IS SUPERVISION
ISSUES AND MAKING SURE THAT
THERE IS COMPLIANCE WITH FLORIDA
LAW.
>> WELL, YOU ARE AN ENGAGED
CITIZEN.
WE APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
YOU ARE ALSO THE FORMER CHAIR OF
THE BROWARD COUNTY REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND THE OTHER THREE MEN
WHO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED ARE
REPUBLICANS.
YOU ARE REPLACING FOUR
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN IN A COUNTY
THAT IS OVERWHELMINGLY
DEMOCRATIC.
I MEAN ISN’T THIS POLITICAL.
>> WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I GO BACK
AND I LOOK AT YOU KNOW, FIRST OF
ALL THE GRAND JURY REPORT AND
REALLY WHAT IS INTERESTING IS
THE ORDER THAT CAME OUT
UNCEILING THE REPORT WHICH WAS
SIGNED BY JUDGE TIDOR WHERE HE
MAKES A SPECIFIC COTAITION ABOUT
THIS WHERE THERE WILL LIKESLY BE
CRITICIZED, REFERRING TO THE
GRAND JURY.
SUCH IS ACCEPTABLE IN A
DEMOCRACY.
HOWEVER ANY NOTION THAT WORK WAS
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED IS WITHOUT
MERIT AND BELIES THEIR
DEDICATION TO THE TASK THEY WERE
ASKED TO PERFORM.
AND CERTAINLY THEIR
RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THESE
INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE REMOVED
AND THE GOVERNOR ACTED ON THE
GRAND JURY’S RECOMMENDATION.
THIS IS NOT LIKE THE GOVERNOR’S
DECISION WHEN HE SUSPENDED TWO
OFFICIALS IN BROWARD COUNTY
PREVIOUSLY.
THOSE WERE HIS DECISIONS RIGHT
AS HE BECAME GOVERNOR, THIS IS
DIFFERENT.
HE IS RELYING UPON THE GRAND
JURY.
>> SCO LET’S TALK TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THAT DEJA VU, IN 2009
YOU WERE APPOINTED TO THE SCHOOL
BOARD TO REPLACE A MEMBER WHO
WAS ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION,
THAT REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR CHARLIE
CRIST WHO MADE THAT APPOINTMENT.
BEVERLY GALLAGHER WAS THE SCHOOL
BOARD MEMBER.
THE ALLEGATIONS FIRSTLY INVOLVED
BIG RIGGING ON SCHOOL
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND KICK
BACKS.
>> AND TOOK A PRIEB, THAT IS WHY
SHE WENT TO JAIL.
>> SO FAST FORWARD NOW, A DECADE
PLUS LATER, YOU’RE IN THAT SAME
POSITION, YOU’RE READING THE
GRAND JURY REPORT, THE GRAND
JURY REPORT SORT OF INDICATES
THERE ARE SIGNS THAT SAME THING
MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, THOUGH NO
HARD EVIDENCE AS FAR AS I HAVE
READ IN THE GRAND JURY REPORT,
GIVE US YOUR PERSPECTIVE OVER
THE COURSE OF A DECADE, VOTERS
ARE VOTING PEOPLE ON TO THAT
SCHOOL BOARD, HAS ANYTHING
CHANGED?
AND WHY NOT, AND WHAT DON’T
VOTERS KNOW?
WELL, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSONAL
VIEW, IT IS SYSTEMIC FAILURE AND
IT HAS BEEN A SYSTEMIC FAILURE
FOR A LONG TIME.
CERTAINLY I TRIED TO BE A
VOCAL OPPONENT TO THE NEW SCHOOL
TAX AND I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF
PLAY WITH THAT.
BECAUSE I THINK THE SYSTEM IS
SYSTEMICALLY FLAWED.
WE HIRE CONSULTANTS TO FIX WHAT
OUR EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE DOING.
YOU KNOW, AS, AND WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE GRAND JURY REPORT, YOU
LOOKED AT, THERE WAS SOME
COMMENTS ABOUT THEIR EVALUATIONS
OF THE PRIOR SUPERINTENDENT,
WITH ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS
BASICALLY COPYING THE SAME FORM
YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THAT’S NOT GOOD GOVERNANCE.
YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE A FRIENDLY
BUT FIRM RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
FOLKS THAT YOU SUPERVISE.
AND IF THEY’RE NOT DOING THE
JOB, YOU GET SOMEBODY NEW.
I DON’T READ ANYTHING THAT I
THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT IS BAD
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THAT’S MY BASIC PHILOSOPHY.
YOU HIRE THE KEY STAFF, AND THEY
RUN THE ENTERPRISE BUT
UNDERNEATH YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS
SUPERINTENDENT, YOU KNOW WHAT IT
LOOKED LIKE TO ME, THAT HE
BELIEVED HE WAS IN CHARGE WITH
EVERYTHING.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT WAS EVEN
RUNNING, RAISING CAMPAIGN
DOLLARS FOR ONE OF THE PEOPLE,
HIS HARSHEST CRITIC ON THE
BOARD.
THAT’S JUST WRONG.
>> JUST TO RECALL WHERE WE ARE,
ROBERT RUNCIE, THE PREVIOUS
SUPERINTENDENT WAS INDICTED BY
THE SAME GRAND JURY FOR PERJURY.
AND HE IS AWAITING TRIAL.
KEV I, LET ME ASK YOU, GOVERNOR
DESANTIS IS CARVED OUT, AS WE
ALL KNOW, EDUCATION AS A SPECIAL
INTEREST, A NICH NISHE IN HIS
ADMINISTRATION AND CAMPAIGN, YOU
KNOW, HE GOT THE PARENTAL RIGHTS
AND EDUCATION LAW PASSED,
STOPPED WOKE LAW.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO ASK IS KEVIN TINEN AND
THE OTHER THREE MEMBER AS POINT,
ARE YOU JUST GOING TO RUBBER
STAMP THINGS THAT THE GOVERNOR
WANTS.
>> I CAN’T SPEAK FOR NIBBLES,
BUT NO AS TO ME.
CERTAINLY MY POLITICAL
PHILOSOPHY IS CLOSER TO THE
GOVERNOR’S BUT I’M A FIRM
BELIEVER, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS
ON WHAT I DID LAST TIME I WAS ON
THE BOARD.
I’M GOING TO EDUCATE MYSELF ON
THE ISSUES, I WILL LOOK AT IT,
STUDY IT, TALK TO THE
PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE EXPERTS
AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A RUBBER
STAMPER IN MY LIFE.
>> ALL RIGHT, WELL AND I’M NOT
ACCUSING YOU OF ONE BUT YOU
KNOW, JUST FELT OBLIGED TO ASK
THE QUESTION.
>> NO PROBLEM.
>> AND NO ONE HAS EVER SAID YES
I’LL BE A RUMPER STAMP, JUST FOR
THE RECORD.
>> TRUE.
>> KEVIN TINEN, GREAT TO MEET
YOU VIA TV.
WE WILL WATCH YOU AND THE OTHERS