>> THE GRAND JURY REPORT THAT BLASTED THE BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD RECOMMENDED THAT
FIVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS BE
SUSPENDED.
>> FOUR WERE, THOUGH ONE IS NO
LONGER ON THE BOARD.
ROSLYN OSGOOD WHO WAS THE CHAIR
RESIGNED LAST YEAR TO RUN FOR
STATE SENATE AND SHE WAS ELECTED
IN MARCH.
STATE SENATOR ROSLYN OSGOOD IS
WITH US TODAY, DEMOCRAT
REPRESENTING CENTRAL BROWARD
NEIGHBORHOODS, SO GOOD TO SEE
YOU.
>> SENATOR, WE’RE GLAD YOU ARE
WITH US, HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU
FOR HAVING ME, I’M WELL.
>> WELL, GREAT.
AND AS GLENNA JUST SAID, FIVE
I’MED BOARD MEMBERS RECOMMENDED
FOR SUSPENSION AND YOU WOULD
HAVE BEEN ONE OF THEM, IF YOU
HADN’T RUN FOR THE SENATE RIGHT
NOW YOU WOULD BE OUT OF ANY
ELECTED OFFICE.
WOULD THAT BE FAIR?
WERE YOU GUILTY OF COMPETENCE,
MISFEESANCE, NEGLECT OF DUTY?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I THINK THE CITIZENS OF BROWARD
COUNTY KNOW THE RECORD OF THE
SCHOOL BOARD.
ME PERSONALLY, I JUST GOT
RE-ELECTED BY A LARGE NUMBER OF
VOTES.
MY WORK AND THE RECORD AND ALL
OF THE GREAT THINGS WE DID TO
TURN AROUND SCHOOLS TO BRING
MONTESSORI PROGRAMS TO LOW
INCOME AREAS, CAMBRIDGE
PROGRAMS, I COULD GO ON AND ON
ABOUT THE LIST OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE HAVE HAD
OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS.
ONE BEING, IN 2012 BLOW
ARD-- BROWARD COUNTY WAS
ARRESTING MORE KIDS IN SCHOOL
THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY.
AND WE WORKED WITH THE
N.A.A.C.P. AND MANY MEMBERS OF
THIS COMMUNITY TO TURCH THAT
AROUND AND STOP THAT FROM
HAPPENING.
SO MY RECORD AND THE WAY I LOVE
THIS COMMUNITY, AND SERVE THIS
COMMUNITY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
>> YOU JUST ADDRESSED TWO ISSUES
THAT I THINK ARE REALLY
IMPORTANT TO GO INTO, ONE THE
CURRICULUM AND EDUCATION, THOSE
ARE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY NOT
IN THE GRAND JURY REPORT AT ALL.
THE GRAND JURY DID NOT TAKE TO
TASK ANY OF THE CURRICULUM OR
EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SCHOOLING,
TEACHERS, NONE OF THAT.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE SMART
PROGRAM, CONSTRUCTION, SCHOOL
SAFETY WAS THE FOCUS.
SO WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT NOBODY
ON THE BOARD WAS HOLDING THE
UNDERLING ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT
THE SMART PROGRAM, 800 MILLION
WAS OVER BUDGET AND
UNDERPERFORMING OF ESSENTIALLY
WASTING BROWARD TAXPAYER’S
MONEY.
THAT IS ONE BASKET.
THE ARRESTS THAT YOU MENTIONED
IN THE GRAND JURY REPORT ALSO
ALLEGES THAT THE DISTRICT WAS
KIND OF COOKING THE BOOKS AND
HIDING BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND
ARRESTS TO LOOK BETTER WITH THE
STATE SO IT IS KIND OF A TWO
PART ADDRESS.
AND I WONDER IF YOU WOULD
ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
>> CERTAINLY, GLENNA.
THE GRAND JURY REPORT STARTED
THIS WHOLE THING AROUND 2019--
WHEN WE GOT INTO THE
PROJECTS AND WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT
OUR STRATEGIES, PRIMARILY
DEALING WITH ROOF-- WE REALIZED
IF WE WENT FOR THE MOST
IMMEDIATE, CHEAPEST WAY OF DOING
IT AND CONTINUED TO PATCH ROOFS,
IT WOULD NOT WORK OUT FOR THE
CITIZENS OR BE THE BEST USE OF
THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR THE
LONG TERM.
SO WE WENT BACK AND DECIDED TO
REROOF BUILDINGS AND MAKE A
LARGER INVESTMENT IN THIS
IMMEDIATE MOMENT THAT WOULD IN
THE LONG-TERM BE A BETTER
INVESTMENT OF TAXPAYERS’
DOLLARS.
BECAUSE IF YOU PATCH THE ROOF,
WITHIN FIVE YEARS YOU’RE BACK AT
THE SAME THING.
BUT IF YOU REROOF THEM AND FIX
THEM IN A WAY THAT THEY’RE
SECURED FOR 30 YEARS, THE
LONG-TERM INVESTMENT WILL WORK
OUT FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE
COMMUNITY.
SO THAT MEANT BUDGET COSTS DID
INCREASE, PROJECTS WERE
SLOW-- SLOWED DOWN, BUT IT WAS A
MORE STRATEGIC WAY TO HAVE A
LONG-TERM FRIEND OF ADDRESSING
THOSE FACILITIES.
SECONDLY, WITH THE ALLEGATIONS
OF MISREPORTING BEHAVIOR SLOOS
AND PROBLEMS, I DON’T AGREE WITH
THAT.
WE ADDRESSED THOSE PROBLEMS.
WE’VE WORKED FROM INFORMATION
THAT WE RECEIVED FROM
SCHOOL-BASED STAFF, THE DISTRICT
HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB
MEETING THE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND
CHALLENGES OF THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT TO INCLUDE WORKING WITH
THE CHILDREN SERVICE COUNCIL AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PUT IN
MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND
THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS NEEDED
BEFORE AND AFTER THE MSP
SHOOTING, TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN
AND FOCUS ON ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT.
>> YOUR FRIEND, YOUR FORMER
COLLEAGUE FOR MANY YEAR THERE ON
THE BROWARD SCHOOL BOARD, SHE
SAYS THAT WHAT HAPPENED HERE
WITH THE GRAND JURY REPORT WAS A
POLITICAL HIT JOB, ENGINEERED BY
THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, SHE SAYS
THAT YOU AND ALL THE OTHER
SUSPENDED BOARD MEMBERS
SUPPORTED ROBERT RUNSIE AND THIS
IS JUST PAY BACK FOR DOING THAT.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I LOVE
MS. LEVINSON AND MOST OF THE
REMARKABLE WOMEN THAT I WORK
WITH.
BUT MICHAEL, AS THEY SITTING
SENATOR RIGHT NOW AND THE WAY
THAT THIS PROCESS WORKED, IF ANY
BOARD MEMBER DECIDES TO APPEAL
THAN IT COULD COME BEFORE THE
SENATE.
SO I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE THAT
COMMENT.
I’M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT
BECAUSE HAVE I TO UPHOLD MY
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AS
A SITTING SENATOR.
>> CAN WE JUST GO BACK AND I
WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WE HEARD
PROPERLY.
DR. OSGOOD, SENATOR OSGOOD, YOU
ARE, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE
SAYING THE GRAND JURY WAS JUST
FLAT OUT WRONG.
IS THAT VALID?
>> WHAT I AM SAYING, AND I’M
GOING TO BE CLEAR.
THE WORK THAT WE DID ON THE
SCHOOL BOARD IN THE TANGIBLE
RESULTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
COMMUNITY AS IT RELATES TO
ACADEMICS, THE IMPROVEMENTS WE
MADE TO IMPROVE SCHOOLS AND PUT
DIFFERENT THINGS AT SCHOOLS,
RIGHT NOW WHEN I LEFT THE BOARD
I THINK IT WAS LIKE 170 PLUS
PROJECTS THAT WERE ON THE WAY.
THE EVIDENCE, THE DATA AND THE
STATISTICS AND THE TANGIBLE WORK
THAT WAS DONE.
AND I THINK THE PEOPLE OF
BROWARD COUNTY SEE THAT.
MANY OF US GOT RE-ELECTED OVER
AND OVER AGAIN AND EVEN WITH ALL
OF THE STUFF THAT HAS BEEN SAID
AND IN THE MEDIA, IF I WAS
PERSONALLY-- I WAS PERSONALLY
RE-ELECTED IN JANUARY AND MARCH,
TO A NEW SEAT TO SERVE THE
COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY GAVE ME THEIR VOTE
TO REPRESENT THEM ON THE STATE
LEVEL.
AND I THINK FOR ME, THAT IS THE
PROOF IN THE PUDDING THAT AT THE
END OF THE DAY, THE COMMUNITY
DECIDES WHO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE
IS AND THEY TELL YOU WHETHER
THEY ARE PLEASED WITH YOUR WORK
OR NOT BY THEIR VOTES.
>> YEAH, WELL THEY DO THAT AT
THE POLLING PLACE.
AND YOU YOU SURVIVED THAT
PROCESS AND IN MARCH WERE
ELECTED.
SO LET ME ASK YOU, AS A MEMBER
NOW OF THE STATE SENATE, ARE YOU
GOING TO PROPOSED LEGISLATION,
SIT ON COMMITTEES, LOOK AT BILL
TASK ARE COMING BEFORE THE
SENATE.
GOVERNOR DE SANTIST HAS SHOWN HE
CAN BE A VIN DICTIVE TOUGH GUY
AND PUNISH HIS ENEMIES.
DO YOU EXPECT ANY OF YOUR BILLS
OR ANY OF YOUR PROJECTS TO GO
FORWARD IN THE FACE OF
OPPOSITION FROM HIM AND THE
SENATE MAJORITY IN THE STATE
SENATE.
THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY I SHOULD
SAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE EDUCATION
A PRIORITY.
WHAT I AM EXPECTING IS FOR
LEGISLATORS TO WORK ACROSS PARTY
LINES AND PRIORITIZE EDUCATION.
EDUCATION IS THE EQUALIZER T IS
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN ANY
COMMUNITY WHETHER IT’S EDUCATING
OUR KIDS OR PROVIDING JOBS AND
SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE
EMPLOYEES.
SO I AM EXPECTING EVERYONE IN
ELECTED OFFICE TO BE TRUE TO
THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL
RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK TOGETHER
TO PROVIDE MECHANISMS AND
SYSTEMS THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL
BE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE.
I AM NOT EXPECTING ANYBODY TO
RETALIATE AND PLAY ANY KIND OF
GAMES.
AND IF THEY DO THEY’RE GOING TO
HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO GOD
FOR THAT.
SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT BEING THE
NEWLY ELECTED STATE SENATOR FOR
DISTRICT 33, SOON TO BE 32.
AND I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH ALL OF MY
COLLEAGUES TO MAKE THE STATE OF
FLORIDA A BETTER PLACE TO WORK,
LIVE AND PLAY.
>> AND THAT IS EXACTLY HOW IT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.
DR. OSGOOD, APPRECIATE YOU AND
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.