Trails in the Sand by Peter Traceit, the Street Detective
When Ol’ Pete last left the Broward School Board trails, the Board members had extended the superintendent search in order to allow additional candidates to apply after the deadline. Particularly, the door was reopened for Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara from Clark County Public Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Detective is chuckling at the naivety of this Board.
The search firm warned them that there were superintendents who inquired about the position in Broward to position themselves with their Boards to earn more money. It would appear that Jara used this strategy, as well.
Jara was able to pull a “Cartwright” by being fired and then subsequently rehired by his Board after entering into some very public, but unofficial talks with Broward. Jara’s manipulation had Broward’s Board chair calling his name from the dais. Board chair Alhadeff requested to add him to the list of candidates without Jara applying for the job.
Hearing this had Ol Pete’s head needing a good dandruff scratching. This is similar to the stunt Nora Rupert pulled when she bent over backwards to make former superintendent, Vickie Cartwright eligible to apply for the position when it was clear from the onset that she was ineligible to apply. Though Cartwright was successful, she never quite recovered from the manipulation.
Well, while members of the Broward Board thought they were manipulating the process, Jara was manipulating two Boards… Broward and Clark County. Pete Traceit doubts that Jara ever had any real interest in or intentions on coming to Broward. His only interest was to demonstrate to Clark County that they were losing their guy to Broward. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles could see the bait and switch coming but some of the Board’s Nine were oblivious. Collectively, this Board is just a mess, despite the efforts of a couple to bring clarity and reason.
Not to anyone’s surprise, but the Broward Board, it worked. Jara had been fired by Clark County but was subsequently rehired in a 4-3 vote. There is nothing like reassessing a relationship when you find out someone else is interested. Jara was able to clench a salary just shy of $400,000 which is a $75,000 increase over his starting salary from 2018. His total compensation with benefits topped $500,000 per year for two years. While Board chair Alhadeff and others sit with egg on their faces, Jara is laughing all the way to the bank.
The Street Detective watched as Jara, through tears, thanked the Board for the opportunity. Rumors are that while some interpreted him as thanking the Clark County Board, Jara was actually thanking Broward for paving the way for an additional two years and a $75,000 increase in salary.
So, this is what Pete Traceit, The Street Detective knows of the new Superintendent Search timeline.
The deadline was extended to 5/16/2023 to give Jara a chance to apply. (Ol’ Pete is still laughing.)
Semi-final candidates will be selected by 05/22/2023.
Interviews and community meetings will be conducted by 06/14/2023.
Superintendent selection will be done by 06/15/2023.
All this will be happening in the midst of more than 30 high school graduations and the NBA finals. How smart is that?
Ol’ Pete is thinking, “When will this Board learn?”
The Detective has dug this from the sand, one of two things will happen and Ol’ Pete doesn’t know which is better or worse?
This Board’s efforts to do what it wants to do at any cost will result in another superintendent like Cartwright… followed by months or even years of unrest and protest by stakeholders. It adds to the massive exodus of students and families who continue to vote with their feet. They are playing right into Governor DeSantis’ hands. They complain that DeSantis is dismantling public education while Ol Pete begs to differ. The Board and its behavior are driving families straight to other educational options.
This Board’s efforts to manipulate will go nowhere and they will have to concede on selecting the overqualified, very capable candidate that they have relentlessly tried to avoid…. followed by months and months of unrest and protest by stakeholders.
They have created this dirty mess and all Pete can do is continue traveling down these disappointing trails shaking my head in bewilderment.
