Leaders gather to express support for schools chief.
As Superintendent Robert Runcie faces calls in the Parkland community and in school board elections to step aside, some political and business leaders are standing firmly behind him.
Members of business organizations such as the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and Broward Workshop joined black political leaders during a news conference Tuesday morning in front of the school district headquarters in Fort Lauderdale.
It came five days after some Parkland families whose loved ones died at Stoneman Douglas held a media event voicing their frustration with Runcie’s handling of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High massacre. They expressed support for School Board candidates who would be most likely to fire Runcie. Some even said Runcie should resign or be fired.
“A lot of people blame the superintendent for the actions of an individual, a young man we all know for a fact had no right to have the weapon that he had,” said State Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park. “The superintendent is not the one who put the gun in this monster’s hand.
“But he is the one after this incident happened who worked as quickly as possible to bring resources to the students and families and to make sure Broward
County teachers and students know they will be safe here,” Jones said.
Bob Swindell, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, which promotes economic development, said Runcie has been committed to working with industry to prepare students for jobs.
“I tell my counterparts around the country that Superintendent Robert Runcie is the most innovative superintendent in the country,” he said. “It would be a tragic loss if he ever left Broward County.”
Critics have complained that Runcie has backtracked on several key issues related to Stoneman Douglas, including hiring a retired Secret Service agent to conduct an investigation, only to cancel the contract a week later.
Rosalind Osgood, one of Runcie’s strongest supporters on the School Board, said the district is navigating how to respond to a tragedy that no one expected.
“This is uncharted territory. We’re learning as we go. There is no playbook for this, and we’re asking for your support,” she said. “We’re working to do everything to make sure it never happens again.”