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Divided Escambia School Board Votes To Not Discuss Superintendent’s Contract
September 21, 2022
The Escambia County School Board killed any discussion about terminating Superintendent Tim Smith’s contract Tuesday evening.
An agenda item to discuss Smith’s contract was added to the agenda on Monday, but the board approved the agenda with the exception of the contract.
“I would like to ask for the just cause for adding the item under the board action,” board member Patty Hightower asked, without specifically saying anything about the subject matter of the item — the discussion of Smith’s contract. When asked which item, she referred to it as “the last minute addition that came less than 24 hours before this meeting”, again with mentioning the actual subject matter.
“And you were the one that made that decision, Mr. Chair,” Hightower said to board chairman Kevin Adams.
“I did, I did,” Adams said.
“What was the immediacy of the issue?” she said.
“What I am going to do is chair, and what I have done is chair,” Adams responded. “I’m not going to stop anybody that wants to discuss about the item. That’s not my position…As chair, if you come to me and say you want to add something, I don’t feel like it’s my responsibility to say no to you.”
“I think that the lateness of the add, the lack of communication, less than 24 hours — I was completely caught blindsided. People calling me, asking me. They knew. I didn’t know,” District 5 member Bill Slayton said, adding that he felt it was an error on the part of Adams. and Fetsko.
Dr. Laura Edler asked, “I too would like to know, what was the urgency to put that on the agenda at the 13th hour?”
The board’s attorney told Adams that it was his decision whether or not the discussion remained on the agenda.
“I’m OK with leaving it on,” Adams replied.
Slayton then made a motion to approve the agenda, minus the discussion item on Smith’s contract. A second was made by Edler.
Fetsko, who asked for the contract discussion to be added to the agenda, said, “I am listening to the majority of the board at this time.”
The motion to approve the agenda without the superintendent contract discussion, passed 3-2 with Adams and Fetsko voted against (which would have continued with the discussion).
The board did not discuss if Smith’s contract might be part of a future meeting.
In November 2018, Escambia County citizens voted to move from an elected to an appointed superintendent, and Smith took office in November 2020.
Comments
31 Responses to “Divided Escambia School Board Votes To Not Discuss Superintendent’s Contract”
@David Huie Green and @Floridian…. dang, i’m dense. yea, you did that right!!
@Bob. I agree. I read and hear so much that just cannot be reconciled with the basic tenets of Christianity.
REGARDING:
“@Floridian, typing in all caps doesn’t make your opinion any more valid than the next person’s….You people are being led around by the media with all your labels. Form your own opinion is my advice to you.You people are being led around by the media with all your labels. Form your own opinion is my advice to you.”
Please consider what was written and the possibility it was sarcasm, making fun of those with such viewpoints. Eating Vegans should give it away.
David for good jokes
@Floridian, typing in all caps doesn’t make your opinion any more valid than the next person’s. All this “liberal” this and “woke” that. You people are being led around by the media with all your labels. Form your own opinion is my advice to you.
Derek, I’m pretty sure you hit the nail on the head. The ones the most upset are the ones who don’t even know what’s going on in their kids lives. They give them a cell phone with access to snapchat, tiktok, etc. where they see and do much more vile things than the scenario that was presented in the r and r handbook. I work at a school in the area and you wouldn’t believe how many “good” kids are doing repulsive things behind the screens of their cell phones. Parents, check your kids devices. Be a parent, not a friend.
It seems every time someone mentions “maybe we should treat our neighbors with basic dignity and respect”, they are immediately flagged as “WOKE”.
It’s crazy that Escambia County has so many churches, but so few people that act like Christians. I swear, if Christ came back, y’all would crucify him all over again.
A parent is allowed to sit in their student’s classroom/s. They can have lunch with their child. I wonder how many “concerned” parents have done that. Sadly, many buy into the complaints of someone else rather than relying on first hand knowledge. It’s a horse’s mouth and bull by the horns situation, not rocket science. We should take responsibility for parenting kids in all aspects of their lives, not just their involvement in sports and social activities, etc.
Get him and his liberal way gone. Woke means people who are not educated and just want government to take care of their kids so they don’t have to. I have heard of a lot of teachers and Principals not happy with him.
And Floridian: Bravo, yes, you did it right.
Lol
REGARDING:
“Yea he got Alabama coming across the line going to our schools”
Been happening for decades.
How did you think Alabamians had gotten so smart?
David for brighter neighbors
Floridian , the left and liberal elite is not coming for you, they are already here to stay. Makes absolutely no difference how much resistance they encounter. Watched channel 3 just now trashing people who understand why illegals are sent to blue States and towns. Hello TV morons, red States did not send out invitations for free for all. You might not agree, but could respect the mind set of the billionaires on Martha’s Vineyard for their liberal attitude if they would have opened their huge mansions and took the 50 illegals in – but no – all just lip talk – they got them out of there as fast as possible.
It is never a good idea for citizens to give up their right to vote for public officials. This allows a powerful few to appoint the public official and it lessens the accountability of the public official who is appointed.
@ Derek. From what I witnessed in 20 years of teaching, cell phones in schools have caused lots of problems and exacerbated others. Cell phones greatly increased interruptions in instructional time, posed safety and privacy issues, and contributed to bullying, theft, and sexting. Granted, they are convenient, but enforceable policies are sketchy at best. The problems that existed before have become worse. That schools should handle mental health issues, sex education, religion, and morality are pipe dreams. Our education system has become a punching bag for parents who expect teachers to take up their slack. No wonder there’s a teacher shortage. Seems the pandemic would have raised appreciation for educators. But this is Florida, sitting at nearly the bottom in teacher pay, pandering to lots of bowed up parents, many of whom couldn’t tell you the names of their childrens’ teachers, haven’t taken any interest in the curriculum, and seem to think that everything is someone else’s fault.
Teachers were made to watch a CRT video last year and it wasn’t approved by the board. He should have been fired then.
The LEFTIST and LIBERAL elites are coming for YOU! Don’t think this can’t happen in Escambia! The WOKE MOB want to GROOM your PETS and make you eat VEGANS! They hate FREEDOM and the FLAG and want to replace the NATIONAL ANTHEM with the COMMUNIST BEATLES. They want to BAN PRAYER and make your CHILDREN read BOOKS about THINGS. WAKE UP PEOPLE.
Did I do that right?
The use of the word woke is killing me. The word has been taken over by people who want you to be sleep in order to do the things that benefit them. So let me explain what woke means in the sense that ii is uses. Woke means that you are aware of what is happening around you. You are educated in matters that affect your life and the world. You have the ability to decide what is true and what isn’t. You don’t allow others to tell you how you should think,. if you are this kind of person then you are woke. Those that see this as something wrong are the ones that don’t posses the qualities that I mention. So self reflect and some you might realize you are indeed woke.
Time for Slayton and Hightower to go. This should have been left on the agenda. How is it possible any one of them didn’t know the issues with the superintendent? They’re not listening to the citizens they are supposed to be representing. There were so many parents mad about that ridiculous test, no way they were oblivious. And that’s not the only issue with this superintendent. Superintendent position needs to be an elected position period!!
Yea he got Alabama coming across the line going to our schools. I don’t believe that’s right
They thought the audiance was to large.
I hope enough people in Florida are awake enough not to become “woke.”
I wonder if the people upset are the same people that give their child a cell phone and unlimited access online.
it goes to figure that the same fools that voted FOR this stooge would also kill the vote to question his tenure with the district. Some body PLEASE get Slayton out of that position! Edler is finally gone in November so MAYBE somebody with rational thought process will be in that office now. I saw on the other post that several folks wanted the “good old boy system” put out to pasture? That being said, surely you would also vote for term limits for other offices in our (federal)government…or is it just a select system you want to go away for something “new”? We need our right to vote for a superintendent back. This is the only way a majority can control what’s going to our kids.
The Urgency is to Rid this Liberal Groomer from our Children’s classrooms
Paper hand puppets…. blah blah blah
How about bring back voting on the superintendent. Let the people decide on who they want. And before you say it was brought before the people before…let me just say that I voted no the last time.
Bill Slayton turns his back on taxpayers once again. Last meeting he voted for a substantial tax increase – which fell in the “just because” reasoning for increasing taxes and now he votes to deny taxpayerrs a voice on the Superintendent.
Lets make sure this is his last term in office. Slayton is out of touch with voters.
One positive, is Dr Edler is out of Office come November. No more of her foolishness.
Only way to fix this problem is to vote out the members of the school board that created it. Bill Slayton and Patty Hightower have got go at their next elections. Admittedly, I know nothing of Dr. Edler. But both Slayton and Hightower are in favor of bringing in Left, Liberal, Woke indoctrination of our schools. Neither are willing to listen to their constituents of the areas they represent. But we also need people willing to run against them. Bill Slayton has remained the last 3 terms because no one has challenged him. IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE. THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
Mr Reynolds, how would one approach getting an elected superintendent back on the ballot?
Very weak and anemic board.
Vote every one of these people off the board.
Do not let them run unopposed ever again.
the urgency is to get you fired immediately !