3 school administrators forced out; Superintendent details ‘swift action’ after grand jury report
South Florida Sun-Sentinel | By Scott Travis | September 13, 2022
Three longtime Broward Schools administrators have been forced out as part of Superintendent Vickie Cartwright’s pledge to take “swift and immediate action” following a scathing grand jury report.
Chief of Staff Jeff Moquin and David Watkins, director of diversity and school climate, both decided to resign after being given an ultimatum on Thursday to step down or face a district investigation. Ron Morgan, assistant chief fire official, decided Monday to retire after being faced with the same choice.
The moves came after Tim Hay, director of the state Department of Education’s Office of Safe Schools, urged Cartwright in a letter last week to sever ties with people named negatively in the grand jury report. But Cartwright said the decision was hers and not influenced by Hay’s letter.
“I knew that we needed to take a closer look to what occurred, and we met with the individuals and gave them choices,” Cartwright said at a news conference Tuesday. “As far as influence, the grand jury report was already out. It was just a matter of me having the opportunity to go through it and analyze it.”
Moquin, 51, has been with the district since 1993 and makes $197,641. He supervises the district’s building department, which was blamed for long delays in the district’s school renovation program.
The report said when Moquin was asked why the school district committed to more renovation work than it had money for, he responded, “it is what it is.”
Watkins, 50, failed to cooperate with police and was overly guarded when he testified to the grand jury, the grand jury report said. He makes $144,769 and has been with the district since 1997.
Morgan, 62, was one of several building department officials blamed in the report for outdated, slow and overly stringent inspections of construction projects. He has been with the district since 1991 and makes $119,579.
None of the three could be reached. A representative for the professional association that represents Moquin and Watkins criticized the move.
“Telling them to either sign a letter of resignation or be investigated, I think that tactic is improper,” said Pete Tingom, executive director of the Educational Support & Management Association of Broward.
A fourth administrator, Deputy Superintendent Judith Marte also was mentioned negatively in the report, but Cartwright decided not to pressure her out.
The grand jury said Marte misled the School Board when she said taking out additional financing bonds wouldn’t create an “additional tax burden” for the public. The grand jury said she failed to mention that the action meant there would be less money for maintenance work.
Cartwright said that’s the only mention of Marte in the report. In a letter to Hay, Cartwright said she reached out to a financial adviser and a school financing lawyer, who both agreed with Marte’s comments about no additional tax burden.
“She was not a part of the previous Superintendent’s Cabinet that guided decisions related to school safety or school construction,” Cartwright wrote.
Marte started in June 2017, four years before former Superintendent Robert Runcie resigned.
The grand report was completed in April 2021 but not released until last month.
It blasted the school district’s culture and execution of an $800 million bond referendum for school construction, while also issuing more measured criticisms about safety issues. Gov. Ron DeSantis took the report’s most drastic recommendation and suspended and replaced four School Board members.
In an update to the School Board, Cartwright said she has made numerous staff changes since she arrived 13 months ago, addressed concerns of a state safety commission and taken steps to try to turn around the problematic $800 million bond referendum.
Cartwright said there has been progress on the bond program, with 21% of renovation projects complete, compared to 11% on June 30, 2021.
“There has been significant work that has occurred during my tenure and as a result of the grand jury,” she told the School Board on Tuesday. “I remain committed for this district to ensure we are providing a safe and secure learning and working environment for our students and staff members.”
In a letter to Hay, Cartwright said she reached out to a financial adviser and a school financing lawyer, who both agreed with Marte’s comments about no additional tax burden. Marte started in June 2017, four years before former Superintendent Robert Runcie resigned.
“She was not a part of the previous Superintendent’s Cabinet that guided decisions related to school safety or school construction,” Cartwright wrote.
