Teachers vs. school district continues in Broward County
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – On Wednesday, Broward County School District officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil a new classroom building at Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines. The teachers rallied throughout Broward County claiming the district hasn’t properly used hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money earmarked for school, leading to rundown schools and bad working conditions. “We want our schools clean, we want our schools safe, we want our schools taken care of,” said Broward Teachers Union President, Anna Fusco. Broward County Public School Superintendent Robert Runcie said he challenges that narrative and tells Local 10 that schools across the district are seeing improvements. Broward Schools Superintendent Robert RuncieRight now, those negotiations are at an impasse and both sides will go to a hearing in a few weeks to determine what will happen.
BSO, Broward school district reach deal to extend campus security
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Broward County School District and Broward Sheriff's Office have agreed to a school security contract through June 2020. "I am definitely comfortable with the agreement," Broward School Board member Lori Alhadeff said. "We are making sure that we are in compliance with state law that we have one SRO officer or guardian at each school." The new contract raises wages for BSO school resource officers from $46,000 in 2017 to $54,700 per officer while the new deal takes effect. The new contract with BSO is set to expire in June 2020.
Students, staff return to Davie school after charter revoked
DAVIE, Fla. - A day after having its charter revoked, Championship Academy of Distinction at Davie was still open for students and staff, but it's now under the control of the Broward County School District. The change comes after an 8-to-1 vote Tuesday by the School Board, which took back the school's charter contract after School Board members said the school failed to provide adequate armed security for the first day of classes as required by state law. But parents and staff on Wednesday said they're confused because the school did have security staff every day so far this school year. "This school knowingly put its student and staff at risk not once but twice," BCPS Superintendent Robert Runcie said during Tuesday's School Board meeting. We have to be the jury here and make that decision," School Board member Ann Murray said.