VICKIE CARTWRIGHT

Cartwright OUSTEDIn a 9 to 0 vote the Broward County School Board agreed that Vickie Cartwright’s tenure as a superintendent of Broward County Schools has come to an end.

There is a lot to digest these days concerning the state of Florida and the history of her Black citizens. DeSantis has placed a bullseye on teaching true Black History to which he has set his Black History attack missiles to. DeSantis’ “lacks educational value”, comment seems to have awaken, hopefully, the conscious of Black America and touched the hearts of White America to come together and stand toe to toe against DeSantis. The time is right for a “don’t get on the bus” movement to Florida; don’t bring your Black athletic talents nor your educational prowess to any universities in Florida. Black Power is most evident when it is used to speak truth to power and history has proven this to be true.

Peter and everyone in attendance and watching got to see the real Cartwright today. She dropped a few trails of tears in the sand, but it was hardly noticeable because she was kicking up dirt in a fury. Ol Pete did a self-grinned and thought, The real Cartwright just showed up and showed out. An interim will be selected in a few weeks and Cartwright, like Runcie will take a back seat. Ol Pete will continue dragging the sands to ensure she doesn’t bury others with her on the interim.

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright agreed to leave her job by way of a mutual termination agreement.

Parents, community members and teachers were brimming with frustration at Broward’s School Board meeting Tuesday — in a discussion that grew so heated, some people used their speaking time to comment on the contentiousness itself.

Vickie Cartwright gave a one-hour presentation Tuesday morning touting her accomplishments. She said graduation rates are up, particularly among minority students. She said she has taken steps to fix the troubled $800 million bond program, address a backlog in public-records requests and improve communication with board members.

The Broward School Board has once again voted to part ways with Superintendent Vickie Cartwright.

I wrote my first article, Don’t Say Black in Broward County Public Schools under the leadership of Superintendent Cartwright on April 14, 2021. Much of this Board behaves like this is a corner Mom and Pop store without the resources and power to make a difference and change the trajectory of corruption. It is rumored that a Board member groped a member of Cartwright’s Cabinet a couple months ago. Instead, she is reportedly using it to ensure the Board member supports her stay as superintendent. Honestly, when I think about who the school board building is named after, the late, great Kathleen C. Wright, I become incensed.

A day before the Broward School Board is scheduled to vote on whether to fire Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, an administrator with the state Department of Education said she failed to turn over safety data to the state.

Broward School Board Chairwoman Lori Alhadeff said Friday she plans to ask the board to fire Vickie Cartwright without cause Tuesday, giving her the 60-day notice required under her contract. That would keep her in the district until March 25.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright said the agreement marks the largest teacher pay increases in a decade.

Superintendent Vickie Cartwright’s future is expected to be decided at a meeting Tuesday, and the Broward School Board foreshadowed a possible termination vote by discussing plans to hire a search firm.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright would stay through the end of June, under a proposal by new board member Allen Zeman.

The candidates for interim superintendent are all from South Florida or the Northeast. Three are former superintendents and all have worked in education for at least part of their careers.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright is scheduled to end a tumultuous 90-day probation period on Jan. 24 when the board decides to keep her or fire her for a second and final time.

The expectation was that there would over 200 attendees, but when you extract district personnel and district 7 school principals, there may have been 25 attendees. Cartwright was specifically charged to meet with the Pompano and Deerfield Beach communities, yet she scheduled a meeting of the entire District 7. Early in the meeting, Chris Nelson, community activist, confronted Debra Hixon about the FTX scandal. She shared that her schools have nice gyms, cafeterias, and media centers, while these Pompano schools do not have some of the basics that should be afforded to all students. Black schools being closed resulting in Black teachers and students being displaced.

Trails in the Sand by Peter Traciet, the Street DetectiveIt’s officially a new year, but the dirt is not at all new. The community has characterized Super Cartwright and Board members Nora Rupert, Debra Hixon and Alan Zeeman as “disrespectful and untrustworthy”. Oz still has her nose buried deep in school board business, particularly, District 5. Even after spending almost a decade as a school board member, Oz could not spit out the phrase that describes educators’ responsibility to students in the absence of their parents. The Street Detective will continue dragging the sands for any and all fresh dirt worthy of news.

Rod Velez, who was elected to the Broward County Public School Board but was never sworn in, is now suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, along with the appointee who replaced him.

For Broward Schools to become a part, the Broward County Commission would have to take up the proposition at a meeting and agree to support it. In fact, the 2010 Grand Jury strongly recommended it, yet the Board members felt it was no longer needed because most of the Board members who were on the Board during that Grand Jury investigation and ultimate finding were gone. Grand Jury reports expose the abuse and misuse of power that is held and wielded by school board members, superintendents, and executive level staff. But despite leadership rooted in years of theory, the practice in Broward schools is quite the opposite. While the audit firm does not work for Broward schools, it was paid by Broward schools.

Peter Traceit, the scientist in residence, wants these two board members who threw out 90% to realize just how unscientific their statements are. The Super was charged with reaching out to the Pompano community, a community that has been extremely vocal about her performance and has called repeatedly for her dismissal. Peter read the direction from the Board to meet with and “resolve” issues with the Pompano community. Peter Traceit will drag the sands to the meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 6- 8 pm at the Pompano Administration Center located at 610 NE 13 Avenue, Pompano. The holiday wine, spirits and cheer have had Ol’ Peter dragging a little slowly these last few weeks, but I’m ready to pick up the pace for the new year.

On the first episode of This Week in South Florida podcast of 2023, host Glenna Milberg welcomes Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava, Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher, Monroe County Mayor Craig Cates and Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright.

On the first episode of This Week in South Florida of 2023, host Glenna Milberg welcomes Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher, Monroe County Mayor Craig Cates and Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright.

This Week in South Florida host Glenna Milberg was joined by Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright for a one-on-one conversation during the first show of 2023.

There isn’t much dirt piling up at 600 SE 3rd Avenue in Fort Lauderdale as all schools and district buildings are pretty much closed for the next two weeks. The dirt left on the table says the searches for interim superintendent and superintendent are still underway. Reports are that the “reuse” projects have taken longer and has cost more money than just starting from dirt and building a brand-new cafeteria. The dirt around this ordeal is settling near Mayor Dean Trantalis who led the charge to fire Herbst when he served as City Examiner. Beasley Pittman’s predecessor is in full swing in his District 8 Broward County commission seat.

Now board Member Debra Hixon, yes. She assessed the culture and Board members, at the time assessed her. I said if even one Board member voted to keep Cartwright, the entire system needed a takeover. The fact that five voted to keep this corruption… three former Board members and two of the new members. Changing out Board members is not the answer.

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright addressed big changes for the district in the year ahead, and some come with strings attached.

The Detective was not at all surprised that Jeff Holness, the supposed author of BB-2, spoke first and addressed accusations of Cartwright being a racist. He presented some pretty elementary math about the number of Blacks demoted by Cartwright and compared them to the number hired during her tenure. In the end, BB-3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 were all withdrawn as Super Cartwright was exhumed from six feet under with her termination being overturned. When asked to define how to address the substitute motion, Batista made the same mistake for a third time, stating that the main motion had to be handled before addressing the substitute motion. The Street Detective congratulates Super Cartwright on living another day to play in the sand.

Despite this, five Board members used, the process and the “spirit of Sunshine” to challenge the Board action to fire Superintendent Cartwright and overturned her termination on Tuesday. They kept Cartwright because they did not want the competent Black woman sitting in the audience. Miami-Dade quickly secured Dr. Jose Dotres when their 14-year tenured superintendent, Alberto Carvalho secured a superintendent job in Los Angeles. They don’t want competence and integrity, especially by a Black woman or man. They don’t want Vickie Cartwright, but more than they don’t want Cartwright, they don’t want a competent, integrity driven Black woman.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright will get to keep her job after the Broward School Board voted to rescind her firing.

Broward County school board members met on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, and they were scheduled to discuss the superintendent at about 1 p.m.

By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.(with the help of a train person with knowledge of the equines)The horse has been dead for about six months now, yet Vickie Cartwright has remained sitting upright, shoulders back, feet firmly secured in the straps and hips and legs pressed firmly against the beast’s body. The horse is dead and when the horse has expired, the best strategy is to dismount. About 20 years ago, there were variations of a story, How to Ride a Dead Horse. Leadership organizations would share this as a humorous way to jolt leaders out of holding on to outdated practices long after they have lost effectiveness. I thought I would share a few of them in the context of the current situation in Broward.

Vickie Cartwright faces another vote Tuesday on whether she still has a job as Broward schools superintendent, with some board members trying to keep her and others ready to move on.

There are 7 BB items posted for next Tuesday’s regular School Board meeting on December 13, 2022, and they will prove to spark the skies like an early New Year’s eve Fireworks Show. In a strange twist, the new Board Chair, Lori Alhadeff made an announcement late Tuesday, at the December 6, 2022, Board workshop. She notified the public, her Board colleagues, and Superintendent Cartwright that she would bring two BB agenda items forward at the regular School Board meeting on December 13. The Four-Day Student Week was her brainchild for both Blanche Ely and Pompano High Schools. This should be an interesting Board meeting.

The future of Broward County School Public Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright is still unknown.

The fate of the fired Broward schools chief again is coming up for discussion, but this time, the majority of decision-makers wouldn’t be School Board members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A Message From The PublisherBy Bobby R. Henry, Sr.Board member Sarah Leonardo recently asked that the Board engage in training on Robert’s Rules of Order. Batista and former Board Chair, Torey Alston, sparred on Robert Rules and Batista was wrong every time. Despite no longer being the Board Chair and losing four Board Brothers, Alston seems to be ready to run a Boston with no problem. Instead, Cartwright strategically opened with the election of the Board chair and Vice-Chair. The Super was also prepared with flowers for the new Chair and a thank you plaque for Former Chair Alston.

Sources are telling Ol” Peter that Cartwright is dragging the sands trying to create a path back to the job. But back to counting votes. The Detective counts Rupert as a slight possible to uphold the termination for reasons of not flip-flopping. The Streets are telling Peter Traceit it needs a body and Holness might just do. Ol’ Peter Traceit will continue dragging the sand for additional clues and news.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg welcome Broward School Board Chair Lori Alhadeff, Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, and Feeding South Florida President and CEO Paco Velez.

Broward County's embattled schools superintendent arrived on the job to a district in chaos.

She ran both their campaigns for School Board with success. She used her influence as a Board member to ensure students participated in the program’s competitions and district departments attended FTX events. I am just learning and understanding my role as a Board member” in response to this huge hiccup. Speaking of Velez, he was declared the winner of School Board Seat 1 over Marie Murray Martin on Tuesday, November 8. Additionally, was it ethical or even smart for an elected, but not yet seated Board member to publicly solicit for people to take on these roles?

The Broward County School Board is in a state of turmoil and has been for several months.

The firing of Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright marked the climax of three months of change, chaos and suspense on a School Board controlled by appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

However, what happen today begs the question, “who does the attorney for the BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD work for and if she can keep that job. Let me call it like it is: the newly appointed board members who were correct concerning the misbehaviors of the old board members plainly stood head and shoulder above them (old board) in understanding and conducting themselves by Roberts Rules of Order, yet the old board members had no clue. “This is about accountability.”“This action is impulsive and inappropriate at this moment, and I cannot support this,” one of the old board members, Sarah Leonardi, said. It is reported that when he first mentioned the motion, Foganholi didn’t have enough votes to removed Cartwright. This appropriate decision to terminate Cartwright as superintendent was needed no matter if the five board members voting in opposition to her were appointed by DeSantis, a Republican.

The Detective sat for two days in School Board meetings and watched in wonder as Superintendent Vickie Cartwright was fired, then considered for rehire, then confirmed as fired. Further, Traceit learned from snooping that while this audit was going on for months, the cell phones from Board members had not been collected. Something in the sand wasn’t sifting through for some Board members either. New Board members: Jeff Holness, Rod Velez and Allan Zeman will more than likely have dissenting opinions. She is hoping that when the new Board members are sworn in next week, they will call for a vote to reinstate her as superintendent.

Broward Superintendent Vickie Cartwright on Tuesday acknowledged being “shocked and surprised” by the School Board’s decision to fire her. But she says she’ll continue to “act with integrity and a students’ first mindset” in the time that remains for her on the job.

A day after the School Board fired the Broward schools superintendent, the school district’s attorney faced tough questions Tuesday over whether the late-night decision violated Florida’s public meetings law.

In a shocking move, the Broward School Board voted 5-4 to fire Superintendent Vickie Cartwright at 10 p.m. Monday, with the five members appointed to the board by Gov. Ron DeSantis ousting her — four of whom will leave their posts in a week.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright was fired with a 5-4 vote on Monday night, a dramatic climax to the three-month tenure of a “reform board” controlled by five appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

This will be the School Board’s second major shakeup in three months. In late August, Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended and replaced four long-time School Board members after the release of a grand jury report that found widespread mismanagement in the district.

Despite the best efforts to stay clear of the foolishness, Ol’ Peter ran into Superintendent Vickie Cartwright and her husband in the Black church. Everyone knows that there are unspoken but clearly understood rules in the Black church. Ol’ Pete gives Super Cartwright some credit. She was told to make good with the Black community and what better way to kick off the effort than to cross the threshold of the Black church with a King James Bible in one hand and a charm with a Black Jesus on the cross in the other. Black parishioners told Peter that they don’t want to be pacified or patronized.

Broward County’s mayor, schools superintendent, and supervisor of elections are scheduled to speak at 12 p.m., on Tuesday from the county’s emergency operation center in Plantation.

Superintendent Vickie Cartwright and School Board Chairman Torey Alston received a letter from the state Department of Education’s inspector general’s office directing the district to respond by Nov. 28 to a complaint of possible waste and overpayment.

The winners will represent a district that has undergone extreme upheaval since Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended and replaced four School Board members three days after the last election.

Broward County School Board members gave the superintendent another chance to prove herself and in 90 days she will have to provide a progress report.

Four of the nine Broward School Board members will be replaced after the Nov. 8 elections. But everyone agreed improvements are needed.

The board has been listening to in-person and written comments Tuesday morning and plans to discuss the matter during the afternoon.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright has only been on the job since February and she is already facing the possibility that the new school board members could push her out.

Interim General Counsel Marilyn Batista has been negotiating with School Board Chairman Torey Alston to keep the job permanently. But the two are at an impasse over pay.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright could be the latest casualty of a statewide grand jury report and a Gov. Ron DeSantis-appointed “reform board.”

The future of the Broward schools superintendent may now be in jeopardy, on the heels of a preliminary job evaluation that had deemed her an “effective” leader. With only a year on the job, Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright took a tongue-lashing Tuesday from School Board members appointed this year by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Although the Broward County Public Schools superintendent has only been on the job since February, she is already facing the Broward County School Board members’ evaluation.

Sparks flew at a meeting of the Broward County School Board Wednesday after Superintendent Vickie Cartwright said the district had to start from scratch in its search for a chief facilities officer, after she removed a candidate from consideration.

Broward schools will start over to find a leader for its troubled school construction program after a search process was called "a colossal failure."

In her first evaluation since being hired as the permanent superintendent in February, board members rated Vickie Cartwright as “effective,” the second-highest of four possible scores.

Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright has said it’s a top priority to fill the long-vacant position of chief facilities officer, but the effort has been mired in multiple controversies,

Traceit is told that public records requests are pursuant to statutory authority and documents for the requests must be turned over timely. However, Street Detective is learning from the trail that Superintendent Vickie Cartwright has no respect for even statutory requirements. According to sources, Cartwright is employing an elaborate cover up through a grubby refusal to hand over the information. What dirt could the text messages and emails between and among Fusco, Board members, Chiefs, and the Superintendent reveal? What is Super Cartwright, President Fusco, former and present Board members, and former and present staff so afraid of that not one grain of sand in this public records request has been released?

One School Board member called the payments "sneaky," but most said they were satisfied with Interim General Counsel Marylin Batista’s assertion that these were “separation agreements," not “severance agreements."

Addressing the new school board for the first time Tuesday, Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright addressed a number of issues raised in a scathing grand jury report released last month and said three employees named in the report have resigned.

Thousands of students in Broward County are heading back to classrooms Tuesday.

With just hours away from the first day of the 2022-23 school year, Broward County Public Schools employees were preparing on Monday for students to return to classrooms on Tuesday morning.

Summer is winding down and school is just around the corner!

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, host Michael Putney is joined by Broward County District 35 candidates Lauren Book and Barbara Sharief and Miami-Dade District 6 candidates Jorge Fors and Victor Vazquez.

It has been a year since Vickie L. Cartwright became interim superintendent of Broward County Public Schools. In February, the school board gave her the job permanently.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by North Miami Councilwoman Mary Estime-Irvin, Congressional candidates Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormack, Dale Holness and State Rep. Anika Omphroy, and Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney are joined by executive director of County Citizens Defending Freedom Alex Serrano, Parents for Children Miami member Gina Vinueza, Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, Broward Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott and Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. The full episode can be seen at the top of this page.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney are joined by executive director of County Citizens Defending Freedom Alex Serrano, Parents for Children Miami member Gina Vinueza, Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, Broward Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott and Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez.

The Broward School District is in campaign mode this week, hoping to convince voters that a relatively small bump in property taxes is worth funding teachers and school security.

The proposed one mill increase has been dubbed the “Secure the Next Generation” renewal. It would replace the current half-mill referendum that’s soon to expire.

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said his agency will be enhancing patrols at schools throughout the county following Tuesday’s school shooting in Texas.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg speak to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Broward County Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, state Rep. Kelly Skidmore and state Rep. Tom Fabricio.

On Monday of last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parents Rights in Education bill, as its formally known, or as its critics call it, the Don't Say Gay bill.

Handheld metal detectors will begin to be utilized at public schools throughout Broward County, Superintendent Vickie Cartwright announced Wednesday evening in a video message to parents and guardians.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg speak to Sen. Rick Scott, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo and Miami attorney Loreal Arscott.

The new superintendent of Broward County’s public school district will earn $350,000 a year, according to a contract signed Thursday.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Michaael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by State Rep. Robin Bartleman, State Rep. David Borrero, Everglades Foundation President Erik Eikenberg and Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace.

The tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School created a deep pain across a community that prompted a district-wide discussion on how to better secure school campuses.

Beginning Monday, the use of facial coverings is optional at Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Broward County is marking four years since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy with a day of service and a moment of silence Monday.

The rollback on the policy is happening as COVID cases are easing in the Sunshine State.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg welcome new Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres, new Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, President of the United Teachers of Dade Karla Hernandez Mats and Anna Fusco is president of the Broward Teachers Union, and Michael Womack of Equality Florida.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg welcome new Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Jose Dotres, new Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, President of the United Teachers of Dade Karla Hernandez Mats and Anna Fusco is president of the Broward Teachers Union, and Michael Womack of Equality Florida.

Broward County's new school superintendent is the same as its old one.

Broward County's new schools superintendent Vickie Cartwright looks to hire senior leaders to oversee academics, safety and facilities as she rises from the interim role.

The White House COVID-19 Response Team is holding a news conference Wednesday to provide the latest updates on the pandemic.

Vickie Cartwright has been selected as Broward County Public Schools’ full-time superintendent.

The pair were asked tough questions about overcoming budgetary challenges, student enrollment and faculty recruitment, and working with the state legislature on key issues.

The search for Broward County’s next public schools superintendent has come down to interim superintendent Vickie Cartwright and retired Air Force colonel Michael Gaal.

Broward County’s school board interviewed three semifinalists for its superintendent position in a special meeting Wednesday.

The members of the School Board of Broward County moved forward on Tuesday with their search for a new superintendent with a do-over meeting to select three semifinalists.

Broward County Public Schools’ search for its next superintendent is down to three candidates after semifinalist Peter Licata dropped out.