School Board Special Meeting

1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PUBLIC COMMENT AND RESPONSES (UP TO 60 MINUTES) Public comment is not an open forum to discuss matters unrelated to education, to support or oppose candidates for public office, or to engage in commercial speech attempting to sell a service or product to the School Board or public. Also, public comment is not a forum to attack individual school system employees or Board Members. Any such complaints should be submitted in writing to the Superintendent for appropriate handling. Finally, this is not a forum for addressing issues involving individual students. Because of privacy concerns, such issues should be submitted in writing to the Superintendent for appropriate handling. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to address the Board. Speakers must stand at the podium and not approach the dais. This is a business meeting of the School Board and the public expects that we conduct it in an orderly, efficient, effective and dignified manner. We request that speakers keep this in mind when making your comments. We also request that the audience keep that in mind and not demonstrate approval or disapproval of what a speaker has said by clapping or booing. The Board appreciates the public's input and will listen attentively, consider each comment, and usually will not respond, enter into debate, or answer questions during comments on agenda items or during the public comments section. PUBLIC INPUT INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Before you begin speaking, please provide any handouts to the Agency Clerk. 2. Please identify yourself only by your full name for the record. 3. You have no more than three minutes to speak. Please stop speaking when the bell rings. 4. Florida Law requires all citizens to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion at public meetings. 5 . WARNING: Any individual who interferes with the expeditious or orderly process of a School Board meeting, will be subject to removal from the meeting pursuant to Section 1001.372(3) Florida Statutes at the discretion of the Chair. Orderly fashion is deemed as, at a minimum (1) no profanity (2) no vulgar language (3) no discourteous, disrespectful, or disparaging conduct. 3. NEW BUSINESS NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF MANATEE COUNTY, FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD The School Board announces a Special School Board Meeting for May 20, 2025 at 9:00 Agenda May 20, 2025 School Board of Manatee County School Board Special Meeting - 9:00 AM Walter Miller School Support Center Board Room Times Indicated are Approximate 1

AM to which all people are welcome to attend. The Special Meeting will include a single topic regarding the Superintendent Contract. For further information, see the published agenda which will be made available at the earliest available time at https://www.manateeschools.net/Page/11444 Unless otherwise noted, Board Workshops, Board Meetings, and Public Hearings are held at the Administration Building, 215 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205. Purpose: To conduct business relating to educational issues. 1. Board Discussion Regarding Superintendent Contract (General Fund) 4. ADJOURNMENT 2

work. What's a better way? I can very well. Ants. The kids pressed. Use the space key. It'll be easiest fight. Hunger tell you in my paused back and 4th between Wian each time the space key is pressed, go to >> Good morning and welcome to the MAY 20 in school would make county's special meeting. One officially call it to order the as a rise in the pledge allegiance. We don't have on them agenda, but I still want to do that. And join me. >> mean, it was stance one nation under indivisible, with liberty justice all. Thank you. MAY be seated. >> I put you on the agenda public comment. We've got 6 public commenters. Signed up to speak. For those of you looks like some new names. So for those of you who have not spoken, it previously screen above. You will be the time clock for the 3 Countdown till you hear a Dean. If you go all 3 minutes and that'll be your 3 minutes. The what possibly don't interact with the speaker putting him so if you're asking questions. It's not not being ruled by not answering. That's just part of our policy is to not answer the speaker's podium. All right. So let's get started. Public comment first is Robin Williams followed by Mary Front. Robin Williams. She's not in House. You MAY be late. >> We're in the parking lot, but she's not in Morning. Superintendent lights board members. >> I'm Mary Foreman, former school board member. 6 months ago when I ended my last board meeting with 2 words, stay boring. Why? Because boring needs stable. It means people trust you. It needs qualified. Professionals want to work here. And it means voters feel confident enough to support future millage renewals. And here we are. 6 months later. How do we get here? Dr Weiss on after one year had glowing evaluations. So I ask as you really gotten worse. Or is he being forced out for doing what this board hired him to do? >> Follow the law, follow policy and make tough calls. The real breakdown began when the board stop following those same rules. State law is clear the board sets policy. The superintendent implements it. Competent superintendent doesn't Kate pressure. He empowers principles. Follows due process and sticks to polls. For the board. Those same rules mean. Not overriding discipline and investigation procedures. Not stepping in to protect friends. Directing families to the proper process, not airing private grievances publicly. Follow Policy. 0, 1, 6, 9.1 Which prohibits students specific issues in public comments. Respecting policy. 0, 1, to 2.1 which reminds that individual board members have no authority outside this official session. So no one board member demanding resignations isn't just inappropriate. It's an abuse of position. If you're considering firing the superintendent, following the very same policies you approved. In. What is the message you're sending? That rules only apply when they're convenient. Ask yourselves is the issue, the policy or the person enforcing it? It's the policy changes. If its communication fix it. Do the work. Communication goes both ways. Perhaps the master board training shouldn't have been cut short after half a day. But to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, taxpayer dollars to replace a competent experience. Superintendent. Someone more comfortable. That's not just wasteful. It's reckless. The superintendent did his job. I wish I could say the same about this board. It's time to get back to Bahrain. >> Bagram Air. By Michel >> Good Morning. Board members want to pretend and my song. My name is Doctor Barbara Aaron and I am a resident of Manatee County and a veteran educator. I have been a classroom teacher, a district administrator and a university professor preparing future educators. In those roles I have worked for and with many school district superintendents. And I can tell you, honestly, and without reservation that our superintendent is one of the best. As a community member who is committed to public education and concerned about our children and adolescence in Manatee County. I have observed and interacted with Doctor Rice on on many occasions. On several of those occasions, I have thought to myself, would I have loved to work under him. He has consistently demonstrated good communication with the community. I find him to be forthright and transparent. Always willing to listen to the concerns of the community. And most importantly respond to them with action. He has put into any needed changes in our school district surrounding himself with top notch staff to get the jobs done. That is no small feat. To lose the momentum. We have by letting Doctor Weiss on goal. Now would be a travesty and would do harm to our children and adolescents who have to be our main concern. Regarding the issue at hand, no matter how disturbing we find the letter in question, it would have been unconscionable for Doctor Weiss on to recommend firing the teacher while the investigations were still going Had that occurred, I would have become before you to rail against the violation of the teachers due process rights. I do not want to superintendent hoof loans. Those rights. And we don't have one. So I ask you on behalf of our children and adolescence who needs the leadership that Doctor Weiss on provides to continue the very positive trajectory. Our district is on and on behalf of the community who needs a superintendent who work with us as Doctor Weiss on To retain DR. Jason, why song as a superintendent, thank you. Thank you. Michel Pearl. >> Followed by Sheila Shiffrin. >> Certainly. Wow. And Doctor Mitchell Pearl. I'm speaking. On behalf of myself and my opinions are old mine. There are many honors that we give in education. But in my opinion, biggest honor that we can give somebody is naming the school after them. For decades. County has honored our educators by naming schools after individuals who have shown dedication to our community, our students in our district. Just up Beller Martha, be King. Jeanne, Dan Nolan Stuart and Barbara Harvey just to name a few. Maybe some day. Somebody in this room have a school named after them. The point I would like to make today is no matter what happens today. No matter who the Super 10 in 10 it is today tomorrow or a year from now. I hope it will be somebody that will live up to the honor that are. Of former educators and that we can name a school after them one day. Thank you. Thank you. She different. Followed by the desales roads. >> And she was suffering from a retired educator from Illinois and Texas. I live in Lakewood Ranch. >> So I wasn't totally aware of that. Florida sunshine laws and I looked it up and it says. >> It ensures transparency in government operations, including schools. This law requires that meetings of boards and commissions, including school boards be open to the public with reasonable notice given and that minutes or take. >> My understanding is that this was posted Friday afternoon and in the media, they call that the Friday afternoon media dumb. And I am also aware that until a private citizen notified the media. They had no idea that this meeting was taking place. So that was Friday afternoon. Again, I'm retired. I can jump over here because it I don't have anything else going on. But parents that are working. Teachers that are teaching, they don't have an opportunity to come here and express an opinion. So I am asking that this meeting be moved so that the stakeholders, the parents, the teachers, students and other community members have an opportunity to come and discuss DR. My son. I have not had the pleasure of meeting him. But my understanding is that the metrics are she's me good and that he's a good leader. So my concern is that this meeting was rushed. And that working parents, teachers, et cetera, didn't have an opportunity to get here in the media. Just had one data published. Thank you. Thank you. SEALs roads. >> Followed by John Cone Cohen, Prime >> To the book, good morning to the board members into the Super 10. What I got to say. He is doing a good job because he wasn't able to and a lot of stuff here. And I know he is a nice guy. I don't know what came Who did it, but at Radimak it someone called me say something about state. For us and on some of that this this state she was was here got better. Remember what happened? And then you try and get something this Super what right, what you all should be doing with the Super 10. And Trees. >> Administration in teaching diversity. That's what you need to do. >> We as training staff. And in a secure uphold the staff say here. And if this is school base known to have school counselors, social work, back You when making policy instead bringing up a good agenda, did a wonderful job on manatee calf. >> Not just lie. The phony spoke. I would never knew that was going on to someone gave me a call and that's why I'm up here. Because, you know, step we got to manage she and that I'm in and So you all need to make up your mind just because something happened. I don't know that am devastated to see why that out and bought up for that everybody is given a chain uk going back person. >> And this you have the whole story. You know that. Don't show to, you know it right? You know, 10 and didn't know it. Tatum know it spirit. Yeah, I know that so high. You all come that one board What happened? Come to you all the chaos the what that the last out is doing. Good. You guys use own judgment if you do something wrong, you want to be heard. Not bad because some that say, you got to get to that point that when youth that someone got to come board right? And you all that the state. A fact. So, you know, you need use your own judgment. You know, like they say, we should enough time for other people to just become the head of the You had a got and did great bite members to me of what some use down media deny and I'm to link. To be in a special meeting came up with Do you all up date about what you all are doing? And don't want her to come again to significant. You came back to my right back. He got to do investigation MAY bring it to you You all get be the one safe at bring it to school board. Attorney, you get paid going to because some that say some. That's all I got say. Do we have you seen me at the end? Because Stephen, thank you all do. And it's not right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. John. >> Is it come focus concern and then followed by Susan Susan Wright board. Doctor Weiss on. I sat outside for a minute. My trade because I didn't want to come in here and just crazy. I'm not going to be eloquent people before me because I really didn't do a lot of preparation. I've been at this is person in county for 25 years. Thousands points. Really felt that I treated all of them fairly. They all got a fair shake for me. 3 years ago. And I was thinking rat's what happened in Manatee County schools for the majority of exciting new kits. So 3 years ago, I became foster parent. And that was an awakening. So he went to Mona Jane. And there are some board members said got my e-mails on this topic because I spent 100 hours in Moonachie that first year and it was held. He was dragged in the bathroom on video and nothing was done. Nothing was done by the school board and nothing was by sheriffs and that was there to see. I students terrible. And you know what? I'm just starting to get a little bit upset just about that. And then I found out how corrupt the school system was in Manatee County and all the allegations of mismanagement and everything that went with it. And I said, you know what, this is about the administration of the county doing things for their own personal benefit. Okay. I got it. I got it. I see. So you know what? We're things started to happen. I went to all the meetings. I spoke at all the meetings and I said how I felt because I needed to protect my child. And I should have been protecting everybody else is by watching some of this before. But didn't. So with that being said, when the boat team on this. I mean, my comment that Doctor Rice on great choice because you need to bring someone in from the outside to make changes. It can't be me from the inside because everybody's to close. So he has my 100% support. I will tell you the first day of great 9 for mom. I old. The comment from the principal everybody will stand up and do the present Pledge of allegiance to the flag in the schools every day. From now on. That's mandated by Doctor Weiss. This is the kind of integrity and everybody else's spoken and everybody else is correct. As far as to process if you are firing someone for cause, I'm all for that. If you want to present caused to us, the parents, you need to do that because I'm going to tell you that if you think I'm going to go away I was pretty happy before this meeting. I'm not going to go away. And I'm really, really disappointed that we would having this meeting. What I want to do is I want you to vote to extend, extend his contract 5 years today. That's what I want you to because I think that would be the right if you're not going to do that, you should have a public meeting at nighttime when all the parents can do it, do it down the convention center. You can explain to all Thank you. Thank you. Suzanne Wright. Suzanne Wright. The back of the Robin Williams. That concludes our. Public comment. For this meeting. Thank you all. Who did that? >> bring us to our item for new business, which discussions to penndot's contract. >> I just start how big it here. Why we get here and just kind of go through that real quick. So students of questions, obviously on that. So last board in APRIL. About a week or so after student and I sat down and in and use gauging support from the board members themselves. I expressed. My. At that. You have moving to something different and making a change about a week or so went by. I believe he was evaluating from from board members. You know what was what are thoughts? Work said Ron. And Mark, I received a phone call from the it from his attorney. And then we met again we're we're discussing how how do we move forward with this? What's what's the best way to move forward? Some of the questions on the meeting this morning and not this evening or in other public time we didn't want it to be in public meeting where we've got great celebration for kids that are going on. Not public means use me actual business meeting because it takes away from the things that are happening there. We felt like the special meeting by itself was appropriate. Why do we feel like today? Tuesday we spoke about it on Thursday wanting to put release on Thursday they didn't super didn't want to be able to to relay that to his staff. So we waited till Friday to do that. Graduations were done. So we went to the graduation season and we felt like if if and it I know I did. I felt like if we didn't have it this morning, been brought up this evening at the which is what we didn't want. We wanted to prevent. So that is why doing it doing it this way. To lot. You know, I respect everybody's opinions and comments. This is not an easy situation. I told Doctor Rice on this is not an easy situation. Think he's a great person. I think he's he's a very smart individual. I just for me and I collaborate later on. But for me, I think it's it's it's in need of change at the top and in leadership. So obviously want to hear from all the board members, but I'm gonna put out there just because I I know the appetite potential, you know, from that DR. My song I'll get to MR. Died here in a minute with with the legal opinion after the board to have a motion to terminate a superintendent's contract without cause effective MAY 2020. 25, if you have a motion a second, we can discuss that and get everybody's thoughts on this contract. And we are on Granicus. So if we have a motion on that and a second, we can move forward. Drops in jobs and we can discuss. Kim. >> You know why I would just make the motion a little bit differently. But for the sake of discussion be the summit as stated by the chair. >> So got a motion second weekend in a minute. Something's MR. Diamond, it turn to you because obviously doing doing this has you know, you have a contract. Put in place. So if you could just spanning contracts, got to what's what's been done so far >> we appreciate Thank you. Good morning. Twice on. The Can hear me aren't picking up. So Dr lessons 3 year contract. It is 2 years in. So there's one year remaining his contract is a contract employee. There was so long in the board attorney or the 2 employees that the board theirs. My contract. The contract was negotiated with his attorney Lady. Maurice and she actually contacted me win. i think Doctor Weiss on learned that he He was losing confidence by a majority of the word members. So she contacted me the collaboratively work going You a separation. The Rigell contract does provide for early termination. So it's it's a one of the sections of the contract as Early termination by both the superintendent or by the board. Early termination. Requires 90 day. Notice. There's Turkey. There's a termination by with cause. Which does not require 90 day. Notice. Termination without cause, which does. And then there's resignation by the board by the superintendent, which does require. In 90 day notice. So in this This need and viewed it as a a potential. A termination without polls. In. We worked on a a written. Understanding which is in the form of amendment to his contract. And termination without cause the superintendent's entitled to a severance payment. That's that's not provided with for cause and not provided with resignation. The severance pay meant is 20 weeks. Full compensation. Which is that's the limit by Florida statute. With the 90 day notice of that allows another 90 days of compensation as well. Because it's 90 day notice before the end of employment. So so under the from without cause, that's compensation that doctor West is entitled receive. Sotu address. >> The media. Change if that's what the board votes to do to address the immediate change to interim or even a permanent. Successor. Superintendent. And not wait 90 days. The contract, the there's this amendment to the contract. Proposes where. Doctor why someone would remain an employee for 3 more months. Compensated for the 3 months since the 90 it would be given a temporary position no longer superintendent, but with basically a consultant, transitional consultant. So I framed it. Would would be employed for 90 more days with the district that the full compensation to the superintendent. Mb. His job would be to assist the new superintendent or the interim superintendent for a smooth transition. And he remotely but be available to meet in person when needed. And if he. Were to become re employed with a new position. During that 90 days than that 90 days within point where he was re employed. >> With another another employer. And then that would trigger the severance. So the severance payment. Happens at the end of his employment, South employment. Me shorter. He getting re employed. He would then be entitled to the severance payment early. So the full 90 days running the last day employment would be AUGUST 18th. In His his contract in this amendment is also modified to. Delete some of the superintendent specific benefits. Such is is certain travel, tending conferences matters such as The this is all been negotiated and agreed to. But otherwise salute. Because she did was attorney. So he would get his. He would get his full compensation. We want emphasize that so. So that's what I've been working So its If the board moves forward. You have this already negotiated with. With Dr Weiss, along his attorney. I'm happy to take questions. >> Board members were were using grandkids. So please request to speak whenever you're ready to. Ask questions to MR. Dyer, too. Speak in general me refresh us. It's awesome. People reach towards masses, but I don't see any requests to speak. And once yeah, All right. Good. Go ahead. As Frank. I don't know what that means. An infant. Somebody I have no, I know that have requests to speak. So go ahead. >> I know there's a lot of people here. A lot of people watching out there. For every email that I've gotten in support of Dr Weiss a gun, verbal. People. Saying just the opposite. Some people are afraid to come forward and say how they feel. >> To me, this wasn't a matter of fires, somebody against policy. There's other options that. Could have then. Take that could have been with our policies Dr Weiss on to do. And to me, it's not just about. One. The ticket killer case. And I had a conversation with Doctor Rice on and my. I ended my conversation with him saying. To find a graceful exit. If this is. He came up with with his attorney and with our attorney has a graceful exit. >> I'm going to respect that. And it sounds like that's why. Has. Taken place. I don't know. Other board members feel all I know There are policies. And procedures that. We try to follow. And as I said on AUGUST, 29 don't be afraid to do the right thing. And that's still the way I feel. Don't be afraid to do the right thing. And I'm going to follow my own advice on doing what I feel is right. And I want to reiterate, this is just not about. Related. This goes deeper than that for me. And I will not go into the details on what that is. I have a whole stack. It issues that have all bothered me. I don't know what the other board members feel. So I just kind of kept them to myself and us have going along. I've made recommendations that never came forward to the board. All right. It is what it is in my this is graceful exit that. He chooses to take on willing to accept them. >> think you guys still don't. I'm still not getting any less to speak. So and MR. Tatum I saw during so whatever want. >> Yeah, I want to get into the meat of this yet. I just want to focus on legal. And legal question and I just want to ask MR. Di. And to my attention today is to I am sensitive to a couple of the criticisms. Me just start with this. I'm sensitive to the criticism of the timing of this meeting and time of day at which it's being held. That's that's a legitimate, valid criticism. The chairs already mentioned some of the circumstances that led to that. And no, this is not ideal timing for public notice or time of day for maximum public participation. But we certainly have had voluminous. Communication from the public via e-mail and phone. I've spent more time on the phone in the past 72 hours. And I probably have. All of 2025 combined. And so I just don't Yes, there are about criticisms, but I don't want the perception to be out there this is the only opportunity for public input. There has been plenty of public input. It from my perspective. I up until this morning when I left my house to come here, I was still responding to emails. But let let me jump back. And in the interest of transparency, when when my time comes, I will go in because I owe it to people. I owe it to the community. I think we all do. To explain exactly how and why we got here because if there is no. If there is no information. Then the rumor mill fills the void. And so I want to provide only my perspective. I want anything I say here today is I'm only speaking for myself as one board member, but I will get back to that when the time's right shortly here, MR. We again in the interest of transparency and to price point yesterday we had a conversation about. What I was after because from the beginning, when I first spoke Dr Weiss on. 2 and a half weeks ago. And I think it is appropriate for a board member to speak to their superintendent about dissatisfaction with their job performance. I don't think that's out of bounds. Part of my role as a board member so get back a second, though. But from from the first time I talked to Doctor Rice on, I said to him, I want I believe our time together come to is coming to an end. But I would like us to separ