“I am proud to have earned the Sun Sentinel’s thoughtful endorsement. They agree that our school board has an unacceptable culture, lacks transparency and ethical standards, and needs change. When elected, I will not accept ANY gifts from vendors and I will create an ethics advisory panel to advise board members. Broward’s students deserve better.”
Allen Zeman, July 14, 2022
Broward School Board candidate Allen Zeman talks a good game when it comes to corruption. Zeman likes to use buzzwords like ethics and transparency. Yet, when REDBROWARD asked him about support from “mega-lobbyist” Neil Sterling, Zeman was anything but transparent.
Zeman did not respond to our phone call or emails about Sterling. After our story was published, Zeman scrubbed Neil Sterling from his campaign website. Allen Zeman would rather hide his ties to Neil Sterling than answer simple questions.
Let’s assume Zeman is victorious in his campaign against incumbent School Board Member Donna Korn.
What happens if Neil Sterling seeks a contract with Broward Schools?
A contract for what you ask? Isn’t Neil Sterling just a lobbyist?
Sterling is the owner of Blender Solutions, a Fort Lauderdale based technology company offering digital solutions to teachers and students. According to its website, Neil Sterling founded Blender Solutions thirteen years ago, the exact same time when School Board Member Beverly Gallagher was arrested on corruption charges. Sterling and his partner Barbara Miller were two of Gallagher’s closest advisors.
Two of Blender Solutions’ biggest clients are Miami-Dade Public Schools and The School District of Palm Beach County.
Sterling’s company sponsored technology conferences for Palm Beach Schools and “powers” the District’s website.
Makes sense that Fort Lauderdale native Neil Sterling would want to provide services for his hometown schools, no?
What would Board Member Allen Zeman if Blender Solutions seeks a deal with Broward Schools?
Why did Zeman use same picture of Neil Sterling that’s on the Blender Solutions website?
Broward voters deserve answers, no?
(Editors Note: This reporter served on the Broward Schools Diversity Committee as an appointee of two board members, the final one being Donna Korn. I have not had any contact with Korn since 2018.)
REDBROWARD 
There should be a law prohibiting lobbyists from managing and/or consulting for political campaigns in order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, but no legislator in Tallahassee would sponsor such a bill. That’s how most of them got elected in the first place.
Impropriety be damned!
Politicians and lobbyists are cut from the same sleazy cloth.
LikeLike
How can this guy be any worse than the criminals in place now. I think he is the right guy at the right time. The Broward County School Board needs to be dragged over the cliff into the bonfire where it can never reconstitute itself. The only way to save our children from the self serving communists and woke traitors to Browards children and families to to bulldoze and bury. This is the guy that can do it.
LikeLike
Pingback: Broward School Board Candidate Allen Zeman Shares Same Attorney, Office Space With “Mega-Lobbyist” Neil Sterling | REDBROWARD