btu - REDBROWARD

Press release from Broward School Board Member Torey Alston:

~School Board Member Torey highlights the corrupt culture, pay to play allegations and questionable actions where some could have violated their fiduciary responsibilities. ~

“Today’s agenda item on additional compensation for teachers should be celebrated. However, the process of how we got here was clear evidence of board members and school officials leaking secret negotiations throughout the process, the teachers union endorsed several sitting school board members during this process and I believe some board members may have violated their fiduciary responsibility to the district and taxpayers. My fear is this board will continue to get dangerously close to board policy 3.5% requirement in the General Fund. I am calling on the state inspector general and Department of Education team to investigate this process and horrible culture that still exists in Broward Schools,” says Broward County School Board Member Torey Alston, the immediate past Chair of the Board and former Broward County Commissioner.

The allegations raised by Broward County School Board Member Torey Alston include:

· School Board Members and unauthorized staff potentially were talking to the Teacher Union President and leadership throughout the months long negotiation process, going against the interest of the district and taxpayers, in favor of their personal interests

· Actions by some School Board Members and district staff potentially cost the district millions of dollars

· Details of various stages of the negotiations process were posted on social media, shared in emails to board members and in clear communication between individuals in the negotiating room, who clearly shared information outside the scope of closed sessions to others

· The teacher’s union endorsed sitting school board members during this negotiations process, several who are also candidates for the 2024 election. This is blatant a pay-to-play scheme that was used and held over school board members

More to come…

Based on attendance and online viewership, an anti-Ron DeSantis protest organized by the United Teachers of Dade (UTD), the Broward Teachers Union (BTU) and the American Federation Of Teachers (AFT) was a complete dud. The protest, dubbed “Not Fooling Us, was held Saturday morning at the County Government Center in downtown Miami. The protest featured guests such as AFT president Randi Weingarten, UTD president Karla Hernandez-Mats and BTU president Anna Fusco.

Photos of the event posted on social media show a sparse crowd made up of Union representatives and teachers. A livestream on Facebook boasted a meager 11 viewers for most of the event. It looks like most south Florida teachers, parents and students were the ones not “fooled” into attending the protest.