Lee School Board opposes elected superintendent legislation
The Lee County School Board will send a letter to the Senate and Lee’s local delegation in opposition to a bill that could change how the school district’s top administrative post is filled.
HB 497 bill calls for a local referendum to decide whether the post of superintendent should be changed from an school board appointed position to an elected post.
The letter in opposition is from the board signed by its chair, not its individual members.
“The letter that was approved as signed by Debbie Jordan, the board chair. It wasn’t approved as being signed by individual names. I specifically asked for that because I know that there are some board members that don’t want their names on the letter and I think we should respect that. Just as a team we should respect that. It has the same affect either way. We are just not being individual members in a difficult situation,” Board member Chris Patricca said.
Board Attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said the House bill passed the House, but it is still in progress in the Senate. She said the Senate would like to know the board’s position on the bill.
“That is what is out there,” she said.
Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-District 78, which includes part of Lee County, sponsored the bill, which was filed on Nov. 4, 2021. It would provide for an elected superintendent of schools in a partisan election with a term of four years. If approved by voters, this would take place in 2024.
HB 497 states that on June 11, 1974 the Lee County school board adopted a resolution, which changed the superintendent from an elected position to one that the board would appoint during the general election of Nov. 5, 1974.
Part of the bill reads, “which repeals the aforesaid resolution and provides that the superintendent of schools shall no longer be appointed by the Lee County school board, but rather shall be elected in a partisan election by vote of qualified electors residing in Lee County for a term of four years, beginning with the 2024 general election become effective.”
Points made in the district letter include that 99 percent of the approximately 13,567 school districts in the United States have appointed superintendent. It further states that there are only approximately 142 elected superintendents nationwide.
“Florida and Alabama are the only two states that allow for an elected superintendent,” the letter states. “In Alabama, only counties with fewer than 2,500 students have an elected superintendent. When looking at the 120 largest school districts in the nation, only one has an elected superintendent.”
The letter also states that elections are costly, time-consuming and can become a full-time job.
“Elected superintendents must divert time that should be focused on the students in order to win a political campaign,” the letter states.
It concludes by stating that “while we want someone who has the ability to maneuver through the politics of Lee County, the job of chief executive officer/superintendent must be one in which students take priority over politics. For these reasons, The School Board of Lee County opposes a referendum to change from an appointed superintendent to an elected superintendent.”
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