School super apologizes, mayor still miffed
On the heels of Monday’s long and heated City Council meeting, Cape Coral Charter Schools Superintendent Nelson Stephenson apologized Tuesday for bringing grievances against Mayor Marni Sawicki to the media without school board consent.
Stephenson’s action drew criticism from the Cape Coral Charter School Authority, whose members expressed displeasure that Stephenson disregarded the chain of command before speaking out.
There is a chapter in the charter schools charter that addresses talking to the media and that he wanted to review it, Vice Chair Robert Zivkovic said.
“I don’t want to be blindsided by comments,” he said. “We want you to use the chain of command like the mayor does. Words matter. What we say can get taken out of context. We need to get away from personalities. Words have consequences.”
After an Oasis High student chastised both sides for how the exchange of allegations had been handled, Stephenson admitted he allowed his passion get in the way of the students and that he would remember what the priorities are.
“I allowed this to happen. I let my emotions to get the better of me,” Stephenson said. ” I want to see us get the help we need. We have a robust staff and school. All the other stuff gets in the way. From now on, it’s all about the kids.”
Authority Board member Pascha Donaldson said with all the good that has happened in the classrooms this year, to have this come up is a disappointment.
“What we have seen is amazing. Look at all the good things. To be involved in things that shouldn’t be in the news is disappointing. It overshadows the great things we do.”
The authority board said there is a need to get together and get on the same page.
“More than 3,200 students depend on us. We need to get this resolved and get back on track. Our hearts are in the right place, but we need to get together and be accountable to each other. This sucks life out of the system,” said Authority Board member Odette Boyer
The way the matter was handled by the School Authority Board was not enough for Sawicki, who Stephenson has accused of interference and intimidation after the contract of teacher he described as her friend was not renewed for the school year.
She addressed the authority, speaking as the mayor and mother of an Oasis High student.
“I’m confused as to why it has gotten to this point. In August I asked about the processes in the system. I find the superintendent going to the media and the board supports him,” Sawicki said. “Support the students, teachers and parents, instead of just the superintendent.”
After the apology, Sawicki said everything was being swept under the rug, from the media call to postings on Facebook that Sawicki was looking to close a school.
“We are not addressing the true issue. We’re still deflecting to a superintendent who is claiming I was so intimidating that he can’t do his job and had to go to the media without the board and the board saying ‘I support you’ by showing up,” Sawicki said. “For them to be so scared and directing it at me, I ask why. I have never seen this level of unprofessionalism. They say I brought the black eye, but I didn’t go to the media.”
Sawicki has said she believes Stephenson aired his allegations to deflect attention from what she says are problems within the municipal charter school system and an upcoming audit report that will highlight some of those problems.
Stephenson pointed out the the audit report due out next month was conducted at this request because such a review is long overdue. He points out that he notified the school authority that “although painful,” he believes that addressing any issues “head-on and using the information to help us put these controls in place will be beneficial.”