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Elected Or Appointed School Superintendent? Referendum Approved By School Board
February 20, 2025
The Escambia County School Board has voted to support sending the question of elected or appointed school superintendent back to voters.
The board vote 3-2 this week to place a referendum on the general election ballot in November 2028. The referendum was introduced by District 5 member Tom Harrell at a February 13 school board workshop, with Harrell, Kevin Adams and Paul Fesko voting in favor. Board members Carissa Bergosh and David Williams opposed.
The referendum will next go the Escambia County Commission to approved adding it to the ballot in November 2028.
In 2018, Escambia County voters narrowly approved a ballot referendum for an appointed superintendent, with 50.36 voting yes and 49.64 percent voting now. This was the sixth time voters had considered the idea of an appointed superintendent in the county; all of the other attempts failed.
“I feel very strongly about this,” Harrell, who campaigned on a return to an elected superintendent, said at the workshop. “The county, I think, feels very strongly. There’s never anything wrong with letting the people decide. When you have a democracy, it’s all about people making decisions.”
“Deep down in my heart, having been here in this district for 60 years, that’s what the people of this district want,” Harrell added. “It’s the right time; it’s the right thing to do.”
Comments
10 Responses to “Elected Or Appointed School Superintendent? Referendum Approved By School Board”
Mr. Leonard has done a fantastic job. There should always be someone who has come up through OUR school system to run it. Mr Leonard will have my vote.
In Florida, the School Superintendent is a
constitutional office like Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector and others and should be directly voted on by the people and not a board. These offices are executive in nature like the office of Governor.
Imagine if we gave the State Legislatures the task of finding and appointing the “best” person for Governor?
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE…I taught that mantra to my Civics students every day of their life…if one does it is a slippery slope away from Democracy towards Dictatorship.
Keep in mind the school board is now limited to 2 four year terms so I want to vote for my superintendent.
I would have caste my vote for Keith Leonard.
The people need to speak, and voting is how to do it!
MR LEONARD will have my vote!
Just like the Board of County Commissioners choose the Administrator from a nationwide search, to find the best of the best, our kids deserve the best of the best. Not a politician. Our school board SHOULD BE DOING THEIR JOB and hiring the best person. We elected them to do that. This is just a scapegoat for them not wanting to be held responsible for the quality of our schools.
VOTE–VOTE–ELECT–ELECT
REJECT the Downtown Crowd and their Big Guy intruding into OUR Right to Vote.
.
Mr. Leonard has done an Outstanding Job of Representing our County and Kids.
He has our support as ELECTED Superintendent of Escambia County Schools.
I prefer the voting idea. Mr. Leonard will have my vote.
Should be on 2026 ballot
Please..we should never give up our right to vote
Awesome, Mr Leonard, you will still have my vote as long as you are in.