SOON. Very Very SOON. Read & Dream, children. Parents. Teachers. S.O.O.N!
By Kevin D. Thompson Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Post a Comment E-mail Print ShareLarger Type Small Type
For many parents and teachers, it's been a long time coming.
Art Johnson is on his way out.
For 16 months, parents and teachers have railed against the Palm Beach County schools superintendent, saying he has ruled the district with impunity and arrogance.
Now Johnson, under fire and at the center of an investigation stemming from allegations from four parents that he failed to properly supervise Jeffrey Hernandez, the district's former chief academic officer, has been in talks through a representative with school board Chairman Frank Barbieri to negotiate his departure.
"I've been watching him for years not doing right by our schools or our kids," said Kelly Brown, a Lake Worth stay-at-home mother.
Brian Ross, a Boca Raton parent, called Johnson a "consummate insider" and someone who has "squandered" millions of the district's money.
"He has been consistently out of touch and out of step with teachers and with parents," Ross said. "The last election for the school board was a referendum for his ouster."
Thomas Hawkins, a third-grade teacher at S.D. Spady Elementary in Delray Beach, said if Johnson had stayed, he wasn't sure how effective he could be.
"He's brought so much controversy to the district the past two years," Hawkins said. "But I don't think it's the greatest idea to pay him off to leave, especially if the board could do it with cause at a later date and it wouldn't cost the district anything."
If the board fired the 66-year-old Johnson without cause, it would have to pay him half of his $300,000 annual salary. Johnson's contract runs through June 2014. He has served as superintendent since 2001.
Peter Kimball, one of the four parents who initiated the probe against Johnson, declined to comment on Johnson or Barbieri's surprise announcement at Wednesday's school board meeting.
"Our focus continues to be on the investigation," Kimball said.
But Mike Dowling, a social studies teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in West Palm Beach, praised Barbieri's attempt to give Johnson a somewhat dignified exit.
"He's working to negotiate so we can end this without any more drama," Dowling said.
But Hawkins said the timing of Johnson's departure could not be worse.
With the district's looming budget crisis, the investigation of Johnson for possible misconduct and the start of legislative session next month, losing a superintendent now could hurt the district, Hawkins said.
"The legislative session is huge," Hawkins said. "It's critically important that we have a strong, unified voice to express our displeasure with what they're doing (in Tallahassee) and try to shape some of the legislation. Without a superintendent, I'm not sure we can do that."
Dawne DiGioia, a Boca Raton mother, also disagreed with the timing.
"I think it's terrible," DiGioia said. "There's enough turmoil. They should've let him finish the year out."
She also wondered why the school board would consider firing Johnson after it voted to let the district pay a Miami consulting firm to audit the embattled superintendent.
"The district just (threw away) $38,000," DiGioia said.
Even if Johnson resigns or is fired, the district is saying -- for now -- the investigation by RSM McGladrey will continue.
"I haven't heard anything differently," said Lung Chiu, a district auditor.
Ellen Blatt, an English teacher at William T. Dwyer High in Palm Beach Gardens, wondered why Johnson would resign now.
"Why would he be offering up his exit if he did nothing wrong?" Blatt asked.
A call to Hernandez seeking comment about Johnson's departure wasn't returned.
Lisa Goldman, co-creator of Testing Is Not Teaching, the popular Facebook site widely credited with getting parents and teachers together to discuss education issues and keeping the pressure on Johnson, also declined to comment about the superintendent's eventual departure.
In a statement, Goldman said TINT is looking forward to helping "our children through some difficult times with a new superintendent."
Michael Howard, another parent who called for the Johnson investigation, Wednesday night posted on the Facebook site, Root for Education, that he's hopeful the district is heading in the right direction.
"I believe that the right leadership will bring the administration, teachers, and parents together and harness all of this energy we have invested over the past two years," Howard wrote. "And when that happens, the School District of Palm Beach County will become an example of what can happen when all the pieces come together."
kevin_thompson@pbpost.com