JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A battle is brewing between Duval County's school superintendent and the members who put him in office. Things recently turned tense after board members learned of Superintendent Dr. Joseph Wise's plan to reorganize his administration.
School board members gathered with the superintendent for a workshop Thursday afternoon to discuss the plan. Some said they wanted to know more about the changes Wise proposed before they took effect.
A majority of the school board members were upset because they found out for the first time about Wise's plan through an e-mail that they received the day it went into effect.
The tension was in the workshop was palpable as most board members had tough questions for Wise about his new reorganization plan and why they were not involved in that plan.
"We just want to be a part of this," said school board member Tommy Hazouri.
The superintendent's restructuring promoted some members of his administration and added a new title and duties for others. The plan also changed the way school leaders communicate with district leaders.
"We were the recipients of a copy of it, and then we had to not vote on it but we certainly took a vote that we all wanted," Hazouri said.
The vote to which Hazouri referred was taken Tuesday night, when the school board met and voted 6-1 in favor of postponing Wise's plan until it could talk about it further.
However, Wise did not honor the school board's request.
One board member told Wise he needed to earn her trust first through student test scores before she'd support a plan without the board's input.
"When you bring up student level to a level where more students are proficient, I will give that to you. But, at two years on the job, you have not done that. No, I'm not because my community did not elect me to blindly follow you," said school board member Brenda Priestly Jackson.
Wise told Channel 4 he understood the board's frustration over the fact it wasn't given much notice but said he thinks his plan, which doesn't need the board's approval, is best for the kids.
"That's a fair point, a fair comment, but also I think it's fair we're learning about even more about governance and management. This is clearly a management issue. This is my call to position the organization," Wise said.
Under the law, Wise does have the power to make management decisions, including personnel.
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