SARASOTA, Fla. — The Sarasota school superintendent’s controversial new contract passed 3-2, despite opposition from some in the public and many teachers.
School board members Jane Goodwin, Shirly Brown and Caroline Zucker approved Todd Bowden's contract while Bridget Ziegler and Eric Robinson voted against it.
The decision comes after a weekend of strong reaction on social media against the board chair for saying there’s no need for public input.
The board discussed the contract for the first time this morning.
“I believe he is doing an exceptional job,” says Sarasota School Board Chairwoman Jane Goodwin. It’s why she told board members she felt she needed to draw up the contract for Bowden on her own. She didn’t even want public input.
“Over the weekend I was attacked by a lot of angles on Facebook. I chose not to read those,” said Goodwin. She added, “I think it’s my role to put a contract together between the school board and the superintendent.”
Two other board members disagree and say keeping the board out of the process further divides it.
School Board Member Bridget Ziegler told Goodwin, “That undermines the whole intent, operation, function and trust in this board.”
Board members Shirley Brown and Carolyn Zucker say they too support the contract. Zucker says, “This is what I believe in. This is what I’ll vote for.”
Bowden is guaranteed a $5,000 annual pay raise which would top his salary at $222,000 by 2023.
“If he does a great job he should be paid for that. The auto pay increase goes against that philosophy,” says Eric Robinson, school board member.
In a survey, 1,524 teachers or 97 percent of those who voted said no to the contract. Teachers contract negotiations begin in March.
“Nothing changes for them. They’re still overworked, underpaid and still can’t afford to live here,” says Pat Gardner, president of the Sarasota Classified Teacher’s Association.
The district pointed out Bowden’s annual salary increase is 2.5 percent lower than the 3.25 to 4.25 percent teachers received each of the last two years and less than the 3 percent the last superintendent received.
Also new is a supermajority vote required to suspend Bowden with or without cause.
Robinson says, “In a couple of years from now, the effects of this contract will be felt. This contract is being written for the next election. This is political.”
Bowden made it clear to the board his position.
“The purpose was to make this process less political. I have no desire for the next four years to be anyone’s political pawn. If you want me here the next four years, you have an agreement in front of you.”
Goodwin says she modeled the contract after the contract for Orange County’s superintendent. That school district has nearly 212,000 students compared to Sarasota’s 42,000 students.
South of us in Lee County, there are 93,000 students and that superintendent makes $209,000 a year.
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