NAACP Calls For Resignation Of Manatee County Schools Superintendent Reprimanded By State

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — After Manatee County Schools’ Superintendent Cynthia Saunders was reprimanded for instructing district staff members to inflate the district’s graduation rates, the Manatee County NAACP is calling for her resignation.

In a settlement with Florida's Education Practices Commission earlier this month, Saunders was reprimanded for instructing district staff members to improperly record student withdrawals from 2014 to 2016, inflating the high school graduation rate.

During the 2014-15 school year, when she was executive director of secondary education, only six of the 121 students withdrawn from the district were properly coded.

At the end of 2018 — about six months after being sworn in as superintendent — Saunders was accused of violating two state statutes and five rules, including filing fraudulent information, using coercive means or promised special treatments to influence professional judgements of colleagues, and failure to maintain honesty in all professional dealings.

The commission rejected Saunders’ initial proposed settlement in 2019 because it wasn’t severe enough.

“The Manatee County NAACP highly condemns the behavior and practices of Mrs. Saunders after accepting a revised settlement agreement with the Florida Education Practices Commission (FEPC). Mrs. Saunders blatantly and intentionally inflated the District’s graduation rates in 2014-15 by placing students in the home education program, did not receive parental consent, and instructed subordinates to inaccurately code records to remove the non-performing student,” the organization said in a statement.

The NAACP continued, “The District should never tolerate, accept, or promote this type of behavior. The EPC determined her actions were fraudulent, discriminatory, and illegal, it could significantly impact the 115 students not homeschooled. Despite a pending investigation, the School Board voted to hire Mrs. Saunders where she received exemplary evaluations, a contract extension, and a nine (9%) pay increase. Where are the 112 students who were not homeschooled? Did they graduate? Will the School Board take the appropriate action to terminate her employment?”

As part of her settlement, the superintendent will pay a $2,000 fine and is required to pass two college courses in education ethics within a two-year period. She has also been put on two years’ probation with the commission and must pay $150 in administrative fees for each year of probation.

“We are demanding that Mrs. Saunders resign her position as Superintendent. Mrs. Saunders violated the 14th Amendment rights of those students and the inaction by the school board shows that they do not value educating students from marginalized communities. The board was negligent in not hiring a qualified superintendent,” NAACP said.

In a statement provided by the school district, Saunders thanked the commission for accepting the agreement between her and the Florida Department of Education, noting, though, that “accepting this settlement is bittersweet.”

She said, "One of the lessons I have learned through this experience is that I could have done a better job of implementing changes upon entering a new school district, different from the one I previously served. Ultimately, the lessons I have learned taught me a lot about myself and leadership that has served me well in my current position.”