The Search Is on for Pinellas County's Most Important Person

With the departure of interim School Superintendent John Stewart, the Pinellas County School Board begins, for the fourth time in eight years, a search for a new person to lead the Pinellas County school system.

Here is a group that is almost the poster child for dysfunctional decision making. Especially in the hiring arena. Already they are arguing about who the consultant/recruiter should be. Up for sole consideration is the FASB ( Florida School Boards Association).

Just the name sends shivers up my spine; it's just another example of in-breeding.

This is the crowd that conducted a national search, recommended Alberto Carvalho from Miami Dade, who turned the job down – probably after one interview with the School Board. They ended up hiring Julie Janssen.

If after looking statewide, and considering only one recommended candidate, then selecting an in-house, under-qualified, lackluster manager is the best the Board can do, why even think about considering the FASB? Maybe the Board just likes to deal with its own kind.

The problem with the School Board is no vision and no courage.

It is time to get a first-rate national recruiting firm that can bring candidates who want and appreciate the challenge a school system like ours presents. Let's not let the School Board set up another recruitment "failure" and then quickly hire some insider we have to pay off to go away.

Chairwoman Robin Wikle and newest member Glenton Gilzean want to open up the recruiter selection process to completion and that is a great idea.  It would be refreshing to  follow the rules for a change.

e-mail Doc at: dr.webb@verizon.net