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Decisions about whom to promote are the superintendent's alone, they say, but concerns of racism should be addressed.
By BARBARA BEHRENDT
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 8, 2001
INVERNESS -- The racial discrimination concerns raised about a personnel appointment by Superintendent David Hickey have several School Board members asking whether Hickey may have missed a good opportunity to promote a well-qualified minority candidate.
But board members also say that there is little they can do about the situation because personnel recommendations are solely the superintendent's responsibility.
Mercedia White, an activist who has served on the school district's multicultural and equity committees for years, has accused Hickey of picking Lecanto High School principal Steve Richardson for the job of district personnel director even though Inverness Primary School principal Teretta Charles has a much more extensive educational background.
She has told School Board members that Hickey did not choose Charles because she is black. Richardson is white.
Hickey has said that his decision was not based on race. He has declined to say specifically what made Richardson the better candidate because the issue is personnel-related. The School Board is set to take up the appointment on Tuesday.
Board member Pat Deutschman said the board's hands are tied. By law, they can only reject Hickey's personnel recommendations if the candidate has done something on the same level as grounds for dismissal.
"Steve Richardson has done nothing wrong so there is no reason to not appoint him," Deutschman said.
He has been involved in a variety of projects related to employee recruiting and has been effective in recruiting and retaining employees at his school, she said. Charles also has been involved in recruiting efforts and, like Richardson, has traveled outside the state to recruit teachers.
Richardson also has been successful in recruiting minorities to jobs in the school district and has been able to bring up the academic achievement of minority students.
"These are some of the reasons given to me about why he applied for this job and why he probably got it," Deutschman said.
She added that Charles also is a very accomplished administrator and she said she wasn't sure it was a logical argument to say that, just because Charles has a more extensive background and she wasn't chosen, that the reason had to be race.
Still, Deutschman said: "I do believe that our district has not done a very great job in making sure that we have minority representation in our district administration and we need that."
"There is a void that we really need to fill and we have to show some sensitivity about it," she said. "This might have been a missed opportunity for that to happen."
Deutschman said the district must have more minorities in positions of authority.
"We need to have that perspective. We need them as role models," she said, noting that White's concerns should be discussed.
"Mercedia is reminding us that we missed the opportunity," she said. "It's a lost opportunity that the black community . . . would have benefited from."
Board member Carol Snyder agrees that White has raised good questions that deserve answers.
"I'm glad she's talking about it because it is something that needs to be addressed," Snyder said.
"Of course it concerns me when anyone in any segment of our district feels like they've been discriminated against," said Snyder, who also noted that both administrators had strong qualifications.
"There is no question that, if Terrie had been appointed to this position, there would have been a different perspective available, which we need. But I don't feel I can second guess Mr. Hickey's appointment," she said.
Snyder also said that the legal strings that kept the board from having any authority in personnel decisions were frustrating because in Ohio, where she had served on a school board, the board played a larger role in personnel decisions.
Board member Sandra "Sam" Himmel said she had some questions to ask Hickey about his choice, but also said she didn't feel there was much the board could do besides open the forum for White and others to ask their questions during Tuesday's regular meeting.
"I know that people have got concerns and I think that we need to listen to these concerns," Himmel said.
Board member Patience Nave and Ginger Bryant could not be reached for comment.