SIMON IMPROPERLY INVOLVED POLITICS AND ALIENATED STATE GOVERNMENT
October 16, 2021
While individuals are surely entitled to their own political beliefs, Simon’s personal political activism has transformed Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) into something the Florida state government perceives as a hostile entity. The Florida Board of Education has already withheld funds from the district, and more sanctions may be coming.
District school boards and elected School Board Members are intentionally apolitical. A 1998 State constitutional amendment requires school board elections to be nonpartisan — candidates don’t campaign as Democrat or Republican. The intent of this law is to keep political agendas and political parties out of the educational system. For similar reasons, school superintendents should also avoid politics.
In today’s world, it seems almost everything is politicized. A wise superintendent would work actively to repel politics, but Superintendent Simon has locked horns with Republican Governor DeSantis and locked arms with Democratic President Biden. Simon has actively embraced, promoted, and immersed herself in a political battle, which grows bigger and more costly to the District with each passing week.
In hindsight, Simon’s activism should come as no surprise. A December 4, 2020 WCJB news report announcing Simon’s appointment as interim superintendent gives important clues. The report describes Simon as a “community activist” and “a member of Education Activists of Alachua County” (now known as Education Equity Advocates of Alachua County). A December 9, 2020 Gainesville Sun article begins: “Carlee Simon, a public schools activist, will be interim superintendent for Alachua County Public Schools.”
If one is truly trying to build bridges and bring people together, as Simon has repeatedly attested, there is no room for polarization. While it may gratify her to be a political lightning rod, it harms the District — especially in the long term. Simon’s public rhetoric and coordination with the federal government has had the effect of alienating the executive branch of the state’s government against Alachua County. Polarizing our school system and putting students and families in the crossfire of a political battle is both unnecessary and unprecedented. These activities are certainly not what she was hired to do.
The District’s alienation from the State makes it less likely ACPS will receive favorable treatment and more likely the State government will continue to punish the school district, to the detriment of ACPS’s children and parents. Simon’s behavior also has a spillover effect beyond public education — potentially harming other relationships between the County and the State, and negatively impacting all Alachua County citizens.
ACPS needs a Superintendent with more executive experience and more diplomatic skills, especially now the relationship with the State has been so profoundly damaged by Simon’s poor decisions and public grandstanding.
Take Action
The Alliance for Responsible Government encourages you to voice your opinions with the Board Members of Alachua County Public Schools.
- All five Board Members, boardmembers@gm.sbac.edu
- Dr. Leanetta McNealy (Chair), mcnealy@gm.sbac.edu
- Mrs. Tina Certain (Vice Chair), certain@gm.sbac.edu
- Dr. Gunnar Paulson, paulson@gm.sbac.edu
- Mr. Robert Hyatt, rob.hyatt@gm.sbac.edu
- Mrs. Mildred Russell, russellmc@gm.sbac.edu
- Phone: (352) 955-7546
- Mail: 620 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601
Please be aware that emails and letters received by School Board members, the Superintendent, or School Board employees may constitute “public records” within the meaning of F.S. 119.011, Florida Statutes, which would require that the School District make them available for inspection and copying on the request of any person, except for personally identifiable student information, which is confidential and exempt from disclosure without your knowledge and consent. In addition, under Florida law, F.S. 668-6076, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.