BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in a statement on Friday that he was suspending four elected Broward County School Board members from office.
The suspension was recommended by the Twentieth Statewide Grand Jury because of the officials' "incompetence", "neglect of duty" and "misuse of authority", following the deadly Parkland shooting, the statement explained.
"Even four years after the events of February 14, 2018, the final report of the Grand Jury found that a safety-related alarm that could have possibly saved lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School 'was and is such a low priority that it remains uninstalled at multiple schools,' and 'students continue to be educated in unsafe, aging, decrepit, moldy buildings that were supposed to have been renovated years ago," the governor's office said in a statement.
The statement continued, "These are inexcusable actions by school board members who have shown a pattern of emboldening unacceptable behavior, including fraud and mismanagement, across the district."
The district leaders' suspension was effective immediately.
“It is my duty to suspend people from office when there is clear evidence of incompetence, neglect of duty, misfeasance or malfeasance,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The findings of the Statewide Grand Jury affirm the work of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School Safety Commission. We are grateful to the members of the jury who have dedicated countless hours to this mission and we hope this suspension brings the Parkland community another step towards justice.”
Four new individuals were appointed to the school board to replace those suspended.
Earlier this month, DeSantis suspended Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren.
The Florida Constitution gives governors the power to suspend officials – elected or appointed – for “malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties and commission of a felony.”
The Florida Senate then decides if a suspended official should be reinstated or removed.
DeSantis has faced criticism for suspending Warren, who was twice elected to his position in Hillsborough County.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor blasted DeSantis, saying "removing a duly elected official should be based on egregious actions, not on political statements.”
Warren himself accused DeSantis of “trying to overthrow democracy.”