Broward School Board To Vote Thursday On Future Of Superintendent Robert Runcie

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - The Broward School Board will vote on Thursday whether or not to move forward with a termination agreement for Superintendent Robert Runcie.

Tuesday, the board met to discuss a course of action in light of charges against Runcie and Board General Counsel Barbara Myrick.

The two were arrested last week. Runcie is charged with perjury, Myrick with unlawful disclosure of grand jury proceedings.

On Wednesday, Runcie entered a written plea of not guilty.

Th charges stem from testimony about school safety funding tied to the grand jury investigation into the 2018 shooting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the grand jury investigation months following the massacre.

Prosecutors say Runcie spoke with witnesses in a case involving Broward County Public Schools former technology chief Tony Hunter, who is accused of steering a lucrative contract to a friend. Runcie is accused of denying he spoke to them while under oath.

Hunter was indicted in January and his criminal case is pending.

Some Parkland parents blamed the superintendent for the tragedy, believing he missed warning signs.

"If it's going to give you peace, and it's going to give you and those other families who remain angry because I don't see how there's anything else I can do. If it's going to give you that, I will step aside so that you can have the peace that you were looking for. I just asked that you focus on what is in the best interest of these kids," he said.

The comments were directed at Board Member Lori Alhadeff. Her daughter, Alyssa, was one of the 17 killed during the MSD shooting.

"The lack of school safety measures, the lack of policies the lack of training, are some of the failures that led up to that tragedy," she said. "I know that Mr. Runcie didn't pull the trigger, but lack of leadership as superintendent led up to what happened that day.

Both Runcie and Myrick ultimately offered to enter into a mutual agreement to terminate their contracts.

Board Chair Dr. Rosalind Osgood will work with an attorney on a separation agreement for Runcie that will be discussed at a board meeting Thursday. They will need five votes to move forward with the agreement.