Kudos to the Sun Sentinel for its revelations of the incompetent handling of our Broward County public schools by Superintendent Howard Hepburn and his staff.
That was a great editorial by Steve Bousquet (“Schools chief picked the wrong fight,” Jan. 4) and his response to the lame, self-serving article by Hepburn.
The next step should be a national search for a new superintendent and the immediate firings of implicated staff members, instead of belated resignations that become effective months later.
The taxpayers of Broward County deserve better.
Earl Rodney, Pembroke Pines
Bloated and inefficient
Kudos and thanks to the Sun Sentinel for keeping an eye on the Broward County school district.
As was mentioned in your editorial, the Broward school district has been incompetently managed, wasteful and corrupt for years.
I can’t remember exactly when, but a grand jury once suggested that if it were constitutionally possible, the entire district should be dissolved as irretrievably broken.
Never mind that our second $25,000 homestead exemption does not apply to school taxes. Nor does the indexing of that exemption. It’s as though the school system is some holy sacred cow that can never be touched.
It is a bloated, inefficient and ineffective organization, and that heifer needs to be made into hamburger.
I used to support public education. Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe the Legislature is right that the way lawmakers drain money from public school districts and route it over to their favorite private schools is a better path. It chagrins and disappoints me to even begin to think that way, but I bet others are all for it, too.
Thanks again to the Sun Sentinel for keeping the spotlight on the stuff that secretly happens in our local governments!
James Carbone, Fort Lauderdale
Don’t ask for more
I’m so sick of hearing that the Broward County School Board did not know this or that.
Once again, we are hearing about big payments that were made to administrators (that the district says should not have happened).
Do school board members ever ask detailed questions when something is presented to them?
The school administration and the board are a mess, and it has been like that for 30 years.
In the near future, they may be asking again for more money. Like hell!
William Szeliga, Oakland Park
Smoke and mirrors
Congrats to reporter Scott Travis on good journalism by the Sun Sentinel in its disclosure about the district’s staff failure to disclose key information to the school board regarding referendum bonuses that were given to highly paid senior staff.
This is another example of “smoke and mirror” tactics used by staff to benefit themselves.
Now, the coverup will start. Let’s hope that those responsible will be fired.
Keep up the good work.
Anthony J. Titone, Parkland
Oral hygiene is critical
Oral hygiene is often overlooked, yet it’s a critical public health issue in Broward.
Poor dental health is closely linked to missed school and work days and disproportionately affect low-income and homeless populations. Individuals experiencing homelessness lack access to basic dental care, clean water and even toothbrushes, which allows preventable conditions to worsen into emergencies.
At the same time, vaping among teens has surged, introducing nicotine and acidic chemicals that erode enamel, inflame gums, and increase long-term oral health risks. These habits, combined with limited education on oral hygiene, place an entire generation at risk.
Broward must expand mobile dental clinics, integrate oral health education into schools, increase access to hygiene supplies for the unhoused and strengthen regulations and education around teen vaping. Oral health is not cosmetic; it is foundational to overall well-being. Investing in prevention today will save lives and resources tomorrow.
Anagha Iyer, Miramar
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