Opinions Aired On Alexander's Job Search

The subject was bound to come up Tuesday.

The school board's full day of meetings marked the first time the board had come together since Superintendent Wayne Alexander's job search became public.

During a workshop on personnel issues, including the firing of a teacher for excessive absences, board member James Yant said he felt uncomfortable making any personel decisions without discussing Alexander's situation.

"There is a cloud out there," Yant said. "The community wants answers to its questions and those questions need to be answered."

Yant didn't specify those questions, but fellow board members seemed to know what he was talking about.

Alexander is applying for jobs in New England at the recommendation of the attorney representing him and his new wife in a visitation dispute with her ex-husband, who wants access to the couple's two children.

Alexander wrote the board a letter explaining that he hopes to convince the courts that he made an effort to find a comparable job but that no position can match his current one. Last week, he was cut from a field of four semi-finalists for the superintendent position in Framingham, Mass.

Alexander's contract requires him to notify the board if he is looking for a new employer. Former school board member Jim Malcolm told The St. Petersburg Times recently that Alexander never informed him.

Board member Sandra Nicholson stuck up for Alexander Tuesday, saying she felt confident Alexander properly notified the board and deserves some privacy.

"Until or unless it becomes something we have to deal with it's a private issue," Nicholson said. "We have a contract, as far as I'm concerned the contract has been followed to my satisfaction. I do believe everyone's entitled to some personal leeway. If anything changes in that I'm sure he will notify us and we will deal with it at that time."

"We need to be transparent ... so there is no cloud hanging above this board's head," Yant said.

"There's nothing more transparent than the letter I gave everyone," Alexander replied.

Yant pointed out the letter did not include a date. No board members have said the district should formally investigate whether Alexander violated his contract.

The discussion did prompt a board member to resurrect the notion of an assistant superintendent who could fill in at the top post when needed. The board nixed the idea last year because of budgetary concerns.

Board member Pat Fagan said it may be time to reconsider and direct staff to find money in the budget.

Board Chairwoman Dianne Bonfield, who was among the board members who originally pushed for the assistant position, agreed it was something to once again "seriously consider."

"Perhaps we need to start massaging that idea and looking at the cost involved," Bonfield said.