Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday suspended four members of the Broward County School Board after a recommendation by a grand jury due to "incompetence, neglect of duty, and misuse of authority," according to a statement.
Patricia Good, Donna Korn, Ann Murray and Laurie Rich Levinson were suspended from office after a grand jury report determined that a safety alarm at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a former student killed over a dozen people in 2018, "was and is such a low priority that it remains uninstalled at multiple schools."
The Grand Jury found that these members mismanaged the school safety and renovation initiative known as the SMART Program, having been aware of serious issues with the program, including with the then-Superintendent overseeing it, and failed to take action to address these problems.
The report also notes that "students continue to be educated in unsafe, aging, decrepit, moldy buildings that were supposed to have been renovated years ago."
DeSantis said in a statement: "It is my duty to suspend people from office when there is clear evidence of incompetence, neglect of duty, misfeasance or malfeasance. 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. This action is in the best interest of the residents and students of Broward County and all citizens of Florida."
DeSantis appointed four new members to replace those who were suspended.
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