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Pushy Lawmakers Intrude In School Board Business

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 16, 2009

It's understandable that some Republican lawmakers in Pasco County are upset with school board member Cathi Martin, whose current term has been marred by numerous missed meetings. Everyone should be.

Martin recently missed yet another board meeting, letting down constituents, school employees and students. Yet Sen. Mike Fasano and Reps. John Legg and Will Weatherford were off base in asking Gov. Charlie Crist to remove Martin, who did the right thing by tendering her resignation late last week.

This was none of the lawmakers' business. The issue concerned Martin, the board and voters.

Legislators have more pressing issues - including the state's financial crisis and, especially in Pasco, a steadily rising unemployment rate.

Without question, Martin's attendance record since re-election to a third term in 2006 has been reprehensible. In a stretch of 20 board meetings beginning Aug. 1, 2006, through May 1, 2007, for example, she missed seven, including three of four at one point - far more than any other member. The board usually meets a couple of times a month.

The issue resurfaced earlier this month when she missed a teacher's termination hearing, forcing the board, which has five members, to delay it, and wasting the time of other people there.

Martin has cited multiple reasons for her poor attendance: knee and shoulder surgery, an automobile crash and her son's health problems. She also has mentioned the suicide of a niece and the death of the family dog.

Since her unfortunate circumstances kept her from regularly attending meetings, she owed it to voters to step down, which she did, citing "ongoing health problems." Due to her absences, she failed in her responsibility as a public official. She was no longer reliable.

By thrusting their noses into it, Fasano, Legg and Weatherford politicized the issue. Martin was the board's lone Democrat, and the Pasco GOP has tried, unsuccessfully, to put a Republican in the post - even though voters amended the state constitution in 1998 to make school board races nonpartisan contests. Party activists also have tried to have Martin removed before.

Although the lawmakers deny any political motive, the fact remains Republican legislators were interested in unseating a Democrat who was elected by voters three times. This is not their job.

If Fasano, Legg and Weatherford want to do something about school board members who have failed voters and constituents, as Martin did, they're free to push legislation in Tallahassee allowing voters to recall school board members, something state law now doesn't allow. That's their arena. Absent that, they should stick to their legislative efforts and quit acting like school principals taking roll.

Crist needs to pick the best person for the job and not bow to any political pressure.

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