Committee calls for action against superintendent

MANATEE COUNTY — An ad hoc committee of Manatee County business professionals and concerned citizens have formally called for action against the Manatee County School District's attorney and superintendent and asked for investigations of several education-related issues.

The group, called the Committee for Improving the Education of Children in Manatee, asked Monday afternoon for the immediate termination of Bowen and the initiation of a nationwide search for superintendent.

The group also asked for an investigation to determine whether School Board members are being constrained from bringing the district's problems to light, as well as investigations of the district's high administrative costs and its relationship with the Manatee Education Foundation.

"We're dealing with the largest business in Manatee County that is still doing business as usual," organizer Tom Garland said. "They're still using old ideas."

Members of CIECM have been attending School Board meetings for the last year and have shown an even stronger presence at meetings in the last six months, school district officials said.

Superintendent Tim McGonegal said many of the statements the group is making are misleading or false and outlined discrepancies during a presentation at Monday night's regular school board meeting.

For a complete story, see the June 30 issue of the East County Observer.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].