School district cancels Friday meeting to consider Asplen's resignation

A tentatively scheduled Friday meeting of the Sarasota School Board, penciled in as a potential follow up to Tuesday’s five-hour discussion of Superintendent Brennan Asplen’s employment, was canceled.

In a statement from Sarasota County Schools, a spokesperson wrote: “Matters were addressed during the School Board Special Meeting earlier this week (Tuesday, November 29) and negotiations are ongoing per the School Board’s action. No additional business items have been requested from any School Board members to warrant a meeting this evening.’’

The School Board on Tuesday voted 4-1 to grant permission to negotiate with Asplen over terms of his resignation and severance. No details of the negotiations were released, and there was no word on any potential last day of work for Asplen, who came to work in Sarasota County in 2020.

About 50 people spoke largely in support of Asplen on Tuesday, some of whom arrived early and carried signs and chanted in support of the superintendent.

Board Member Karen Rose, who initiated the proceedings on Nov. 22 with a motion for the special meeting, said she has continually raised concerns at the dais and personally to Asplen without change, though she rated him "effective" overall in his most recent performance evaluation.

Rose and newcomer-to-the-board Tim Enos both expressed concerns with the lack of growth in reading, science and math achievement scores.