Duval School Board mulls post-Nikolai Vitti era
Vitti speaking at a Jacksonville church in 2016. Odds are good he won’t be back there.

Vitti speaking at a Jacksonville church in 2016. Odds are good he won’t be back there.

The Duval County School Board moved Friday toward transition from the superintendency of Nikolai Vitti, who is moving on to Detroit.

In a special board meeting Friday morning in a mostly empty chambers, the board discussed next steps … even as reliable sources say that Gov. Rick Scott would like to see Clay County Superintendent Addison Davis (Vitti’s former assistant) brought in to fill Vitti’s role.

Board Chair Paula Wright noted that Vitti pledged to work with whatever process the board determined necessary.

“He’s high and he’s positive and he’s excited,” Wright said about his move to Detroit, though a date for his “conclusion of the contract” is unknown.

Board member Scott Shine said that “we can change this situation, if we present a united board asking him to stay.”

“The reason he wants to leave is because he hasn’t been supported,” Shine said, outlining a perceived lack of board support and delineating Vitti’s virtues, including agitating against charter schools in Tallahassee.

“There will be consequences for all of us … the most concerning consequence is I think this will be harmful to our children and our educational system,” Shine said.

No second was coming for Shine’s entreaty.

Wright discussed “opportunities for new leadership,” disputing that “board contentiousness” drove Vitti out.

“I do not know why we are continuing to have this conversation,” Wright said.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski



#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories