Controversial Parkland school superintendent offers his resignation
Embattled Parkland, Florida school superintendent Robert Runcie offered his resignation late on Tuesday in a board meeting amid a perjury charge stemming from a state grand jury that was initially impaneled by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to investigate school safety guidelines in the Broward County School District.
“I cannot put myself above the needs of our district,” Runcie said to the school board on Tuesday night. “We’re ultimately in a climate where forgiveness, compassion, and love have far too often taken a back seat to grievance, anger, and hate.”
In the meeting, Runcie spoke directly to board member Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa was among the 17 who were killed when a gunman reigned terror at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida back in 2018, according to ABC News.
“I know you’ve been in enormous amounts of pain that none of us can ever imagine,” Runcie said to Alhadeff. “I guess I’m part of the source of that in some ways. If it’s going to give you the peace you’re looking for, I will step aside.”
The news of Runcie offering his resignation comes after many members of the board along with DeSantis have asked that he resign or be removed from his position.
On Wednesday, Runcie appeared in court where he pleaded not guilty to perjury and asked a Broward County judge to dismiss the charge against him.
Before he appeared in court, Runcie released a video on Tuesday morning through the Broward County School District’s public information office saying that he will be cleared of all accusations against him.
“I am confident that I will be vindicated, and I intend to continue to carry out my responsibilities as superintendent with the highest degree of integrity and moral standards as I have done for nearly 10 years,” said Runcie, who would go on to contradict the latter part of his statement later that day.
In the video, Runcie also claimed that the politics was the real reason why he was indicted.
“It’s a sad day in Broward County and across Florida when politics becomes more important than the interests of our students,” Runcie said.
The school board will meet on Thursday to determine who will take over as superintendent if Runcie’s resignation is accepted.
