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Sally Hunt Wanted to Censure School Board Chair For Going Off Script in Talk Over Segregated Assembly

September 1, 2023 | FlaglerLive | 17 Comments

Sally Hunt. (© FlaglerLive)
Sally Hunt. (© FlaglerLive)

Flagler County School Board Chair Cheryl Massaro said fellow Board member Sally Hunt considered calling for a vote of censure against her because Massaro did not stick to a script provided her before last week’s press conference denouncing Bunnell Elementary’s segregated assembly days earlier.

It is only one in a series of new, problematic revelations about certain school board members or by the board as a whole that unfolded that day: the board did not hold one huddle out of sunshine, but two, and Hunt at one point, out of sunshine, attempted to beg off some of her responsibilities and convince Board member Will Furry to take her place. Massaro did not allow that discussion, as it was out of sunshine.




The post-conference closed-door meeting was reported here last week. But the press conference was preceded by another meeting in the same room, where the board discussed the script and the procedures ahead, according to Massaro and Board attorney Kristy Gavin. Gavin took part in the first huddle, but was not aware of the second until alerted by a reporter.

Gavin had drafted the script that Massaro would speak at the press conference, and circulated it to the board members beforehand to get their approval. “There was discussion that this was the board’s position, yes,” Gavin said of that first huddle. “Because, again, the chair speaks on behalf of the board, right? And so they were being provided–this is the board’s position on this matter, and we wanted to make sure every board member was in agreement with that position. It’s the board’s position, not Cheryl’s position, not my position, the board’s position. So while I drafted it, I made sure that the board members are comfortable with the statements that were made within it.”

Gavin said there was no violation of sunshine because “it was my communication with them. I asked, I handed it to each of them and I said, this is what I’m going to be providing to miss Massaro; do you have an issue with this? And they read it and they said yes or no to me, So that I could then notify Miss Massaro: This is the statement for the board.”




But Gavin was describing what is usually called polling–soliciting opinions from each of the board members in order to convey it to one among them as the board’s collective work, all outside of a public meeting. Polling is not permissible, as an Attorney General opinion makes clear: “The courts and this office have also stated that the Sunshine Law is applicable to meetings between a board member and an individual who is not a member of the board when that individual is being used as a liaison between, or to conduct a de facto meeting of, board members,” the opinion reads.

It so happened that those individual interactions took place with all board members present (Massaro arrived late and was handed the script), and in the context of them discussing the press conference’s procedure. “Kristy handed out the script to everybody and they were going through the procedures,” Massaro said. (She noted that the door to the room was open.) “They just organized and went in.”

At the press conference, with four members of the school board and Interim Superintendent LaShakia Moore arrayed around her, Massaro made clear that she had been handed the script shortly before, and made just as clear that she would not necessarily stick to it throughout: “They gave me a script, I’m going to read it, but you’re going to hear a little bit from me too at the same time,” she told reporters and others in the room, making the distinction between what she was saying for the board, and what she was saying as an individual.




Massaro then said how the district “does not in any way, support the activity that took place at Bunnell Elementary School” (where last month Black students herded into an assembly were told they were a problem and threatened with early graves if they did not raise their scores) and offered an official apology. That was part of the script.

She then went “off script” with these words: “Flagger School Board does not support segregation. It hasn’t. Not this group, not for many, many, many years. So please understand, yes, a horrible horrific mistake was made. This district will do all that it can to get us back on track.”

There was nothing objectionable in what she said–nothing any school member could logically, morally object to. But Hunt did, because the words weren’t part of the script, and started talking of censure. Hunt brought up the matter with Gavin. Gavin relayed it to Massaro. “She called me and told me what Ms. Hunt wanted to do,” Massaro said. “She wanted to censure me at the school board meeting, and I’m like, this is ridiculous.” (Hunt long ago stopped returning calls or texts, and emails to her trigger an automatic message requesting that “feedback” be submitted through a school district portal, not to her personally.)

“Having a script is wonderful and I don’t mind reading it, but it’s important for people to hear from us, from the heart,” Massaro said.




The School Board has a procedure that calls on the chair to speak for the board, when the chair does so officially. The procedure does not preclude individual board members, including the chair, from also speaking as individuals, with that distinction made: any prohibition on that would be unconstitutional, since elected board members don’t leave their rights at the door. This particular board, however, has had a checkered relationship with that right. Furry and Board member Christy Chong, for instance, who have no qualms expressing themselves on school matters on Facebook, last April sought to censure Massaro for doing the same. Their motion failed, with Hunt, that time, opposed.

Gavin said Hunt–who has repeatedly signaled to district officials that she was looking to sell her house and move out of the district, which would lead to her resignation–had been “really unhappy” with Massaro’s going off script, but that a censure vote is “not something she’s actually looking at doing. It was really more–Cheryl, you need to think about, when you’re speaking on behalf of the board, it can lead to somebody wanting censureship.” Gavin said speaking individually is not an issue, but “which part of that was the prepared statement and which was her speaking from her heart?” Gavin added: ” I had consensus that what was drafted was what the board was comfortable with, that they were fine. And if they were asked to give a statement, that would be a part of their statement.”

That day same day, in an unrelated matter but in the same back room–in the second meeting the board had, out of sunshine–Hunt also attempted to pull out of a joint government meeting she was supposed to attend in the afternoon, and asked Board member Will Furry to take her place, even though those assignments had been made (in an open meeting).

Massaro in that case shut her down, saying if she wanted out of that responsibility, she could bring it up at the appropriate time. Hunt then stormed out. Gavin was not in the room. “If it would have happened, I would not have been allowing that to happen, so there wouldn’t ever been any of that conversation,” Gavin said.

Meanwhile, the district’s investigation into the segregated assembly at Bunnell Elementary, which had been close to being complete, has not yet closed, Gavin said, but will likely be completed by next week.

Click On:


  • The Investigation Reports: Donelle Evensen; Anthony Hines.
  • Bunnell Elementary Principal Evensen Resigns, Saying She ‘Certainly’ Does Not Deserve What’s Happening to Her
  • Sally Hunt Wanted to Censure School Board Chair For Going Off Script in Talk Over Segregated Assembly
  • Flagler Schools Have a ‘Subgroup’ Problem. It’s Not Blacks. It’s Not Even Students.
  • Flagler School Board Members Meet Behind Closed Doors to ‘Debrief’ Until Attorney Breaks Them Up
  • School Officials Forcefully Denounce ‘Segregation’ Assembly But Steps Ahead Are Vague Beyond ‘Conversations’
  • Bunnell Principal Donelle Evensen on Administrative Leave as District Faces Fallout of Segregated Assembly
  • Superintendent Lashakia Moore Issues Stronger Apology Over Bunnell Elementary’s Segregationist Assembly
  • The Principal's Tweet
  • The "Problem" PowerPoint
  • Black Students at Bunnell Elementary Are Told Of ‘Early Grave’ If They ‘Clown’ Around and Don’t Perform
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. robjr says

    September 1, 2023 at 2:34 pm

    In retrospect I regret that I used my time, money and effort to support Sally Hunt in her candidacy for school board.

  2. Lynne says

    September 1, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    Fingers crossed Hunt does sell her house and move out of the district. That single act would solve a multitude of problems!

  3. Dennis C Rathsam says

    September 1, 2023 at 5:51 pm

    Its so sad, can anyone explain how the people that live here are that easily swade? How can we be so lucky to have voted for a bunch of non fuctioning people intrusted in guiding our kids future? Then on the other foot, not much good to say about the folks you put on the city council, hows that workin out for you? Now lets not forget our tax and spend mayor. We were so fortunate he was here to guide our city to ruin.

  4. Jane says

    September 1, 2023 at 6:22 pm

    Hunt needs to go away permanently. Period!

  5. School Board Sally My ... says

    September 1, 2023 at 6:54 pm

    School Board Sally showed up to a meeting? HOT DANG. Way to go girl. You keep that kind of track record up, I might be able to see you at gradumuation. HA!

  6. Jim says

    September 1, 2023 at 8:04 pm

    Well, let’s all hope that Ms. Hunt sells her house quickly and leaves the county! That would be one less idiot on the school board. Any hope that Furry will do the same? Although, even if he did say he was moving, how could anyone believe him??!!!
    This is just such a sad state of affairs. The students, faculty and all the others in the school system deserve a team that is working together to improve our schools. Instead we have this clown show.

  7. Whathehck? says

    September 1, 2023 at 9:50 pm

    It looks like Ms. Massaro has to be a kindergarten school teacher to deal with the unhinged Hunt and the 2 other extremists on the Board. No wonder that intelligent mature woman is not going to run for another term. Can someone please buy Hunt’s house so she can bring her craziness in another district (not very charitable on my part for that next district).

  8. Whiplash says

    September 2, 2023 at 12:55 am

    Time for Hunt to go! I knew when she was campaigning that there would be trouble!

  9. Disgusted and dismayed says

    September 2, 2023 at 9:51 am

    Apparently Ms. Hunt forgot the issue was the children who were affected by the so called assembly. To serve on any board you must put you personal feelings aside. I shudder to think what the next board will be without Colleen or Cheryl and am so glad I don’t have any family members going to school here. They all happily enjoyed their school years without this nonsense but not sure can be proud of being a Flagler graduate right now.

  10. Nephew Of Uncle Sam says

    September 2, 2023 at 10:04 am

    “… that she was looking to sell her house and move out of the district, which would lead to her resignation–…” No rule saying you have to sell your house to step down immediately.

  11. NPA VOTER says

    September 2, 2023 at 11:26 am

    We have been fortunate, at the very least, to have Ms. Massaro on the Board (how many of you have bothered to review her background and exemplary credentials in other school systems?). I am one of those furious that I was completely DUPED by Hunt and voted for her.

    Could we take up a collection and buy the house, then turn it into an educational sanctuary for those who would like to read a book without the book burners blocking the way? Maybe an after-school center for students who need tutoring so they can get up to the beloved and revered standards? Maybe a place where at-risk and hungry students can get a complimentary sandwich to get them through the day? All good things. Get her out of town STAT. Incompetency at its finest. Bait and switch.

    As for Furry and Chong … voters beware. Pay attention! I am so sorry that Cheryl will not be running for re-election. It is a loss to the district, but I can’t say I blame her. Conklin has served honorably for many years but it wouldn’t surprise me if she’s burned out at this point, too, dealing with the educational neanderthals we seem to have running the system (or trying to).

  12. What Else Is New says

    September 2, 2023 at 3:30 pm

    If Hunt resigns, does Governor Robot Ron replace her with one of his right wing picks?

  13. FlaglerLive says

    September 2, 2023 at 4:54 pm

    Yes.

  14. Lynne says

    September 2, 2023 at 5:20 pm

    Frying pan and fire!!!!! Maybe the devil we know is better than the devil we don’t know….

  15. What grade is she in again? says

    September 3, 2023 at 3:02 pm

    Sally punt, should be the name because being on the school board ain’t her game!

    Sell Sally sell!

  16. Tiara Piston says

    September 5, 2023 at 3:53 pm

    Attendance best to worst out of 38 schoolboard meetings and workshops:

    1) Massaro: missed no workshops or meetings
    2) Fury: missed no workshops or meetings
    3) Hunt: attended 1 workshop by phone, missed 1 special board meeting
    4) Chong: missed 1 workshop, missed 1 special board meeting
    5) Conklin: attended 1 workshop by phone, attended 1 board meeting by phone, missed 1 workshop, missed 1 regular board meeting, missed 1 special board meeting

  17. Tiara Piston says

    September 6, 2023 at 12:22 pm

    2023 Florida Statutes 1001.38
    “Vacancies; how filled.
    —The office of any district school board member shall be vacant when the member removes his or her residence from the district school board member residence area from which he or she was elected.
    All vacancies on the district school board shall be filled by appointment by the Governor.”

    Every moderate to progressive citizen of Flagler County should hope to God Hunt does not resign.
    The only one to benefit will be these greedy news outlets when a ‘Mom’s for Liberty’ appointment will fuel their next 4-8 years of vitriol inducing articles that will continue to hurt our kids and our County.

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