Superintendent of Broward County Public School arrested over perjury charges

Superintendent of Broward County Public School, Robert Runcie, was arrested on Wednesday on the grounds of perjury, as 17 students and a staff member had died in 2018 in a school massacre.

59-year old man was arrested by the Florida department of Law Enforcement on a charge of perjury in an official proceeding, as per Broward County jail records.

No information was made public immediately as it was not clear if the arrest was in connection with the investigation that followed the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting, as per FDLE spokesperson.

A statewide grand jury was then empaneled in order to ensure the school’s safety, but its role has expanded to include possible corruption in the district.

Jail records do not show if Runcie had any attorney. He was later released on his own recognizance. Broward School is the sixth largest school in the country with student strength of more than 270,000.

Barbara Myrick, school’s district attorney was also arrested the same day as Runcie. She is accused of unlawfully disclosing grand jury proceeding. Her indictment didn’t disclose much details.

Runcie came into the national spot light after the criticism he received from the parents after the massacre, saying that his programs had been lenient with the shooter.

In 2019, Lori Alhadef, who was elected to the board after she lost her 14-year-old child in the massacre, attempted to remove Runcie but he was saved with by a vote of 6-3.

Shortly after Runcie began superintendent in 2011, he began a student disciplinary system named, Promise Program. Under this system, the students who fights, or vandalizes, or petty theft and commit or such petty offense are referred to an off-campus site for 10 days instead of courts. This system of his was another target of criticism.

Critics say that Promise Program made the environment very linnet and encouraged students to commit petty offenses.

While, Runcie’s supporters praised him for increasing graduation rate in his district and also expanding his school’s reach up to minorities.

Tony Montalto, president of the group that represent Marjory Stoneman Douglas victims’ families, expressed that he is “thankful” that Florida Gov. has ordered a grand jury investigation which will handle the massacre case.