Sarasota County Schools
Agenda Item #9
Title
APPROVAL TO ENGAGE SPECIAL COUNSEL
Description
The School Board, along with all other Florida school boards, the Florida Department of Education and other educational institutions, have been named as a defendant in the case of Florida Education Association et al. v. State of Florida. The case alleges that the state's Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program is discriminatory based on age and race. The engagement of Tallahassee attorney Leonard Dietzen of the Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell law firm to represent the School Board will provide the Board with an experienced, local Tallahassee counsel who has been engaged by at least 14 other School Boards to defend them in this litigation thereby affording the Board the opportunity to limit its legal expenses by sharing them with other School Boards.
Recommendation
That the School Board authorize the Superintendent of Schools to sign the attached engagement letter to hire the firm of Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell to represent it in the Florida Education Association et al. v. State of Florida, Department of Education et al. case.
Contact
HARDY
Financial Impact
TO BE DETERMINED
Attachment: Representation letter.pdf