JACKSONVILLE Fla.-- Governor Rick Scott heard from a lot of people this week at Pinedale Elementary.
He took questions from the smallest to the tallest; from students, to teachers and the principal. But Action News has learned he didn't hear from the School Board. The board says governor scott excluded them from the event.
"He alluded that he didn't not want board members to attend the meeting," said board member Paula Wright.
In fact an email from Pinedale principal Alicia Hinson essentially invites everyone to greet the governor, but specifically tells board members and the superintendent to stay away. Board members say it goes against everything public education stands for.
"Education is everybody's business and we want him to know that to help us to work together for our children," said board member Tommy Hazouri.
"In order for us to make public education better as everybody says we need to, we need to hear the whole story," said Wright.
So why were board members told not to attend? Governor scott's office provided this statement to Action News essentially denying that they excluded board members:
"We would love for board members to come and greet the governor wherever he is while he is traveleing...The governor is also meeting with School Board members at events later this week to get their ideas as part of his education listening tour."
Still, Duval Public Schools insists they were told that the board was specifically not invited to the event.
