When the press's attention to the rumors forced the administration's hand, the first response was to try to invalidate what Mr. Erwin was saying about theft, crooked contract and bidding practices, AWOL employees getting paid for goofing off, shoddy school construction that may have a connection with school-board contacts. To invalidate Mr. Erwin, the high-level administrators who should have been attending these problems over the years gave statements calling into question Mr. Erwin's discoveries and even hinting that he was not quite sane.

Calling somebody crazy who is the messenger of bad news is an old defense against the truth. Kill the messenger or at least cripple him with hints of insanity is standard defensive maneuver.

The precipitating incident that set off the defensive crouch of the administration and board was the press's intrusion:

The Marc Hart of press queries is the poor chump who fell for board member Jennifer Falliera's come-ons, had an affair which she instigated, divorced his wife, made his two little children miserable, and got fired under the aegis of "alcoholism" to protect Falliera's "reputation" and cover up that the board and administration had let the affair go on for a long time on school property. Falliera dumped him, of course, after he was fired. That's your generic floozy maneuver summarized.

The board sacrificed Hart and promoted Falliera to board chair: excellent ethics from those who are supposed to guard the welfare of the students in the school system. The board and administration didn't object to the affair; they objected only to the public's finding out about the affair.


Printed by: Evelyn Carlisle Friday, November 30, 2001 3:36:36 PM
Title: Fwd(2): Public Records request Page 1 of 3
Friday, November 30, 2001 2:03:48 PM
Message
From: j Anna Friedberg
+ Mark Hart
I JVaughan@tampatrib.com
Subject: IFwd(2): Public Records request
To: + Evelyn Carlisle
+ JoAnn DeIRosal
F.Y.I. from:

Mark A. Hart, Director
Office Of Public Affairs
School District of Hillsborough County

Dear Mark:
Under Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, The Tampa Tribune requests to inspect the following public documents:

Any subpoena of the School District of Hillsborough County, or any of its employees, from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation or other law enforcement agency involving reviews or investigations of the school district's grounds, maintenance or other departments.

Any correspondence from the FDLE, FBI or other agency regarding these inquiries.

Any public documents, including correspondence and other records, provided to attorney Thomas Gonzalez as part of the district’s

Printed by: Evelyn Carlisle Friday, November 30, 2001 3:35:08 PM

Title: Fwd(2): Public Records request Page 2 of 3

reviews or investigations of the district’s grounds, maintenance or other departments.

As you know, once a document exists as a public record, it may not be removed from the public record barring a specific exemption to the Government in the Sunshine Law.

Any correspondence between Jack Davis, Assistant
/ Superintendent for /
Operations, and his subordinate Doug Erwin since 1998.
Any correspondence from or to Superintendent Earl Lennard, regardless of correspondent, involving Doug Erwin since 1998.

Doug Erwin’s ““clearly defined monitoring, management, and supervision program to prevent the continued occurrence of these poor business practices’‘ requested by Jack Davis on Oct. 12, again Oct. 31, and again Nov. 27, with a due date of Dec. 4.

As I am making this request as a journalist, and this information is of timely value, I ask that you make these materials available to me as soon as possible.

I also would appreciate telephone communication with me (259-7524) or reporter Marilyn Brown (259-8069) if you have any questions about this request.

Thank you, Mark.

John Vaughan
Health/Education/social Services editor