Foreman should withdraw from board appointment
Attorney Matt Foreman’s appointment as the new school board member for Hernando County School District, by Republican Gov. Rick Scott, is another example of how the “good old boy network” is alive and well in Hernando County.
Mr. Foreman, according to reporter Jeff Schmucker’s article — “Governor selects lawyer for board,” in the Sept. 9 edition of Hernando Today — is 28 years old, a registered Republican and is a member of the local Tom Hogan Law Firm.
Attorney Tom Hogan is a longtime loyal Republican activist and contributor to his party’s candidates. Despite the governor’s rejection of the Republican Party’s Executive Committee recommendation, Gov. Scott’s choice raises the appearance of a conflict of interest and that a decision by the governor was based on partisanship and ideology (Hogan Law Firm) more than on qualifications.
One has to question how the governor’s office can state that Mr. Foreman was the “most qualified of the candidates” since the candidate has no educational teaching or administrative background in education to speak of. At least three other active school board members, out of four, do have backgrounds in education.
Apparently, the governor thinks otherwise. The governor does not require related experiences, other than political affiliation.
Mr. Foreman passed the bar three years ago and became a member of Hogan’s local law firm just nine months after becoming a practicing attorney. Not bad. Now he gets an appointment from the governor despite there being close to 20 other candidates, and, according to the newspaper report, Mr. Foreman was one of the last to apply in late July.
There may be another qualification that the governor used in his selection process, which might lie just below the surface. The article noted that Mr. Foreman also attended a private religious school, the Hernando Christian Academy, for a few years, plus Foreman also graduated both from Stetson University and its law school several years later. Stetson University is also a private school, and was affiliated with the Florida Baptist Convention until the early 1990s, when the university and convention ended its relationship. Thus, Stetson graduates may still convey a Florida Baptist mindset, or at least, be perceived that way from the outsider’s viewpoint.
One thing I see in Mr. Foreman’s favor is that he comes from a university that promotes a “commitment to service and social justice-based community engagement and community-engaged learning.” Just maybe, we can get the good old boy network to give back, generously, to county schools.
I wouldn’t bet on it. Mr. Foreman is already suffering from the appearance of impropriety. If he is worth his salt, he should withdraw from the governor’s appointment immediately.
Brian P. Moore
Spring Hill
