We are keeping an Eye on the search for Duval County’s next superintendent of schools.

The final list of those who applied to be our next superintendent is now updated on the Duval County Public School’s website.

And less than 24 hours later one prospective candidate already jumped ship.

Howard Hepburn withdrew his application and is now the superintendent of schools for Broward County Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale.

Duval’s prospective candidate pool is down to 20.

In February the district suspended the search for a new superintendent after 10 people applied for the position with only five being qualified for the job.

School Board Member Lori Hershey tells Action News Jax, “I think it was probably surprising to the community when we hit the pause button in the fall, or earlier in the year, but I believe that was a good decision.”

Hershey believes the candidates are “very qualified.”

A local station has already pointed out two of the candidates’ questionable professional history. According to WBBJ-TV, Corwin Robinson was fired from his position as Lake County Public Schools superintendent over “budget issues, lack of professionalism and low employee morale.”

And WBRZ news reported Sito Narcisse “quit” as the superintendent of a public school system in Baton Rouge “amid a bus shortage, bus driver strike, teacher shortage and budget crisis.”

It is a good thing the school system Narcisse is currently applying for isn’t facing any of those issues… oh wait.

Hershey couldn’t explain to the reporter what could potentially “disqualify a candidate from consideration.”

Eye on Jacksonville requested the candidate’s application packets. After reviewing all 20 packets… I can finally answer the question I posed in my first article on the superintendent search.

Is it really that bad?

Yes. It really is that bad.

The first commonality I noticed throughout the packets is the number of grammatical errors. These people are applying to be the top dog of a massive $2 billion education system, and they are terrible writers.

One of the candidates brags about being able to commit herself to excellence because she is single and doesn’t have children. Excellence exudes from her resume with “sentences” like this: “I wanted to make a greater impact in Jacksonville, consequently the realm of education was put on my heart summer of 2012, and a dozen years later, what I do every day in the lives of my students, former students, parents, colleagues, and community stakeholders is my alarm clock, and I always look forward to waking up to the challenge that awaits.”

In the words of MIB’s Agent J, “I don’t know if I don’t know nothing.”

Another applicant who is applying “with confidence and zest for the role of school superintendent,” says one of her values is creating “equitable outcomes for all students.”

A former PTA president applying for Duval’s top spot proudly admits to restructuring the PTA Board “to include diverse members who reflect student population.” She also listed an accomplishment of creating a “sundown” system of returning parent phone calls “at or before sundown the same day.”

Several of the candidates submitted cover and reference letters highlighting accomplishments, I am sure they thought looked really great on paper but in reality, come off as arrogant and silly. One reference letter said the candidate “advocates for a comprehensive education ethos that champions equity and inclusivity, emotional well-being and academic success.”

Not to be a jerk, but if the candidate was actually successful at implementing, whatever any of those things mean, I don’t think that person would be applying to head DCPS.

One of the accomplishments listed in several packets suggested the same policy of facilitating some type of “student-centered” decision making process ensuring “equitable education for all.”

“Equitable education” seems to be everyone’s favorite catch phrase.

Championing equity, inclusivity, emotional well-being, navigating political waters, research-based practices, successful development of highly effective learning experiences and creating joyful learning… are some of the other favorites.

One potential candidate’s application sums up the ideological viewpoint of basically all the candidates, which is right in line with one former disaster of a superintendent’s Marxist world view.

The applicant’s reference letter suggests he is the perfect man for the job because of his “unwillingness to compromise in providing social justice and equity for all children which is needed to transform education.”

Hershey is quite upbeat on how the search has transpired so far. “I do believe the board has an opportunity to make a selectin within this pool.”

While Hershey is staying positive, I am having a hard time after reading 20 application packets filled with meaningless words, frivolous accomplishments and all but one singing the praises of diversity, inclusiveness and equity (DIE), which Florida’s political leaders are trying to drive out of education.

Only one application stood out, meaning this dude has absolutely no chance of being selected. He has never worked as a teacher or administrator, but he does have an MBA in Business Administration from UCLA as well as a B.S. in aeronautical engineering.

The board hopes to have semifinalists chosen by April 23 with on-site interviews slated for the finalists on May 13 and May 14.

Duval County’s new superintendent is expected to be in place by July 1.