What is Vermilion Education and why Florida school boards should care

At a recent school board workshop in Sarasota, board chair Bridget Ziegler brought up the idea of hiring a board consultant. “I became aware of this service, and I wanted to bring it forward,” she said, adding her reasoning is, “to have someone help us with certain things when it comes to keeping us away from the fire.” Ziegler said this in reference to the confusion many school districts have faced in implementing new conservative policies handed down from the state, including textbook purchases and library book additions. The Sarasota County school board, which flipped from predominantly democratic members to republican in August, has become known for its fiery meetings, board bickering, and politically-charged public feuds.