<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1spvHh_1H3hJlBO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1spvHh_1H3hJlBO00" width="2048" height="1272" ><figcaption>Mark Johnson, left, and Shannon Rodriguez, right, are sworn into office by Judge Don Barbee, Jr. on Nov. 22, 2022. [Photo courtesy of HCSD.]</figcaption></figure>Mark Johnson is leaving the Hernando County School Board after two terms on the board and four election cycles.Johnson was first elected in 2014, lost re-election in 2018, returned to the board in 2022, and lost his most recent re-election bid in August. All four elections were decided by a handful of percentage points.At the Oct. 20 board meeting, Johnson said he would not be seeking office again, citing his wife’s declining health. Dana Pearce, who defeated Johnson, will take her seat on Nov. 17.The Hernando Sun asked Johnson to reflect on his time on the board and share any lessons he has learned.Originally from New York, Johnson obtained his private investigator’s license in 1980 and moved to Florida in 2005. He has continued to work as a PI throughout his time on the school board, specializing in locating heirs to estates.“I work because I like it,” Johnson said. He described the satisfaction of tracking down next of kin and telling them they may be in line for a windfall.Johnson said he first ran for school board to bring more accountability and fairness to the district.“Everybody forgets the job of the board is to protect the parents and the students, not to protect the union, not to protect the administrators. They have their own gigs going,” Johnson said.When Johnson first joined the board, the district was still reeling from the Great Recession. He is proud of the way the board navigated the challenging budgeting decisions that had to be made when the state pulled back funding to local districts after several years of drawing on reserves.Other accomplishments he is most proud of include his work to start the Urban Gentlemen’s Clubs at Pine Grove and Eastside elementary schools, a concept he learned about at a conference in Atlanta. Once a week, students dress up, hold doors for their teachers and peers, say “yes sir” and “yes ma’am” and work on acting respectfully.Johnson credits the program with improving students’ GPAs and cutting down on behavioral issues in schools.“We started to work on the gangster culture, where the kids were emulating what they see on TV,” said Johnson.Future progress could be made by strengthening the pipeline between Hernando’s public schools and the workforce, he says. Johnson points to aerospace engineering and microchip manufacturing as industries Hernando County is well-positioned to become a leader in. “We’re in a perfect place for it. We got an underutilized airport. If we can bring somebody making microchips or different facets for space travel, we’ll be ahead of the game,” said Johnson. “If we focus on the ground game, we can have a steady employed workforce.”Looking ahead, Johnson says one of the most important challenges the district faces is managing its growth. He notes the district is fortunate to have growing enrollment when many other districts face the opposite problem, but argues Hernando cannot afford to put off constructing a new high school. “The longer the district waits, the more expensive it’ll be,” he said. “It’ll continue to be out of sight every year.”Johnson says bickering between administration and the Hernando Classroom Teachers’ Association is the biggest thing holding the district back.“The components are there to be an A district, and all it takes is for the union and the staff to work with administration and do the best for the kids instead of fighting with each other all the time,” Johnson said.Johnson expressed confidence in Superintendent Ray Pinder and credited teachers and staff with doing the best they can with the resources they have.“They do an awful lot with what they get. It may not seem that way to the constituents, but there’s a lot going on,” Johnson said. “Do I think teachers are making enough? Not at all.”Assessing the outcome of the August election, Johnson blames low voter turnout for costing him a third term. He also feels opposition from the teachers’ union played a role.“I received more votes in the early voting and day-of-the-election voting, where my opponent got more votes during the mail-in ballots. Most of the teachers did mail-in ballots, so I think if the turnout was higher, I would have prevailed,” Johnson said.With Johnson and fellow board member Susan Duval both losing re-election, board member Shannon Rodriguez was the only incumbent to retain her seat. Johnson chalks that up to Rodriguez courting support of teachers.“She pandered to the teachers, and she got their vote. I did not,” he said. Asked if he has any advice for his successor, Johnson advised Pearce to be “cognizant” of the spending the board approves.“Her priority has to be to refocus her thinking as she represents the school district, and she has to be cognizant of the expenses that come in. She needs to examine each item that comes in,” Johnson said.As he reflected on his time on the school board and the election, Johnson said, “I enjoyed my time, I’m not bitter, and I wish Dana Pearce well, and I wish the school board well.”</div></body>

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Mark Johnson is leaving the Hernando County School Board after two terms on the board and four election cycles. Johnson was first elected in 2014, lost re-election in 2018, returned to the board in 2022, and lost his most recent re-election bid in August. All four elections were decided by a handful of percentage points.

Johnson Reflects on His Time on the Hernando County School Board

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Mark Johnson is leaving the Hernando County School Board after two terms on the board and four election cycles. Johnson was first elected in 2014, lost re-

Johnson Reflects on His Time on the Hernando County School Board

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