Editor’s note: We’ve edited this questionnaire to remove answers to certain sensitive questions, such as address and birthday.
Name: Robin Bartleman
Age: 47
Family status: Divorced, two children
Please tell us about your education and the highest degree you attained.
I was the first one in my family to graduate from college thanks to a scholarship I received from a group of retired teachers from Miami-Dade County. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science in Emotionally Handicapped Education. Earned a Master of Science from Nova Southeastern University in Emotional Disturbance Education with a Certification in Educational Leadership.
Please outline your work history for the past 15 years.
For the last 16 years, I have served as your Broward County School Board Member, countywide. Prior to joining the board, I was an assistant principal at Poinciana Park Elementary in Liberty City and a Weston City Commissioner. I started my career as a teacher of students with severe emotional disabilities.
Have you ever been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime? Have you ever received a “withheld adjudication” or had a matter sealed or expunged? If yes, please explain.
No
Have you ever been a plaintiff or a defendant in a civil action, including bankruptcy or foreclosure, or had a restraining order issued against you? If so, please explain.
No
Are you a member of any civic groups? If so, please name them.
Broward County Comprehensive School Health Advisory Committee (BCCSHAC), Vice Chair; Children’s Services Council of Broward County, Past chair; Children’s Services Council of Broward County Special Needs Advisory Coalition, Chair; Department of Juvenile Justice Judicial 17th Circuit Advisory Board; Broward County Comprehensive School Health Advisory Committee (BCCSHAC), Vice Chair; Take Stock in Children Mentor; Broward County Climate Change Task Force; Florida School Board Association, Certified School Board Member; American Association of University Women; PTSA Member, Cypress Bay High School; Broward County Democratic Executive Committee; Emerald Estates Homeowners Association; Weston Democratic Club; Pembroke Pines Democratic Club; Century Village Democratic Club; Broward Young Democrats; Moms Demand Action; Mujeras Latinas; Broward Democratic Environmental Caucus; and St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, usher.
Have you ever run for office before? If so, where and when?
I served as a Weston City Commissioner from 2000-2004. I was elected to the Broward County School in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Why are you running for this office?
I am running for office because public service as an elected official is the most direct way to solve problems for people and communities. I am proud of my record of helping people, setting policy and making a difference. I have the experience as a city elected official, countywide school board member, and now I want to use my experience to make a broader impact on issues that I care deeply about, including reducing firearm violence, protecting women’s rights, making education a priority on the state level, fighting for a sustainable environment, expanding access to health care and affordable housing, strengthening our economy and providing constituent services.
Why should voters vote for you?
As an elected official for the last 20 years, including a Weston City Commissioner and a Broward County School Board member, I am proud of my record of helping people, setting policy and making a difference. I have been recognized by the statewide League of Women Voters as a Young Elected to Watch. As a former special education teacher, I know what it is like to take money out of my pocket to buy supplies and understand the dangers of high stakes testing. As a former assistant principal in Liberty City in the middle of the Scott Housing Projects, I saw the effects of generational poverty and gun violence. As a former City Commissioner, I understand the importance of protecting home rule. As a School Board member for the last 16 years, I understand the political process, the Florida Education Finance Program, and have a proven track record of representing and advocating for all communities. I will bring all these experiences with me to Tallahassee to fight for my community.
My community engagement is not limited to public education. I have served on numerous boards and collaborate with stakeholders across the county. I serve on the Children’s Services Council and am Chair of the Special Needs Advisory Coalition where we identify the gaps in services for children and create programs to address their needs. I also serve on the Broward County Climate Change Task Force where we are taking regional approach to mitigate the impacts of Climate Change. I have been able to make changes, write policies, create programs, and be a voice for those who don’t have one. As a member of the Department of Juvenile Justice Circuit Seventeen Advisory Committee and with the NAACP and community partners, I have worked to eliminate the schoolhouse to jailhouse pipeline. I have also been recognized for my advocacy by the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention. I collaborated with Senator Farmer and he was able to secure $200,000 for suicide prevention training in our schools. I recently sponsored the first Safe Space Resolution in the state for our undocumented students which has had a profound impact outside our school walls. I also serve as a Take Stock in Children Mentor and have served on my HOA Board for over 20 years. I know firsthand the needs of our community and it is time to take my advocacy, experience, passion, and commitment to the next level. I am ready to advocate for gun control, the funding of our public schools, the preservation of our environment, expansion of quality, affordable healthcare, affordable housing and the strengthening of our economy.
What grade would you give the Florida Legislature for how it works? Why?
I would give the Florida Legislature a D or an F for silencing the voice of Floridians. The voters supported restoring the voting rights of felons and the Legislature circumvented their will with SB 7066 and created a poll tax. It is the Legislature’s job to serve all Floridians, and the only recourse citizens have when their pleas fall on deaf ears is a ballot initiative. This year they passed, SB 1794 which placed additional restrictions on ballot initiatives. The Legislature also routinely adds proviso language to the budget circumventing the committee process. For example, they added the “Lowest 300” a mandate that school systems provide an extra hour without funding. Three years ago, SB 7069 did not follow the legislative process. They also do not expend funds for their intended purpose including raiding the Sadowski Trust Funds while Broward has one of the worst affordable housing crises in the nation. In 2014, voters approved Amendment 1, which required a dedicated percentage of Documentary Stamp fees to be used for conservation land acquisition and other water and land conservation efforts. In the years since, the Legislature has used it for existing projects. These actions violate the spirit of the Amendment, again bucking the will of the voters. They also continue to destroy public education through underfunding and the expansion of vouchers which have little to no oversight or accountability. I also feel there is an abdication of leadership. Instead of calling a special session to deal with the budget crisis caused by the pandemic, they relinquished their power to Governor DeSantis to veto instead of making tough decisions. The reason I am torn between a D or an F is because there are so many hardworking legislators especially in the Broward Delegation who have effectuated change including Alyssa’s Law and HB 1259 for Incarcerated Pregnant Women and for the first time I can remember they did not sweep the Sadowski Trust Fund.
Top issues: In your view, what are the top three issues facing Florida?
The top priority of the 2021-2022 Legislature will be to stabilize Florida’s economy and help our citizens recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic crisis has exacerbated long term problems that have existed in our state. These problems include access to quality healthcare. Florida continues to leave the federal match on the table and refuses to expand Medicaid which leaves up to 800,000 people uninsured. Broward County has the second highest number of uninsured children in the state. There is flexibility to change enrollment criteria and expand access to KidCare. We also must revamp our unemployment insurance system, which has failed Floridians in their time of need. We must increase eligibility, increase the weekly benefit cap of $275/week, increase part time eligibility, and increase the maximum number of weeks from 12 to at least 26, and waive the waiting period. Floridians are frustrated and suffering because they cannot access their unemployment benefits and the notion that the problem is “user error” is absurd; the system has always been difficult to navigate. The Governor must stop pointing fingers and fix the system. Small businesses will also need our support and we must look to expand the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program. More citizens will need access to affordable housing and the Sadowski Trust Fund must be utilized for its intended purpose. Budget decisions must also be revisited. The State faces a budget crisis while providing $543 million in corporate tax refunds. Floridians deserve better!
As the first person in my family to go to college and as a former special education teacher, former assistant principal in Liberty City and as a School Board Member, public education will always be one of my top priorities. Florida does not fund public education adequately and does not even meet the national average of per pupil funding. I am proud to be endorsed by the Broward Teachers Union and will fight to increase teacher salaries. Preserving and funding a high-quality public education is not only a moral responsibility, but it is vital to ensure a competent workforce and a healthy economy. In addition to increasing funding for public education, we must also continue to expand our technical colleges, and partner with private industry to expand our apprenticeship programs. We must focus on educating the “whole child” and eliminate high stakes testing. I have been recognized for my advocacy on behalf of children by the Florida Initiative for Suicide Prevention and Broward’s National Alliance on Mental Illness and will continue to fight at the state level for increased funding to provide mental health services.. As a member of the Children’s Services Council for the last 10 years, I understand the gaps in services that exist in our community and will work to address the needs of our children and families. Providing a safe learning environment is of utmost importance and I do NOT support arming teachers. I have been recognized as a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate.
Having served for sixteen years as a countywide elected official, I’ve gained a broad-based perspective representing one of the most diverse counties in the country. Although I am an elected school board member, I took on leadership roles beyond my job description because it was important to expand my ability to make a difference. Preserving our environment is imperative for our future and must be a bipartisan effort. For example, as a member of the Broward County Climate Change Task Force, I have been working with stakeholders and agencies to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Floridians have been impacted by coastal and storm water flooding, rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion to our water supply. Addressing and adapting to climate change is a major priority and concern, especially given the alarming predictions of how Florida will be impacted. This issue must be dealt with at a state, regional and national level, including encouraging investments in conservation programs, including the conservation easement program, working with water management districts to increase capacity for collection and storage of storm water, recycling of waste water and increasing renewable energy capacity.
Coronavirus: How would you assess state government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, and is there anything you would have done or would do differently?
The Legislature needed to be more proactive in addressing the needs of its citizens. It was my hope that they would have called a special session to deal with the unemployment issues, impending budget reductions and to give more Floridians access to health care. Florida continues to leave the Federal Match on the table and refuses to expand Medicaid which leaves up to 800,000 people uninsured during a worldwide pandemic. Additionally, the pandemic-driven decision making must be based on science and data.
Criminal justice: In response to the killing of George Floyd and ensuing social unrest, what changes are needed, if any, to the laws that govern criminal justice in Florida?
As a member of the Children’s Services Council, I am proud to say that we have offered implicit bias training for community stakeholders. The first step to solving this problem is recognition of our implicit biases. As a School Board, we created an Equity and Diversity Department whose programs should be used as a model for the state, including the Courageous Conversations about Race program with employees and we have appointed Equity Liaisons in every school. The District also partnered with the Center for Policing Equity to assess racial disparities and make policy recommendations. The State Legislature should create policies outlined by Campaign Zero and the 8 Can’t Wait Project, including banning chokeholds, requiring de-escalation training and the use of de-escalation strategies, establishing a force continuum and require officers to intervene when excessive force is used. Other policies that have been implemented across the country include requiring every police department to report all stop, search, arrest and use of force to a state database, require police to use every available alternative before using deadly force and create a community oversight structure.
Gov. DeSantis: How would you assess the performance of Gov. Ron DeSantis?
I feel he is not representing the interests of Floridians. He is appealing the Amendment 4 ruling and did not veto SB 1794 and SB 7066, circumventing the will of voters. I was also frustrated with his response to the coronavirus. He was slow to issue a stay at home order and he must continuously analyze data to make decisions regarding the health and wellbeing of Floridians. He did not create the unemployment fiasco, for years there have been problems with our UI system, which is one of the worst in the country. He should have prioritized fixing our broken system when he first entered office. As a School Board Member, I am receiving calls from members of the community who cannot access the system and do not know what to do. To add insult to injury, our Governor blames Floridians for user error. Families are stressed and suffering and need help, they should not be chastised and for arguments sake, even it is user error, which I do not believe it is, the Governor should analyze the breakdown in the system and make it user friendly. He also should have issued an emergency order to make unemployment payments retroactive. With a budget crisis looming, he is also moving ahead with $543 million in corporate tax refunds which is much needed revenue. I will give him credit for prioritizing teacher pay this session, although he did not go far enough, and I am incredibly concerned that he may veto it.
Unemployment: What, if any, changes are needed to Florida’s unemployment compensation system?
Florida’s Unemployment System is one of the worst in the nation. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the public’s awareness of our flawed unemployment system and the lack of accountability over the procurement process at the state level. This antiquated system must be reformed and help workers get paid by increasing eligibility, increasing the weekly benefit cap, increasing part time eligibility, increasing the maximum number of weeks from 12 to at least 26, waiving the waiting period, and waiving the work search and work registration requirements. The online system has proven to be difficult to navigate since its inception and the UI System was “designed” to never pay a claim where the money would come out of the trust fund; Floridians are frustrated and suffering because they cannot access their unemployment benefits. About 5 years ago, I had to watch my 69-year-old mother navigate the UI System. She is not computer savvy and it was incredibly stressful for her to use the system and fulfill its requirements, including the work search requirement. Accessing her unemployment benefits became a full-time job and added to her stress. $275 per week for 12 weeks is unconscionable.
State budget: Given the impact of the coronavirus on the state’s general revenues, how would you approach the tough budget choices ahead?
The State must generate new revenue because we rely heavily on tourism and hospitality and the pandemic has dramatically reduced Americans’ unnecessary travel. The legislature must revisit the Internet sales tax and apply a state sales tax to out-of-state companies for online shopping. COVID-19 is expediting the closure of small businesses. This hurts the State’s ability to collect much needed revenue which benefits Florida’s citizens. The Legislature must end corporate tax refunds, because now more than ever, we need the $543 million dollars.
Reopening schools: Are you confident the state’s public schools can reopen safety? What procedures do you favor?
Districts need to rely on science and their local health officials to ensure the safety of our students. We are working through this process right now and it is difficult to balance the needs of working parents, students with disabilities, staff members with pre-existing conditions and the ability to provide a high-quality education. Broward will follow all CDC guidelines and will provide flexibility and options to meet the needs of our parents and students including those that work outside the home and will struggle to find supervision All districts should make reopening decisions using these guidelines.
Mail-in voting: Do you support widespread use of mail-in voting? If so, why? If not, why not?
Yes, especially since we are in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. We are a democracy and we must afford all citizens the opportunity to vote.
School safety: It’s been a little over two years since the nation’s worst high school shooting happened in Parkland. How would you assess the progress in making schools safe, and what more should be done?
I do believe schools are safer than they were on February 14, 2018. Capital improvements have been made creating a single point of entry on campuses, the Broward School Board utilized funds to purchase upgraded camera systems which allows law enforcement to access live feed and BCPS has a Safe School Officer or School Resource Officer on every campus. School districts across the state need more dollars to provide mental health services to their students. There was no categorical allocation before MSD and the allocation in place is not enough to lower the pupil to counselor ratio and provide the services needed to our students and families.
Amendment 4: Do you support the governor’s continued appeal of this case? Why or why not?
I do not support the appeal of this case. The Legislature, by passing SB 7066 and the Governor by signing it, circumvented the will of the voters and created a poll tax. The court has ruled on the issue, he should not appeal the case and he should stand by the will of the voters which is to restore voting rights of convicted felons who have served their time.
Short-term rentals: Should short-term vacation rentals be regulated uniformly statewide or regulated at the local level? Why?
Local municipalities should regulate short term vacation rentals to meet the needs of their constituents.
Climate change: What should Tallahassee be doing, if anything, to address climate change?
I am a member of the Broward County Climate Change Task Force which is charged to make recommendations to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. This is of substantial interest to the residents of Dist. 104, which borders the Everglades. The Legislature must promote conservation land acquisition and the use of Florida Forever funds for their intended purpose. I support a ban on drilling for oil along Florida’s coast. The State also needs to take a regional approach to water conservation and we must work with water management districts to increase capacity for water storage and optimal usage of recycling of water. We must support our local governments to ensure that all new development takes into account sea level rise projections and encourage and offer incentives for the use of green energy, including investing in the infrastructure needed for the use of electric vehicles. Some of Florida’s largest industries include tourism, agriculture, and the marine industry; mitigating the effects of Climate Change and the conservation of fresh water should be a priority for every legislator. I support working with scientists to help create policies and earmark funds to develop initiatives to address Climate Change.
Gun safety: Do you believe background checks should be conducted on all gun sales, including firearm purchases made privately, online and at gun shows? What changes, if any, do you believe are needed on gun laws?
I support the expansion of background checks including purchases made privately, online and at gun shows. I also support a state ban on semiautomatic assault weapons. I do not support the arming of teachers, Stand Your Ground, nor open carry on college campuses. I am proud to be recognized as a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
Marijuana: Do you support the full legalization of marijuana in Florida? Why or why not?
Yes. We should regulate it and tax it to create a new revenue stream.
School funding: In 2019, the Legislature passed HB 7123, which requires that all future local tax increases for education be shared with charter schools. Do you support or oppose this, and why or why not?
Charter schools are funded through the Florida Education Finance Program at the state level, like traditional schools. It is up to voters to determine if they want to share revenue with Charter Schools when they vote on a ballot initiative. Broward County School Board’s ballot initiative shared dollars with charter school, while Palm Beach County’s did not. School districts should have the ability to ensure accountability of taxpayer dollars. We have had several instances in Broward County where we have closed charter schools; many have had issues with financial mismanagement, including not paying their teachers.
Abortion: Do you believe reforms are needed around the issue of abortion?
Yes, the Legislature should repeal HB265/SB404 – requiring Parental Consent and not impede on a woman’s right to choose. I have been endorsed by Ruth’s List and Emily’s List.
How much money have you raised so far? Please include today’s date.
Approximately $67,000
Have you received any other endorsements? If so, which ones?
Organizations:
Florida Education Association
Broward AFL-CIO
Broward Teachers’ Union
Broward County Police Benevolent Association
Broward County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics
Florida Professional Firefighters
Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate
Emily’s List
Ruth’s List
Florida Professional Firefighters
Metro Firefighters and Paramedics
Associated Builders and Contractors Florida East Coast
Broward County Medical Association
Elected Officials:
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Congressman Ted Deutch
State Representative Dan Daley
State Representative Evan Jenne
State Representative Richard Stark
State Representative Michael Gottlieb
Property Appraiser Marty Kiar
County Commissioner Steve Geller
County Commissioner Beam Furr
County Commissioner Tim Ryan
Davie Mayor Judy Paul
Davie Vice Mayor Caryl Hattan
Davie Councilman Bryan Caletka
Davie Councilman Marlon Luis
Oakland Park Mayor Tim Lonergan
Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis
Pembroke Pines Commissioner Iris Siple
Parkland Commissioner Stacy Kagan
Sunrise Commissioner Larry Sofield
Weston Commissioner Tom Kallman
Weston Commissioner Byron Jaffe
Weston Commissioner Mary Molina Macfie
Westpark Commissioner Felicia Brunson
SBDD Commissioner Alanna Mersinger
Hon. Bob Butterworth
Hon. Geoff Cohen
Hon. Maureen Dinnen
Hon. Toby Feuer
Hon. Howard Forman
Hon. Karen Fortman
Hon. Jennifer Gottlieb
Hon. Sue Gunzburger
Hon. Mercedes Henriksson
Hon. Ron Klein
Hon. Don Maines
Hon. Jeff Nelson
Hon. Lori Parrish
Hon. Harry & Jackie Rosen
Hon. Franklin and Leslie Sands
Hon. Ron Silver
