The father of a student slain at Parkland has been appointed to Florida’s board of education by outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Scott.
Andy Pollack, 52, was one of seven staff announcements Scott made Friday. Pollack’s daughter, Meadow, was a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and was shot nine times during the massacre, which occurred on Valentine’s Day last year. She was among 17 killed by Nikolas Cruz, who has confessed to the massacre that wounded another 17 people.
Pollack has been advocating for school safety ever since the mass shooting.
“What I hope to accomplish is accountability at a local level, to hold school boards accountable and superintendents accountable,” Pollack told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Pollack is a property manager in Florida and has met with President Trump several times. He celebrated Hanukkah at the White House with him last year, where he praised the president as a fighter and friend of Israel.
Pollack’s appointment to the Florida school board requires confirmation by the Florida Senate. The term began Friday and is set to end Dec. 31, 2022. Scott was elected to the Senate during the past election but hasn’t officially been sworn in yet. He promised to serve out his term until Jan. 9, when GOP Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis will be sworn into office in Florida.
