Big story: With their latest moves, the two major party candidates for governor of Florida left no doubt that education is looming large in this year’s electoral politics.
Incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis, who streams education-themed ads online, has suspended four members of the elected Broward County Board of Education based on a grand jury recommendation. The Miami Herald reports. He replaced her four women registered as Democrats with her four men. Three of her are well known in Republican circles, reports the Sun-Sentinel. Details of the Florida Phoenix.
Democratic challenger, U.S. Congressman Charlie Christo, has put another spotlight on the issue, and has nominated Dade’s United Teachers Chairman Carla Hernandez Matz as his running mate. Read more about Hernández-Mats, Florida Politics’ first Hispanic leader of the Miami-Dade County Teachers Union.
The two candidates have offered very different messages and platforms when it comes to education. Please check this out for details.
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/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TPJQS2DLA5HJHH6K5NMLP3QOYM.jpg "Final ballot tally after recounting yes and no votes for Hillsborough County school tax.")
Tax Referendum: The recount did not change the outcome of the Hillsborough County School District’s failed property tax initiative. “We’ll be back in two years,” said the district attorney.
College Leadership: A panel of inquiry has nominated Senator Ray Rodriguez, an ally of DeSantis, as the next president of the state university system, reports the Florida news service.
Intellectual Freedom: The state university system surveyed students and staff about their willingness to voice their opinions on campus. Responses were minimal, with the majority of those who took the time to say they didn’t feel any pressure.
Book assignment: The St. Johns County Board of Education has imposed several restrictions and recommendations on eight library books that have faced criticism from some community members, reports St. Augustine Records.
help wanted: Seminole County school districts are holding another job fair over the weekend and are continuing to recruit teachers, bus drivers and other workers, WKMG reports. • According to Florida Politics, a school support worker in Nassau County won a pay rise on a temporary contract as the district continues to employ him.
New teaching method: Teachers across Florida continue to assess how Florida’s new laws on race and gender instruction will affect the way they work, reports the NY Times.
Other school news
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LN4WJ24ZL3V364GABIE6I2E6A4.jpg "NASA's lunar rocket will be ready within 24 hours of its planned launch on Pad 39B for the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the Moon on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (AP Photo/John Law)")
Artemis is scheduled to launch on Monday morning. Students at several schools in Brevard County are learning the math and science of rocket propulsion as a related class, reports Florida Today.
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A teacher in Duval County faced charges of hitting a student years ago, which she denied. Now that the charges have been dropped, the teacher is blaming the district and the way law enforcement treated her, reports the Florida Times-Union.
The Citrus County school cafeteria is celebrating Throwback Thursday with a nostalgic meal. The Citrus County Chronicle reported last week that square pizza was back.
From court records… A former Palm Beach County high school teacher pleaded guilty to four counts of assault after being accused by students of touching him inappropriately, The Palm Beach Post reports. The former Manatee County high school student was awarded $500,000 in a lawsuit against the district related to a 2015 locker room assault, The Herald-Tribune reports.
Before you go… Some children grow up quickly, but not necessarily fast. Same with dogs.
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