Florida schools removed books in record time. In Tallahassee, an ostensibly nonpartisan election was held with partisan support during a year in which a Republican-controlled state legislature and a governor seeking to reshape the education system shared the driver’s seat.
Here’s a list of Phoenix’s top education stories for 2024.
public school church
In February, Phoenix details How about a dozen states, including Florida, considering having chaplains in public schools?
Florida could copy Texas law and bring chaplains to public schools despite First Amendment concerns
In the spring, Congress voted to allow religious chaplains to provide counseling in schools with parental consent (89-25 House, 29-12 Senate). DeSantis signed the bill in April.
There was pushback from the ACLU, Florida Council of Churches, and other groups, who argued that the measure violated the First Amendment’s disdain for the state establishment of religion and created an environment of religious coercion and indoctrination. .
Although no school districts initially expressed interest in the voluntary program, Miami-Dade County took steps toward voting on the program, but ultimately did not. The Marion County Board of Education voted against the pastor’s permit this month, and Osceola County has voted against the pastor twice, most recently in September.
Although the program does not yet place chaplains in front of Florida students, the new law escalates the debate over government and religion, and some Republicans’ vision for how the two should interact. was recorded.
The Department of Education defined “religion” and “minister” in a letter to school districts providing model policies for implementing voluntary programs.
of The devil’s temple is pushed back They opposed the ministry’s model policy, which includes a definition of “religion,” as too narrow, arguing it would exclude Satanists, Buddhists, humanists, Jains, Confucians, and many others.
The department claimed the policy would “enable trusted chaplains to volunteer in Florida schools.”
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States adjust book removal policies, lawsuits unfold
After school districts faced a flood of book objections from local residents, the Legislature and DeSantis moved to pass legislation that would allow Floridians to object to public school library materials deemed inappropriate. Ta.
HB1285 This was in response to a 2022 law that made it possible to challenge these materials. The 2024 law limits non-parental residents of the county to one appeal per month. But the DeSantis administration seemed to be blaming those who opposed the law, rather than the parental rights advocates who have filed the most objections so far.
“When it comes to reviewing these books, the people who create a cottage industry that goes around the state just to disrupt the system and hold schools back and just create challenges, they’re not going to be able to do it anymore,” Manny said. the education committee chairman said. Diaz Jr. said during the game. press conference In April.
then senate president kathleen passidomo Conceded a point People “overdone” the book assignments.
The 2022 law remains in the spotlight in 2024 as schools and states face ongoing litigation.
This month, a federal judge recommended the Escambia County School Board settle its book removal lawsuit. USA Today Network-Florida State reported. The school paid attorneys more than $640,000 to defend the lawsuit, according to the report.
In August, publishers and authors of some of the most deleted books filed a lawsuitArguing that the state’s interpretation of “pornographic” and “depicting sexual acts” content in the law is unconstitutional, It was too widespread and caused a chilling effect.
The Department of Education and PEN America released separate lists using different methodologies detailing the number of books removed statewide for the 2023-2024 school year. According to the state732 titles were removed during the year. According to PEN Americathe number of which is approximately 4,500 books.
Nonpartisan elections with partisan support
Ahead of the primary and general election, DeSantis and the Florida Democratic Party endorsed school board candidates. Notably, those vying for school board positions have not formally adopted a political affiliation.
The First Amendment, which Congress placed on the November ballot, would make school board elections once again partisan — the first time they have been nonpartisan since 1998, when voters approved a constitutional amendment to do so. It was.
It required approval from 60% of voters, but received just under 55% of the vote.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried voiced opposition to the amendment. Said this in August Instead, “we should all be focused on one thing: educating our children and making sure we create a healthy environment for them.”
DeSantis supported 23 school board candidates in the primary. Eleven lost And the fate of six people has been postponed until November. 4 out of 6 people won In the general election.
Democratic Party supported 17 candidates And won 10 races.
University presidents embroiled in controversy
Three Florida universities have taken steps to fill top leadership positions, and each has sparked its own controversy.
After former University of Florida President Ben Sasse resigned due to his wife’s health problems, state leaders called for an audit of his spending, and university trustees called for: Ta. strengthen surveillance Regarding employment and spending in the Office of the President.
After his resignation, the independent Florida Alligators first reported Mr. Sasse spent $17.3 million in his first year in office, most of it on former Senate staffers, their travel and private consultants, tripling his predecessor’s spending during his final year in office.
Following news of Mr. Sasse’s spending, Member of Parliament, governor’s office,CFO Jimmy Patronis demanded accountability.
Florida Atlantic Airlines reopened its search for the president earlier this year after officials investigated. called It was the first attempt after a Board of Governors investigation that found the commission violated Florida’s Sunshine Law and state regulations.
As previously reported, history of higher educationThen-state Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County, said DeSantis told him he was a “shoe-in” for the FAU presidency. A few days after Fine was not selected as a finalist, the board suspended the search and requested that it be resumed.
At Florida A&M University, a $237 million endowment failed ahead of President Larry Robinson’s resignation.
At FAMU’s spring commencement ceremony, Texas hemp farmer Gregory Gerami announced:the money is in the bank”, the Tallahassee Democrat reported, referring to the donation, which would be the largest gift ever to a historically black university.
A state-commissioned investigation concluded the donation was a “fraud” and condemned it. Poor communication and lack of understanding of the value of private equity by FAMU leadership. robinson resigned in July.
The Phoenix newspaper has since reported that a search consultant recommended that FAMU seek a “business executive.” Additionally, officials expressed concern that potential search firms may not comply with new state policies that downplay considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring. As a result, the selection of a search company was delayed.
The overall trend is that the 12 state universities are facing increased scrutiny from their boards of governors, particularly regarding presidential selection. The board gave itself permission september Two members will be appointed to the University Investigation Committee, an increase from the previous number of one.
Also new, the search committee’s shortlist must be approved by the board chair before being voted on by the university’s board of trustees.
Students protest against Israel, universities respond
Florida college students started the school year with warnings from administrators and Attorney General Ashley Moody about how to express their opinions on campus.
These warnings come after campus protests intensified in 2023 following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s military operation against Hamas in Gaza, continuing into 2024.
In April, Phoenix was on the scene. when lawn sprinklers weakened students in an area where pro-Palestinian students were demanding FSU divest from businesses with ties to Israel. The university told Phoenix that sprinklers were scheduled to be activated at the time.
Moody sent a letter In August, he sent a message to all 40 presidents of Florida’s public universities reminding them of “Florida’s zero-tolerance policy toward anti-Semitism.”
The system-wide governing board said the protests, excluding the use of amplified sound, indoor picketing, and other actions that one pro-Palestinian protester said constituted “targeting” behavior against Phoenix. imposed time, place, and method restrictions on movement and encampment;It’s completely political oppression. ”
Following Fein’s concerns, University System Chancellor Ray Rodriguez in August ordered university presidents to scrutinize syllabuses for content that appeared to be anti-Semitic or indicative of “anti-Israel bias.” I instructed him to do so.
Concerns centered on a Florida International University class in which students were told, “When Israelis commit acts of terrorism, they often refer to it as _____,” and “Zionists use land to create a new homeland.” He is said to have used a textbook that asked the question, “Where did you buy it?”
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