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Will legislation in FL stifle or encourage free speech on college campuses?
Lawmakers will take up political censorship, threats to free speech and conservatism vs. liberal ideas at colleges and university campuses in the 2021 legislative session, as a new bill aims to measure intellectual diversity in higher education. State Sen. Ray Rodrigues, a Republican who represents part of Lee County, is the sponsor of Senate Bill […]
FL’s public school nurses are on the front line and can get COVID vaccines — but not all are taking the shots
While frontline healthcare workers in hospitals and other facilities have gotten priority for COVID vaccines, not everyone knows that Florida’s school nurses are eligible for the shots as well. School nurses not only have regular duties but also handle COVID-19 issues, from reporting and isolating potentially infected students to identifying and notifying people who may […]
Biden pushes for billions to “safely reopen” schools in 100 days; educators cautious and challenges lie ahead
With schooling a challenge in the pandemic, President Joe Biden and his administration will be pushing for billions to get a majority of the nation’s K-8 schools open in 100 days. That would encompass about three months of the spring semester — close to the end of the school year — and some teacher unions […]
Number of K-12 COVID infections lower compared to week before; overall infections nearly 50,000
The Phoenix reported earlier this week that the Florida Department of Health had identified 4,789 COVID cases related to Florida’s K-12 public and private schools from Jan. 3 through Jan. 9 – the first week of the 2021 spring semester. But a new round of data, posted Wednesday, shows fewer cases from K-12 schools between […]
College Board ditching optional essay on the SAT college entrance exam, among other changes
The College Board, best known for the SAT college entrance exam and Advanced Placement exams for high school kids, will stop providing several assessments to “reduce demands on students,” according to the company. In an announcement Tuesday, the New York-based College Board said that it will discontinue the optional essay that comes with the SAT […]
Nearly 5,000 new COVID-19 cases related to FL K-12 schools in first week of spring semester
Two weeks ago, Florida’s K-12 schools resumed for the 2020-21 academic year while the COVID-19 pandemic continued. Students and teachers returned to their classrooms or logged in to online learning platforms. But in the week Florida students started the 2021 spring semester, 4,786 new COVID-19 cases were reported by the Florida Department of Health. The […]
Former Broward school administrator indicted for felony bid tampering
A former top Broward school administrator has been indicted for bid tampering and unlawful compensation, part of a statewide grant jury probe into bidding irregularities. The grand jury indicted Anthony Hunter on Jan. 7, over the purchase of thousands of Recordex interactive panels for Broward County schools. The interactive display boards are high tech and […]
FL Capitol is not the most likely of targets, but authorities are on alert for potential violence
Capitol authorities in Tallahassee say they don’t know if protesters will gather in large numbers in coming days or how they intend to behave, but Florida lawmakers are leaving town — having completed their committee work this week — and instructed their staff members to work remotely at least through Martin Luther King Day on […]
After 6 months of sparring, state teacher union drops lawsuit over reopening FL schools during COVID
Six months ago, educators and families were trying to figure out where kids would be going to school and how they would be learning — at home or in a traditional classroom — as the COVID-19 pandemic continued. In the state capital, things were getting messy, as Florida’s Education Commissioner signed an emergency order over […]
‘Good Riddance’ — Nationwide teacher unions say farewell to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
U.S. Secretary of Education for the Trump administration Betsy DeVos has submitted her resignation letter following the riot by extremist Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol building, roughly two weeks before the end of Donald Trump’s term. Two nationwide teacher unions are happy to see DeVos out the door. Randi Weingarten, president of the American […]
Billions in additional federal COVID funds announced to help reopen U.S. schools
More than $54 billion in additional federal COVID relief money will support reopening of schools across the nation, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday. In a letter to state education commissioners, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos argued that there is “no excuse” that so many U.S. students are “locked out” from in-person instruction, […]
FL schools begin 2021 spring semester in pandemic; some 36,000 teachers, kids and staff got COVID in the fall
As Florida school districts start the 2021 spring semester, some students will return to classrooms while others remain home for online instruction, even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and potentially gets worse. As it stands now, a Phoenix analysis shows more than 36,000 cases of COVID-19 related to Florida’s public and private K-12 schools since […]