The big story: Florida law requires school districts offer sex education.
Several districts didn’t provide it last year, though, and they’re still not doing so this year.
It’s because the state also calls for Florida Department of Education approval of the materials that will be used. And it has yet to sign off for some of the largest districts.
In a time when they have faced sanctions and threats of penalties for violating laws that many consider vague, district leaders are just waiting for further direction. Read more from Popular Information.
Hot topics
Arts education: Florida schools are feeling the squeeze on their arts programs as a result of the governor’s veto of millions supporting organizations supporting the efforts, the Washington Post reports.
Election fallout: Sarasota County School Board member Karen Rose has not attended a meeting in person since losing her reelection bid, and has deleted her social media profiles, the Herald-Tribune reports.
Healthy schools: The Broward County school district will purchase carbon monoxide detectors for schools after experiencing gas leaks in some schools, the Sun-Sentinel reports. • A Collier County healthcare nonprofit organization opened a clinic at a middle school in a community with limited resources, the Naples Daily News reports. If successful, it could become a model for similar initiatives in other parts of the county.
Language lessons: The Orange County school district opened a center to help families that don’t speak English get the school and community services they need, WFTV reports.
Snack time: Amid parent complaints, the Polk County school district dropped its policy that barred children under age 5 from bringing snacks and water bottles to early childhood classes, the Ledger reports. The district had announced the rule four days earlier.
Strategic plans: Alachua County school board members asked for more details on how the district expects to measure success of its strategic plan goals, MainStreet Daily News reports.
Teacher emails: The Lee County school district wants employees to stop using personalized quotes and pictures at the end of their work emails, saying they’re not work related, WCGU reports. Union officials said they are looking into whether the proposal violates their right to free speech.
From the police blotter … A Miami-Dade County teacher was arrested on accusations of possessing child pornography, the Miami Herald reports.
From the court docket … A former Carrollwood Day School teacher was sentenced to 45 months in prison after pleading guilty to sexual battery of a minor student. • A federal judge heard arguments over whether Escambia County school board members must testify in a lawsuit challenging their authority to remove books from school libraries, News Service of Florida reports. The judge did not rule.
In higher ed
USF: The University of South Florida is one of the first schools in the nation to add on-field sponsorship logos at home football games, taking advantage of a new NCAA rule, Tampa Bay Business Journal reports. It’s partnering with Publix.
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Miami Dade College: More than 150 people are participating in a program designed to prepare non-educators to become teachers in Miami-Dade County schools, WLRN reports.
New College: The school followed through in firing its director of library services over the discarding of thousands of books, WFLA reports.
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Before you go … Playing For Change has released a new version of a classic in world music.