Accused mass-shooter Payton S. Gendron’s story is not unlike the dozens of stories that typify one of the biggest challenges that schools face when it comes to averting school shootings – and in the case of Buffalo, mass shootings in general. And that challenge is recognizing and acting upon warning signs that mass shooters almost always give well before they open fire.
Schools
Replicating Math Textbook Censorship, Florida Tells Publishers to Kill Social Justice and CRT in History Books
The department is accepting bids from companies through June 10 to provide social-studies books for a five-year period starting in 2023. The department posted to its website a 29-page document that lists criteria for what is expected to be included in the books — and what’s expected to be left out.
TSA Agents Pay Early Morning Visit to Flagler County School Bus Drivers in Surprise Inspection
As they were preparing to roll out early this morning Flagler County schools’ bus drivers got a surprise inspection from members of the Transportation Security Administration, the at-times dreaded federal agency and division of the Department of Homeland Security. It was a quietly pre-arranged safety drill by Transportation Director Dontarrious Rowls through the TSA’s “Security Enhancement Through Assessment” program.
Damaging Trust with Unions, Flagler School Board Rejects a Rebate to Employees that Its Own Teams Had Agreed To
The Flagler County school district’s teacher and service employee unions have suspended collective bargaining negotiations with the district following what both unions say is a breaking of a pledge by the district to award one-time health insurance premium rebates to employees. The unions consider that “bad faith,” breaking trust in the district, damaging what for many years had been cordial relations between the two sides, and raising the possibility of more formal measures.
Looking Past Shock to Continuity, Flagler Education Foundation Appoints Teresa Rizzo Its Next Director
The Flagler Education Foundation, the school district’s non-profit support arm, appears to be making the same bet on Teresa Rizzo that it made on her late husband Joe, who had no fund-raising experience when he took over the organization, but vastly improved its its local impact between 2017 and 2022.
Singin’ – and Caterwauling — in the Rain: Flagler Palm Coast High School Stages Classic Musical
“Singin’ in the Rain,” which debuted as a movie musical in 1952 but didn’t come to life on stage until its London debut in 1983, is set in that mind-blowing, exciting and frantic era when Hollywood was evolving from silent films to “talkies.” It tells the tale of a Hollywood star couple making that transition: the magnetic Don Lockwood and his onscreen leading lady, Lina Lamont. The effervescent, talented Don is ready for the new prime time. Lina — not so much.
DeSantis signs K-12 ‘Victims of Communism’ Bill then Rails Against ‘Marxists’ on Campuses
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday a measure creating a “Victims of Communism Day” at Florida’s public schools, though much of the discussion centered around what state officials believe to be a rise in communist sympathies at Florida’s college campuses.
Daytona State College Marks Opening of First-Ever Student Residency Hall
Located on the Daytona Beach Campus, the four story, 252-bed facility opens its doors to DSC’s first-ever on-campus residents this summer. The residence hall was designed to be an affordable option within reach for all students, including those on financial aid and scholarships.
DeSantis Claims ‘Ideology’ Found In Rejected Math Texts. Reviewers Find Near-Zero Evidence of It.
Out of thousands of pages of responses by people it enlisted to review the texts, only one reviewer found that critical race theory constituted a large component of any of the books and only a handful found evidence that some “might” contain critical race theory, just as most reviewers found no social emotional learning.
To School Board’s Janet McDonald, Freedom of Speech Doesn’t Belong in School and ‘Does Not Mean Freedom of Movement’ or Activity
Flagler County school Board member Janet McDonald staked out an extreme position against students’ free speech in schools during a discussion on a proposed policy controlling the place and manner of student demonstrations. The rest of the school board, however, is defending students’ right to protest even on school grounds, during school hours.
Keymarion Hall, 10th Grader at Flagler Palm Coast High School, Is Shot and Killed, 24 Year Old Wounded
Keymarion Hall, a 10th grader at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was shot and killed on a street in Bunnell late Tuesday night and 24-year-old Nysean Giddens, who was fleeing with others in a vehicle, was wounded and apprehended.
Mullins Misinformation and Commission’s Sly Maneuver Frame 4-1 Vote to Scrap School Board Deal
The Flagler County Commission’s vote on Monday was on a significant policy matter controlling school construction and development that was not publicly noticed until hours before Monday’s meeting. It was yet another snub to process, to the Flagler County School Board, and it was colored by disinformation and inaccuracies from Commission Chairman Joe Mullins.
Policy Changes On Opioid Overdoses and Seizures Coming to Florida Schools
The new law exempts school district employees from civil liability if they administer an opioid antagonist to a student under Florida’s Good Samaritan Act. The law will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
College Students and Staff: Ignore the Voluntary but Autocratic ‘Viewpoint Discrimination’ Survey
Calling it the latest example of creeping authoritarianism, the president of the University of Florida’s faculty union urged students and employees to ignore the so-called “viewpoint discrimination” survey now required on Florida’s college and university campuses, in compliance with a law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Some 1,500 Will Earn Degrees at Embry-Riddle Graduations
Nearly 1,500 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students will earn degrees at the spring 2022 commencement ceremonies for the Daytona Beach, Florida, and Worldwide campuses this May. Polaris Dawn Commander Jared Isaacman will serve as the keynote speaker at the Worldwide Campus event.
State School Board Appoints Sen. Manny Diaz Jr. as Florida’s Education Commissioner, Replacing Corcoran
Diaz will assume the role June 1 and become the state’s first Hispanic education commissioner. In the meantime, Department of Education Senior Chancellor Jacob Oliva–a former Flagler school superintendent–will serve as interim leader of the agency.
We Don’t Talk Enough About the Positive Side of American Racism and Genocide
The only dates that matter to real Americans are 1492, 1776, and 1980 (the year the Blessed Ronald Reagan ascended to the Oval Office). Don’t let these “woke” teachers even mention 1619: it’s all a damn lie.
Smoke and Ash from Development’s Burn Pile Near FPC Clouds School’s Hosting of District Track Championship
On Monday and Tuesday, the burning of cleared woods on State Road 100 near Wawa, for a future self-storage facility and a shopping mall, produced enough smoke and ash to cause concern on the nearby campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School as track athletes on Monday trained through the smoke, and on Tuesday had to compete through it as FPC hosted nine schools in the district track and field championships. The conditions produced a poorer image of of Palm Coast to visiting athletes and families than the district wished.
What Are Book Bans Really About? Fear.
While those behind these campaigns hide themselves behind the mask of “parental control,” they’re really concealing fear: Fear of a country and world that’s changing around them; fear of voices that were kept silent too long who are now speaking up and demanding their seat at the table of power, and, mostly, fear of the erosion of their own privilege.
Say It Ain’t So, Jacob: Why Is Flagler’s Former Star Superintendent Drinking the Reactionary Kool-Aid?
Jacob Oliva went from being one of the most progressive, innovative and inclusive superintendents in the history of Flagler County to a shill, as one of two Florida senior chancellors of education, for the single most regressive, reactionary and just plain mean state departments of education in the nation. Something isn’t adding up.
DeSantis Signs Bill Restricting Discussions of Race and Gender in Workplace as Critics Call It Unconstitutional
The culture-war bill HB 7, described as “Individual Freedom,” restricts conversations about race and gender in schools and workplaces. State Sen. Manny Diaz Jr. was a Senate co-sponsor of the bill and voted for it. (He’s now up for the Florida Education Commissioner job.)
Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 17th-Year Roller Coaster Ride in Season-Ending Concert Monday, and Away from the Stage
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 200 performers are on stage at the Flagler Auditorium Monday evening for the 47th all-ensembles concert in the organization’s 17-year history, with surprise solo performances in the season-ending event, and a wide range of musical offerings.
Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down UCF’s ‘Discriminatory Harassment’ Policy as Chilling Free Speech
The 38-page opinion by a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals backed arguments by the group Speech First, which has represented students at universities in various parts of the country. Judge Kevin Newsom wrote that the UCF policy “objectively chills speech because its operation would cause a reasonable student to fear expressing potentially unpopular beliefs.”
Between Missing Toes and Blood Spatter, the Play’s the Thing at AdventHealth Palm Coast’s $1 Million Simulation Center
The $1 million simulation center at AdventHealth Palm Coast’s campus on State Road 100 uses high-tech, interactive, realistic mannequins, flesh-and-blood actors, makeup artists whose creations rival anything concocted by Hollywood splatter films, sophisticated computer equipment, and seasoned medical personnel to simulate a variety of health conditions and scenarios. The center provides realistic training for AdventHealth nurses of all skill levels, as well as nursing students from the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University studying in Palm Coast.
Flagler School Board Will Clarify Student Demonstration Policy to Balance Rights and School Operations
With some of its members still smarting from the “Don’t Say Gay” student walkouts at Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast High School last month, the Flagler County School Board agreed to clarify a policy addressing boycotts and walkouts, both to preserve the rights of students to free expression and to protect school functions from disruption.
Education Department Still Mum About Rejection of Textbooks as DeSantis Invokes ‘Proprietary Information’
After a high-profile announcement Friday about rejecting math textbooks submitted for adoption by the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education are providing few details about how the books violated state academic standards.
‘Every Day Feels Unsettled’: Educators Decry Staffing Shortage
A shortage of teaching staff affects every student. One principal explained that learning stalls when “students in classes with revolving subs may spend the hour playing video games with no structure or learning happening.” Administrators describe waking up with dread knowing they’ll have to scramble to find coverage for absent staff.
Claiming ‘Indoctrination,’ Florida Education Department Rejects 41% of Math Textbooks Submitted
Friday afternoon heading into a holiday weekend, statewide education officials announced that they rejected 54 math textbooks out of 132 — that’s 41 percent — claiming that some of the materials attempt to “indoctrinate” kids with references to so-called critical race theory.
When Are Book Bans Unconstitutional? A 1st Amendment Scholar Explains
Government actions that some may deem censorship – especially as related to schools – are not always neatly classified as constitutional or unconstitutional, because “censorship” is a colloquial term, not a legal term. Some principles can illuminate whether and when book banning is unconstitutional.
Palm Coast’s Belle Terre Park and Frieda Zamba Pool Need ‘Total Rebuild,’ But Council Is Wary of Another Expansion
Palm Coast with Belle Terre Park and its Frieda Zamba Pool is in the same boat as the school district with its nearby Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club: both facilities are on their last legs and need millions in repairs or construction, but the two agencies have yet to discuss cooperation. On Tuesday, Palm Coast council members were taken aback by the extent of the needs at Belle Terre Park.
Parents Asked to Pick-Up Their Children as Power Outage at Belle Terre Elementary Causes Early Dismissal
An extended power outage at Belle Terre Elementary led the school district to end the school day early there and request that car-rider pick-up their children starting at 12:30 p.m. All children who cannot be picked up will be supervised until dismissal time, or through the period usually reserved for extended day, which has also been cancelled.
Father and Son Duo Appearing at DSC’s L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series
Randy Dye is the owner of Daytona Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM and Maserati Alfa Romeo of Daytona which employs more than 100 people from our community. A former race car driver himself, he is the current owner of Daniel Dye Racing where his son Daniel drives on NASCAR’s ARCA Circuit.
ERAU Undergrad’s Research on ‘Space Mice’ Tops National Conference
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University senior Olivia Siu won first place in the undergraduate Brain and Behavior category of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) annual poster session for her research on how simulated cosmic radiation affects the behavior and cognition of male and female mice.
College and University Faculty Across Florida Tell Their Students: Ignore ‘Viewpoint Diversity’ Survey
In a Monday letter to its members by email, the United Faculty of Florida claims that the survey is unconstitutional; that many of the questions are “leading in nature,” and the survey itself poses a threat to higher education campuses by potentially chilling speech on campus.
Judge Again Rules Against Muezzin-Like Prayer Before High School Game, But Decision May Have Short Life
In a long-running legal battle, a federal judge has rejected arguments that the Florida High School Athletic Association improperly prevented Christian schools from offering a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a 2015 state championship football game. But the decision may have a short life depending on a U.S. Supreme Court’s decision by the end of June on a a somewhat similar case.
First Amendment at Center of Lawsuit Against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
A pivotal lawsuit in Florida — related to classroom instruction of sexual identity and gender orientation — could have heavy implications for what the discussions will sound like when it comes to free speech and the First Amendment.
“Don’t Say Gay” Law Draws Federal Lawsuit Three Days After DeSantis Signs It
Three days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure, LGBTQ-advocacy groups, parents, students and a teacher filed a federal lawsuit Thursday challenging a new law that includes barring instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in early school grades.
Insurrectionist Supporter and QAnon Follower, a DeSantis Appointee, Begins Service on State Board of Education
Two new women members of Florida’s State Board of Education made their debuts Wednesday, revealing a conservative to far right bent that could foreshadow their priorities for the state’s public school system and its 2.8-million students. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Esther Byrd and Grazie Pozo Christie in mid-March, just before the 2022 legislative session was ending.
At Belle Terre Swim Club, Hours Cut 28%, Rates Stay the Same, and Plans to Migrate Programs There Are Shelved
The Flagler County School district is planning to cut back hours at the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club significantly, including ending Sunday hours, while shelving plans to consolidate several programs onto the grounds of the club, which still has an identity crisis.
DeSantis Signs ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill as Federal Officials Monitor Florida for ‘Civil Rights Violations’
The legislation disallows mention of sexual orientation and gender identity. It has drawn national condemnation, and the U.S. Department of Education warned that it will be watching for potential infringement of civil rights.
University Students and Faculty Members File Motion to Suspend Enactment of Law Requiring ‘Viewpoint Diversity’ Surveys
Opponents of a controversial 2021 law asked a federal judge this weekend to prevent the state from moving forward with surveys about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on college and university campuses.
Yes, Current Rules Give Transgender Women Athletes an Unfair Advantage. But Bans Aren’t the Answer.
There is something unfair about Lia Thomas, the University of Pennsylvania star swimmer and transgender woman, winning races and breaking records, and there is something rational in calls by some of her competitors–and by some transgender athletes themselves–for a rule change that addresses both fairness and inclusion.
From Head Football Coach at Flagler Palm Coast High School to Prolific Novelist: Caesar Campana’s Afterwords
Caesar Campana was Flagler Palm Coast High School’s head football coach and an English teacher. Since his retirement, he’s published four novels, all exploring rather dark themes, a book of stories and poems and a memoir, with his wife, Monica Campana, who retired as a librarian at Indian Trails Middle School, as his editor. We caught up with the Campanas in the Hammock.
DeSantis Signs Bill Intensifying Scrutiny of School Library Books and Imposing 12-Year Limit on School Board Terms
Calling it a move toward “curriculum transparency,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that will intensify scrutiny of school library books and instructional materials and impose 12-year term limits on school board members.
Superintendent Sharply Fends Off 2 School Board Members 2nd Guessing Handling of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Walkouts
School Board members Janet McDonald and Jill Woolbright were upset the district allowed the March 3 “don’t say gay” walkouts at the two high schools, but Superintendent Cathy Mittlestadt drew a sharp line in the sand, reminding them that how administrators and staff handle issues at schools is not in the school board members’ purview. Mittlestadt and two other board members defended the administration’s handling of the walkouts.
Flagler Schools’ Library Policy Balancing Open Access With Parental-Choice Restrictions Becomes Model Across Florida
The policy, developed by Flagler schools’ Lashakia Moore, has drawn approbative attention from the Legislature, from the governor’s office and from other school districts. Other districts are now modeling their own policies after Flagler’s as they try to pre-empt book-banning controversies and comply with new state edicts giving parents more say in restricting access–without jeopardizing the mission of open libraries, open stacks and open minds.
Stetson University Announces Across-the-Board Raises, Including $15/hr Minimum
The university is providing a dollar-per-hour increase for all eligible bi-weekly, non-exempt, full- and part-time employees, and an across-the-board, annual pay increase of $1,800 for eligible full-time, monthly, exempt employees.
10 Years After Adopting Strict Dress Code, Flagler School Board Faces Proposal That Would All But Abandon It
A Flagler County school district committee is proposing to vastly scale back the rigidity of the dress code, or what’s left of it, 10 years after the School Board adopted a strict uniform policy–only for the policy to be relentlessly eroded over time.
County Finally Ratifies School Board’s Higher Impact Fees After Months of Obstruction on Builders’ Behalf
The Flagler County Commission late Monday night voted 5-0 to approve the first increase in school impact fees in 17 years, ending a seven-month confrontation between the commission and the school board as the commission refused to approve the board’s initial request for an increase and further pushed for exact concessions favoring home builders the school board was not willing to make. The new fees start in September.
In Blow to School District, County Would Allow Unlimited Development Whether Or Not There Are Enough Schools
The Flagler County Commission is considering ending a long-standing smart-growth rule: There would no longer have to be sufficient school capacity for new development to go forward. The plan was unveiled only today, drawing sharp criticism from School Board member Colleen Conklin.