Around the state: Miami-Dade County School Board members have voted against recognizing October as LGBTQ+ History Month for the third year in a row, Wednesday was the debut of the state’s new 9/11 curriculum in K-12 schools, Osceola’s school board members again reject the creation of a volunteer chaplains program, Broward’s school district is investigating a feud between the teachers union president and a steward, K-8 schools are gaining in popularity in Tampa Bay area school districts, and Florida A&M University trustees acknowledge the debacle of a supposed $237 million donation has harmed the school’s reputation. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: For the third year in a row, a proposal for the school board to recognize October as LGBTQ+ History Month has been rejected. The vote was 5-3, with one board member absent. The issue triggered an emotional, chaotic meeting that drew dozens of speakers both for and against the resolution and lasted from early afternoon to late in the evening. “The Bible does speak of homosexuality as a sin,” said Michael Steiner, who urged board members to vote down the item. “There is more that unites us than divides us; we will not be persuaded by hate,” countered supporter Maxx Fenning, founder and executive director of a nonprofit organization that provides sexual health information to LGBTQ+ youth. Miami Herald. WPLG. WTVJ.
Broward: The school district is investigating a feud that led teachers union president Anna Fusco to file a complaint that union steward Jimmy Witherspoon made an online threat against her. Witherspoon, who is a college and career adviser at Dillard 6-12 in Fort Lauderdale, was questioned by police and nearly suspended by the district. Board member Torey Alston, who has often clashed with Fusco, called for a full investigation to see if she was politically harassing Witherspoon. Fusco denies any impropriety. In a social media post, Witherspoon expressed his anger at the union for not getting raises for support professionals. Sun Sentinel.
Tampa Bay area: K-8 schools are becoming an increasingly popular option for the Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco school districts. Hillsborough has 14 K-8 schools, and parents are petitioning for more. Pinellas has waiting lists for its two K-8 schools and plans to open another next year. Pasco also has two and recently approved merging three schools into a third to create a K-8, with another under construction. Education experts are divided on the benefits of combining elementaries and middle schools, with some noting positive academic outcomes but others worrying about mixing very young children with teenagers. Tampa Bay Times.
Orange: Windermere High School’s home opener Friday at its new football stadium has been postponed because the stadium does not yet have a certificate of occupancy. “The concession stand and announcers’ booth still need to be completed and inspected before a certificate of occupancy is issued,” said district spokesman Michael Ollendorff. The game between Windermere and University High will be played at the Ocoee High School stadium. The Orange Observer.
Palm Beach: A teacher at a middle school for students with emotional and behavioral problems has been suspended for two days after failing to report that he was arrested in December for violating his probation by driving without a license. Policy requires that employees report arrests to the district within 48 hours. Mark Minge, 47, a computer science teacher at Indian Ridge School in West Palm Beach since 2016, has been arrested on battery charges three times since 2022. Palm Beach Post.
Lee: Changes to the district’s Civil Rights and Equity Guide for students were tentatively approved by school board members. A final vote is scheduled Sept. 17. Board members had questions about the state-required notification of parents when students talk with teachers or counselors about their sexual orientation. School board attorney Kathy Dupuy-Bruno said HB 1557 allows for “a casual conversation, but if the child continues to see the counselor, at some point, the parent will be notified.” WGCU. The mother of a 5-year-old special-needs student at San Carlos Park Elementary School on Bonita Springs is questioning school and district officials after the boy was somehow overlooked on a school bus for three hours. District officials said they are investigating. WFTX.
Osceola: For the second time, school board members have voted against starting a volunteer chaplains program authorized by the state to counsel public school students. Board member Jon Arguello introduced the measure, and said he would bring it up again at the next board meeting. “What’s the difference between meeting with a chaplain and a guidance counselor?” Arguello asked. But his colleague Julius Melendez said the district’s time and money would be better spent educating children. Districts have the option of establishing a program, but only Miami-Dade’s has since the law took effect July 1. Central Florida Public Media.
Seminole: A student at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs was arrested Wednesday and accused of having a gun on campus. Police said they received a tip about the student having the weapon. It was stolen but unloaded, officers added. Orlando Sentinel. WKMG. WESH. WOFL.
Clay: An unloaded weapon was discovered Wednesday in a student’s car at Oakleaf High School and confiscated by authorities. The weapon was not taken into the school and the student did not make any threats, according to school officials. “Any students involved will face disciplinary action in accordance with our student code of conduct,” the school district said. WJAX.
Leon: School board members approved a $662 million budget this week that features a lower tax rate but higher revenues because of rising property values and new development. The budget is $4 million less than last year’s, primarily because of an anticipated decline of 2,578 students. Tallahassee Democrat.
Alachua: A $612 million budget was approved this week by school board members. Funding from the state will decline because enrollment is down. Mainstreet Daily News. Twenty-one district students have been named semifinalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship program. Ten are from Gainesville High, six from Eastside High and five from Buchholz High. Of the 1.3 million U.S. students who took the preliminary SAT/national scholarship qualifying test during their junior year, 16,000 were named semifinalists. Mainstreet Daily News.
Indian River: Danielle McLean’s twin autistic sons had just three teachers during their preschool and elementary school years, and McLean considered them all exceptional. But when it came time for the boys to start middle school, McLean and two of the teachers were worried about the school the twins were scheduled to attend. So she, those two teachers and a speech pathologist decided to start the Keystone Education Center in Vero Beach, which is a full-time tutoring operation for 17 students in grades 3-7 that focuses on life and job skills and academics. NextSteps.
Colleges and universities: Florida A&M University trustees acknowledged during their annual retreat this week that the debacle over a supposed $237 million donation was “horrible” and has damaged the school’s reputation. Tallahassee Democrat. Southeastern University in Lakeland has announced its largest first-year class of 6,827 and a record total of 11,763 students, a jump of 11.3 percent from last fall. It continues the private school’s trend of growth, which measures 272 percent in the past 10 years. Lakeland Ledger. At its meeting next Wednesday, Florida’s Board of Governors is expected to confirm Kent Fuchs as interim president of the University of Florida and Timothy Beard as the temporary leader of Florida A&M University. Fuchs would take over for Ben Sasse, and Beard for Larry Robinson. News Service of Florida.
Florida’s 9/11 curriculum: Wednesday was the first day Florida students received at least 45 minutes of instruction about the terrorist attacks on the United States on 9/11/2001 that killed 3,000 people. The curriculum was approved by the Legislature last year, and includes lessons on the causes of 9/11, the destruction and the heroic response by first responders and other Americans. WTLV. WUSF. Florida Phoenix.
More school threats: Florida school districts and law enforcement agencies are continuing to report more threats being made against schools since last week’s shooting at a Winder, Ga., high school killed four people. Duval. Volusia. St. Lucie. Broward. Columbia and Madison. Baker. Pasco. Levy.
Opinions on schools: As I sit here reading the news about yet another school shooting, I am reminded again that schools are expected to solve problems they did not create. Sarah Berman, Education Week.
