School security: Clear backpacks were in use Monday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the verdict is in: the students don’t like them. Some say they aren’t effective and convey a false sense of security, and others say it’s an invasion of privacy. Many personalized the backpacks with protest messages. Sun-Sentinel. WPLG. School leaders in central Florida say the security measures mandated by the new state law will cost more than they’ve been given and will take too long to implement. For example, money for hardening schools isn’t likely to be distributed until 2019. Orlando Sentinel. Putnam County School Board members seem to favor putting resource officers in every school instead of arming school personnel, but need to find about $1 million to hire those officers. WJAX. One overlooked aspect of a school or district arming teachers or school employees is insurance. Some carriers decline to insure schools who arm staff because of heightened liability. NBC News. Lake County School Board members and district officials participate in a mock active-shooter exercise. Orlando Sentinel.
Cell phones in schools: Cell phones are becoming more accepted in U.S. schools, according to a new survey by the National Center for Education Statistics. About two-thirds of U.S. schools still ban cell phones in school, but that’s down from 90 percent in 2009-2010. The change is more striking among high school students. Eight years ago, 80 percent of high schools banned them from schools. Now it’s about 35 percent. Researchers say parents want to be able to contact their children in emergencies, and districts are finding that phones offer another learning tool that doesn’t cost them money. Associated Press.
Podcast teacher resigns: The Citrus County middle school social studies teacher who hosted a white nationalist podcast under a pseudonym is resigning. Dayanna Volitich, 25, acknowledged assuming the name Tiana Dalichov for her podcast, in which she told listeners that some races don’t learn as well as others and that Muslims needed to be “eradicated.” She claimed her comments were satirical. Volitich was removed from her Crystal River Middle School classroom in March, and submitted her resignation Monday. Citrus County Chronicle. WTSP. WFLA.
Audit raps district: A Florida auditor general’s report criticizes the Hillsborough County School District for its incomplete background screenings for teachers, other employees and volunteers, and for improperly spending about $1.5 million in property tax money for noncapital expenses. Politico Florida.
Fight over school videos: Attorneys for the Broward County School Board oppose the release of more videos taken outside Stoneman Douglas High on Feb. 14, when a shooter entered the school and killed 17 people. The board contends the videos will show the range of the school’s security cameras. Media organizations want the footage released to show the response of law enforcement officers. Sun-Sentinel.
Gender issues: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is no longer investigating discrimination complaints by transgender students about bathrooms they’re permitted to use in schools, and has dropped four active cases. One that was recently dismissed is Preston Curts’, who filed suit against the Marion County School Board in 2016 when he was not allowed to use the bathroom that aligned with his gender identity. Huffington Post.
School pay dispute: The Eagles Arts Academy charter school in Wellington withheld employee paychecks last week and will again at least one more week, prompting the resignation of two principals. Gregory Blount, the school’s executive director and founder, says the struggling school has little cash on hand and has been surviving through short-term bank loans since November. The school’s board declined to oust Blount at an emergency meeting Monday. Palm Beach Post.
Educators honored: Collier County School Superintendent Kamela Patton is named the 2017 Lavan Dukes District Data Leader of the Year for the improvement shown by the district over her first six years on the job. Florida Department of Education. Ninety-six Lake County teachers are honored by the state for having a high impact on student learning. High impact is determined by measuring student performance on state assessment tests for the past three years. Daily Commercial. Seven Sarasota and Manatee county teachers receive Congressional Teacher Awards, which have been given the past five years to teachers in the 16th congressional district by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Spelling bee on for 2019: The Lee County spelling bee will be back in 2019. This year’s bee was canceled the sponsor pulled out and a replacement couldn’t be found in time. But Pinchers Crab Shack has committed the $5,000 needed to bring back the competition. Fort Myers News-Press.
District credit rating: The Brevard County School District gets a AA financial rating – the second highest – from Fitch. The ratings company cited the district’s sound operations and strong reserves, with low debt and pension obligations relative to its revenue. Space Coast Daily.
Input for improvements: The Pasco County School Board is soliciting ideas from the community on how it can improve. Residents are being asked online for what they appreciate about schools, and to make suggestions for improvements and what courses or opportunities students need. The district will take comments through April 13. Gradebook.
District settles lawsuit: The Hernando County School Board agrees to pay $150,000 to a bus-tracking company to settle a lawsuit. District officials complained in 2016 that Synovia Solutions’ global positioning system to track buses didn’t work, and the school board terminated the contract. Synovia sued, claiming the problem was not with the product but with the way the district was using it. Tampa Bay Times.
Opinions on schools: Ideally, parents have said something to their children well before middle school about people who might try to touch them without their permission, or pressure them into doing something they feel uncomfortable doing. Now that message needs to be both reiterated and reinforced. For while teachers have always preyed on children, the danger may be getting worse. Gil Smart, TCPalm. Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight and School Superintendent Todd Bowden need to put aside their differences on funding for school security, then collectively make decisions affecting this academic year and the following one and set a timetable for formulating longer-term strategies. Tom Tryon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
