Florida school board races heat up as qualifying deadline nears
The big story: Candidate qualifying time for school board races across Florida is fast approaching.
Already, some of the races have become heated. Much of the criticism has come across the political divide, as hopefuls have accused one another of being too liberal or conservative.
One Hillsborough County race stands out for its dispute between two candidates who share many of the same Democratic views. Their attacks have been much more personal, hitting a new low when one showed a decades old arrest photo of the other during a forum. Read more here.
In Palm Beach County, incumbent Alexandria Ayala threw her support behind a candidate who entered the race shortly after Ayala announced she will not seek reelection, Florida Politics reports.
Hot topics
Campus safety: Broward County schools no longer will automatically evacuate for bomb threats, instead being directed to evaluate the validity before making such decisions, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Charter conversion: A group of Alachua County residents who opposed a plan to convert three public schools to charter status is considering its next steps after the vote to convert one of the three schools passed, WCJB reports.
FAMU ‘gift’: The executive director of Florida A&M University’s Foundation resigned over her involvement in a questioned $237 million donation, the Miami Herald reports.
Prom night: Students at Miami Northwestern High showed up in grand style for their 2024 prom, and the compilation video showing how they dressed to impress gained millions of views, the Miami Herald reports.
Race relations: Segregation has increased in Florida school districts since the 1980s, Axios reports. • There’s a racial gap among students who receive Bright Futures scholarships, WTSP reports.
School safety: The developer of Florida’s new school safety dashboard explained how parents can use it in an interview with The Conversation.
Superintendents: The Broward County School Board will consider a $200,000 separation agreement with outgoing superintendent Peter Licata, who resigned after 10 months on the job, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Tornado aftermath: Students and teachers at a Leon County K-8 school worked to rescue animals and repair the school’s farm after storms tore through the campus, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
From the police blotter ... A Palm Beach County high school security monitor was arrested on accusations of having a sexual relationship with a 19-year-old student, the Palm Beach Post reports. • A Duval County school maintenance worker was arrested on allegations of soliciting children on the internet for sexual acts, Jacksonville Today reports. • A Pinellas County high school student was arrested on allegations of bringing a gun to school, WFLA reports.
From the court docket ... A federal judge allowed a conservative professor to continue his lawsuit alleging the University of Central Florida violated his First Amendment rights, Florida Politics reports.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
Before you go ... Grammy-winning jazz singer Esperanza Spalding has a new album with Brazilian superstar Milton Nascimento. Just listen.
