Sarasota's students are expected to follow rules. Why doesn't the School Board?

School Board picks, chooses laws to follow

Once again, the Sarasota County School Board majority of Bridget Ziegler, Karen Rose, Robyn Marinelli and Tim Enos has engaged in blatant hypocrisy, voting to approve a Ziegler resolution to ignore new federal rules for Title IX. 

Title IX ensures nondiscrimination and an equal opportunity to public education for students. The new rules add gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes. They do not deal with transgender students playing in single-sex sports, as Ziegler has indicated to mislead the public.

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Enos has repeatedly stated that as a 32-year law enforcement officer, he always follows the rule of law. Marinelli and Rose have repeatedly stated they don’t make the laws but must follow them.

Four sworn constitutional officers have loudly and publicly chosen to ignore a federal law, just because they don’t like it. And they’ve sent a message to LGBTQ students that they shouldn’t have equal rights under the law.

These four think the rule of law is a smorgasbord.  You can pick and choose which laws you will follow, based on what you like.

What kind of example does this set for our children when our School Board refuses to follow the rule of law?  Are we becoming a banana republic?

Lisa Schurr, Sarasota

Ban on fake meat will worsen climate

Florida’s ban on safe, eco-friendly meat that is humanely cultivated from animal cells not only tramples on our personal freedom to make conscientious choices but also helps to ensure that residents will suffer the devastating impacts of stronger and deadlier hurricanes due to worsening climate conditions.

The bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed May 1 banned lab-grown meat, also called “cultivated” meat because it’s grown from animal stem cells. The ban is meant to protect cattle ranchers and the “integrity of American agriculture,” he said.

Animal agriculture is responsible for 65% of global emissions of nitrous oxide − a gas with 296 times the climate-changing power of carbon dioxide − in addition to massive amounts of other greenhouse gases.

As we continue to dangerously alter the Earth’s atmosphere, extreme weather events become more frequent and more severe. Oxford Martin School researchers found that if everyone stopped eating animal flesh, we would save more than 8 million lives by 2050.

And, despite the recent bans, a report from the consultancy Kearney predicts that by 2040, 60% of the “meat” people eat will be grown or replaced by vegan meat.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait for cultivated meat or reasonable policy: A stroll down the aisle at Publix shows that healthy, humane vegan meat is at our fingertips.

Michelle Reynolds, North Port

Florida teacher pay low but education No. 1

I'm responding to the May 8 article decrying Florida’s ranking No. 50 for average teacher pay in the nation.

The article's author may be surprised to learn that Florida has been ranked No. 1 in overall education by U.S. News & World Report for the second straight year (which, incidentally, encompasses Ron DeSantis’ tenure as governor).

Statistics prove again and again that, for the most part, teachers don’t become teachers for the money; it is a calling. They should, of course, be compensated fairly, but the false equation of quality with quantity is far more harmful than helpful where our children are concerned.

The left needs to focus on improving the quality of education rather than its self-serving mantra, “We’re striking for the children.”

Mel Hoffman, Sarasota

Antisemitic to cut off bombs to Israel

President Joe Biden stopped a shipment of bombs to Israel. Are you kidding me? That’s the worst case of antisemitism.

Israel wants and needs this conflict to end. To save innocent lives and for Israel to survive, it needs the ammunition it receives from the U.S. to finish the job and start rebuilding.

Hamas must be doubled over laughing at the support it is getting at these protests. Not all of the protesters are students – and do these protesters even know the history of the region? There is never any mention that Hamas continues to send bombs into Israel. Who’s supplying Hamas with these weapons?

By the way, where are the leaders of Hamas? Sitting in some luxury surroundings, no doubt, far from harm’s way.

Israel seems to get bad press regardless of what it says or does. It is a democratic country, unlike the majority of countries in that region.

My advice to Israel: You need to go it alone; your allies and friends(?) can’t be relied on for support.

The Israelis need to do whatever is necessary to protect themselves and save their country.

Brenda Frank, Sarasota

Vote for leaders who care about climate

I applaud your important guest column April 29, “Climate pollution puts Florida at risk. Why won't our leaders act?”

The answer, of course, is that they are the wrong leaders.

Our current leaders in Tallahassee expend little effort to study and improve reality. Lazily, they legislate based on their personal beliefs and opinions, an effort that requires no learning at all.

The writer’s knowledge of reality in his second year of college has already surpassed theirs.  If he ran for office, I'd vote for him.

There are real answers to the climate crisis, and the proper political will would give them a timely and critically needed boost. It is important, therefore, to have good, reality-based leaders. We can ensure that on Nov. 5.

John Darovec, Bradenton

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota's School Board is big on hypocrisy, weak on following rules