Pinellas teachers call for pay that keeps up with rising cost of living, amid teacher shortage

Just one week into the school year, Pinellas County Schools is short nearly 400 teachers and personnel, according to the local school district. While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is trying to recruit former cops, firefighters, veterans, and other first responders to fill the massive teacher shortage across the state, teachers in Tampa Bay say that… Read more »

MidPoint: Academic Freedom is Under Attack in Florida

Academic freedom is under attack. Over the past 2 years, the DeSantis administration has undertaken a complete reform of education policies constraining academic freedom by passing SB 7044. In the state colleges and universities, professors are concerned. MidPoint interviews the President of the faculty union at USF and a USF History professor to learn why.

MidPoint: The Bones of The Dozier School

Florida’s Dozier School for Boys was open for 111 years in Marianna, Florida, and had a long history of terror, abuse, and disappearances. The school closed in 2011, but the search for the bones and identities of over 50 boys in unnamed graves still continues. This week on Midpoint forensic anthropologist and author Erin Kimmerle spoke about the search and her new book, We Carry Their Bones. Her work also formed the basis for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead.

MidPoint: Math Book Rejections Don’t Add Up

The Florida Department of Education’s rejection of 54 mathematics textbooks just doesn’t seem to add up. The claims of “indoctrination” through social-emotional learning, or the alleged inclusion of “prohibited topics” like critical race theory have narrowed the choices and raised concerns about the future of educational freedom. To discuss the issues with MidPoint, Dr. India White and Raegan Miller joined host Shelley Reback.

MidPoint: Say Gay, Celebrate Pride

As the state of Florida waits for the “Don’t Say Gay” bill to pass into law with the signature of Gov. DeSantis, the push-back has been loud. On MidPoint this week, host Shelley Reback, along with Tampa Pride program coordinator Debbie Ducko, trans activist Andrew Klumb, and his mother, anti-bullying and LGBTQ children’s advocate Leanne Klumb, invited everyone to Say Gay.

MidPoint’s Legislative Wrap-Up: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

As Florida’s legislative session draws to a close, it is time to take inventory and review what has emerged from the Capitol. From the headline-topping bills to the under-the-radar legislation, MidPoint host Shelley Reback, is joined by Tampa Bay Times’ William March and State Rep. Andrew Learned to review the good, the bad, and the ugly of this year’s session.

Photo of Created Equal org at USF

Ohio anti-abortion group speaks out at USF

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS AHEAD, READER DISCRETION ADVISED In the field outside USF’s library on Tuesday, the orange signs read “ABORTION VICTIM PHOTOS AHEAD.” Handing out pamphlets and engaging students in conversation were activists calling for an end to all abortions and what they describe as ‘ageism’. Listen to the full story here: Their organization is… Read more »

MidPoint: ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and other oppressive legislation

Dangerous amendments to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is the latest trend among the ‘censorship and surveillance’ legislation that’s been passing through the Florida government this session. Nadine Smith of Equality Florida and Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani joined MidPoint host Shelley Reback to discuss what this legislation means for the state.

LATEST NEWS

view more