Bills limiting the participation of transgender girls in school sports are being criticized for lacking scientific basis. And they look a lot like model legislation that’s already been struck down by federal courts in other states. LISTEN: Two of the bills being pushed through the legislature are, for all intents and purposes, bans on transgender… Read more »
March 25, 2021 Good morning, I’m Rob Lorei and this is WMNF’s Radioactivity program. Our guest today is Dr. Graham Sowa, MD, 35, who practices internal medicine here in Hillsborough County. He has an unusual story. Born in Texas he decided to go to medical school and found that Cuba was offering free training to… Read more »
Hundreds of Florida teachers, some representing thousands of union faculty members, headed to Tallahassee Wednesday to protest a bill they call “anti-educator.” The bill cleared Wednesday’s Senate committee meeting anyway, but teachers are not giving up the fight. Listen: As far as Senator Victor Torres is concerned, the message was loud and clear. “There’s no… Read more »
The Hillsborough County School District Monday unveiled proposed designs for a memorial to people buried in unmarked graves on Tampa’s King High School campus. The walkable memorial is to honor indigent or unknown people buried at Ridgewood Cemetery as early as 1942. LISTEN: Tampa architect Jerel McCants wants to help restore the spiritual connection and… Read more »
Pasco County’s Catholic St. Leo University is moving full-speed ahead with plans to replace its 44-year-old faculty union and senate with a new “shared governance system.” Faculty members, state unions and even Catholic organizations are asking the school to pull back before it’s too late. LISTEN: Valerie Wright has been president of the United Faculty… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources The Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation Friday met virtually with members of the public to discuss local bills and issues ahead of the 2021 session. COVID-19 concerns were the underlying theme as topics including clean energy, mental health and prison reform were discussed. LISTEN: Acting chair Sen. Janet… Read more »
As Florida Coronavirus cases continue to rise by the thousands every day and test positivity rates nearly double the daily recommendation for phase 3 openings, the Florida Education Association is asking the Board of Governors to enact stricter regulations throughout Florida’s university system. Some schools are taking steps beyond the Board of Governor’s recommendations. LISTEN:… Read more »
Faculty at Saint Leo University in Pasco County are worried about job security and other protections after a surprise decision from the school’s board of trustees stripped them of union protection. The university’s announcement came after the National Labor Relations Board ended oversight of faith-based universities. LISTEN: The news came as a shock to Valerie… Read more »
The Pinellas County School Board Tuesday voted to continue its COVID-19 mandatory mask policy. The decision came after hours of discussion and opposing public comments from parents and students. One parent was arrested during the meeting. LISTEN: For more than an hour, speakers — mostly parents — railed against the school district’s mandatory mask policy…. Read more »
The University of South Florida has suspended activist organization Students for a Democratic Society for violating its policy on face-to-face events amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the group’s members are saying this is the university attempting to suppress their voices. LISTEN: For Taylor Cook, a member of USF’s Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS,… Read more »
Many students in Hillsborough County started a new quarter Monday with some big changes. Staff reductions went into effect throughout the county turning middle schoolers into young activists. Students have been speaking up at school board meetings and even starting petitions to bring back instructors who they’ve bonded with three months into the school year…. Read more »
Hillsborough County School District Superintendent Addison Davis says some schools are living beyond their means and staffing cuts have to be made. But Davis is getting pushback as some say teachers should take precedence over technology. Listen: With just a few months on the job under his belt, Davis has already spent more than $12… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources Many of the school districts in the Tampa Bay area are publishing information about positive tests for coronavirus among students, teachers or staff at schools or in district buildings. Some also give information about whether some or all students in classrooms or buses have been quarantined –… Read more »
A new study from the University of Florida and the ALCU claims that increased policing in schools has not made schools any safer and might be doing more bad than good. The mass shooting and killing of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 sparked new debate about the safety of Florida’s… Read more »
The wife of the Democratic nominee for president spoke to a class at Pasco-Hernando State College Wednesday. Jill Biden teaches at a community college in Virginia. She spoke by video conference about how this year was different from the normal excitement students and teachers feel at the beginning of a school year. Biden spoke to… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources As students in Hillsborough County return to classrooms Monday, some local leaders fear it might be more than books they bring home with them. Listen: Sen. Janet Cruz, Rep. Susan Valdes and Hillsborough School Board member Karen Perez held a news conference over Zoom Monday morning to… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources In an emergency meeting of the Hillsborough School Board Friday morning, members voted 5-2 to open schools Monday after a week of online-only classes, despite previously voting to hold four weeks of online classes. Listen: Following a tumultuous week of judicial back and forth, board members convened… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources Pinellas County opened for in-person learning Monday with six positive COVID-19 cases reported after the first day. But multiple classrooms and buses have been quarantined and the number of students and staff who were potentially exposed could be much larger. According to a person who has seen… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources The Hillsborough and Pinellas County school boards met Tuesday, one day after a judge said education commissioner Richard Corcoran’s order to reopen schools in August was unconstitutional. The ruling was discussed at the meetings but no action was taken. On Monday a Leon County judge ruled in… Read more »
Here is a link to many coronavirus resources Many Florida students, teachers and school staff are attending in-person classes during a deadly pandemic. Some students went back to in-person classes Monday morning in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. This week Hillsborough students and teachers start the year online. Manatee County students have been back for a… Read more »
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