This week the Tampa Bay Times began publishing results of an investigation into several low-performing elementary schools called “Why Pinellas County is the worst place in Florida to be black and go to public school.”
In 2007 Pinellas schools turned back racial integration policies and started to become more segregated. Since then the investigation found that “five once-decent elementary schools [turned] into the worst schools in Florida. Today, 95 percent of students at Campbell Park, Fairmount Park, Lakewood, Maximo and Melrose can’t read or do math at grade level.”
To find out what may have led to these problems and what can be done to help these schools, WMNF News’ Seán Kinane spoke with Rene Flowers, a Pinellas County School Board member who represents much of the southern tip of the county, where the low-performing schools are located.
Listen:
