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Education takes central role in Florida’s race for governor

A roundup of Florida education news from around the state
 
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, left, and Gov. Ron DeSantis are both hoping voters pick them in the midterms to be Florida's governor.
U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, left, and Gov. Ron DeSantis are both hoping voters pick them in the midterms to be Florida's governor. [ Times 2022 ]
Published Aug. 29, 2022

The big story: The two major party candidates for Florida governor left no question that education looms large over this year’s election politics with their latest moves.

Incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has education-themed ads streaming across the internet, used the recommendation of a grand jury as his rationale to suspend four elected Broward County School Board members, the Miami Herald reports. He replaced the four women, who are registered Democrats, with four men — three of whom are well known in Republican circles, the Sun-Sentinel reports. More from Florida Phoenix.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, the Democratic challenger, put a different spotlight on the issue as he named United Teachers of Dade president Karla Hernández-Mats as his running mate. Read more about Hernández-Mats, the first Hispanic leader of the Miami-Dade County teachers union, from Florida Politics.

The two candidates have offered starkly different messages and platforms when it comes to education. Read more here.

Hot topics

Final vote tally, after a recount, for and against a schools tax in Hillsborough County. [ MARLENE SOKOL | Times staff ]

Tax referendums: A recount did not change the outcome of the Hillsborough County school district’s failed property tax initiative. “We’ll be back in two years,” a lawyer for the district said.

University leadership: A search committee recommended DeSantis ally Sen. Ray Rodrigues to become the next state university system chancellor, the News Service of Florida reports.

Intellectual freedom: The state university system surveyed students and staff about whether they feel comfortable expressing their views on campus. The response was tiny, and among those who took the time, majorities said they do not feel pressures.

Book challenges: The St. Johns County School Board placed some restrictions and advisories on eight library books that faced criticism from some community members, the St. Augustine Record reports.

Help wanted: The Seminole County school district held another job fair over the weekend as it continues to seek more teachers, bus drivers and other employees, WKMG reports. • Nassau County school-related support personnel won raises in a tentative contract agreement, as the district continues to hire, Florida Politics reports.

New education laws: Teachers across Florida continue to evaluate how Florida’s new laws relating to the instruction of race and gender will impact the way they do their jobs, the NY Times reports.

Other school news

The NASA moon rocket stands ready less than 24 hours before it is scheduled to launch on Pad 39B for the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the moon at the Kennedy Space Center, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) [ JOHN RAOUX | AP ]

Artemis is scheduled to launch Monday morning. Students in some Brevard County schools are learning about the math and science of rocket propulsion as a related lesson, Florida Today reports.

A Duval County teacher faced accusations years ago that she hit a student, which she denied. Now that any charges are dropped, the teacher is blasting the way the district and law enforcement treated her, the Florida Times-Union reports.

Citrus County school cafeterias are celebrating Throwback Thursdays with meals from memory lane. This past week brought back square pizza, the Citrus County Chronicle reports.

From the court docket ... A former Palm Beach County high school teacher pleaded guilty to four counts of battery after students accused him of inappropriately touching them, the Palm Beach Post reports. • A former Manatee County high school student was awarded $500,000 in a lawsuit against the district relating to a 2015 locker room assault, the Herald-Tribune reports.

Before you go ... Some kids grow big quickly but don’t necessarily grow up as fast. Same for dogs.

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