Lawmakers in Florida have not been shy about advancing measures aimed at making it easier for the public to challenge the content of school libraries and classroom materials. They are also banning some books. While book bans may impact Florida public schools, the Leon County Public Library system has said […]
Author: Brianna Jones | Staff writer
More money for Floriday teachers
Teacher raises are coming to Florida’s public schools. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on March 21 that he was approving $800 million for teacher pay raises in this year’s budget passed by the Florida Legislature, according to new4jax. It would be up to each school district to decide how to allocate […]
Legislation focuses on early learning ‘gaps’
Research demonstrates that African-American and Hispanic/Latino children enter kindergarten an average of 7-12 months behind in reading skills and 9-10 months behind in math skills, with even larger gaps existing for low-income students, according to the National Institute for Early Education. Florida Senate Bill 1148, filed by Senator Aaron Bean […]
Push is on to continue state’s back-to-school sales tax holiday
Back to school shopping is one of the most expensive times of the year for many families. Furthermore, with many kids physically returning to school for the first time in a year and a half because of COVID-19, a few parents may be in for genuine sticker shock. “During COVID-19 […]
Bill would support school breakfast programs
Every school day, tens of thousands of students in Florida receive a nutritious breakfast as part of the School Breakfast Program, which provides basic support for families in need. Florida Senate Bill 1656, filed by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Miami), would require the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to […]
Bill targets drinking water in public schools
Christopher Cotton, a junior at Florida High, is a big fan of the water filters his school employs. “I love having water filters at my school,” he said. “Watching multiple people putting their mouths on the water fountain dispenser and touching the fountain makes you not want to consume any […]
Bill aims to support students with epilepsy
Chase Anderson, a grad student at the University of South Alabama, was diagnosed with epilepsy in the third grade after having a seizure in her math class. Three months later she had another seizure, and a few sporadically after that. “Epilepsy is hereditary for every other female on my mom’s […]
Lawmaker lobbies to require human trafficking signs throughout Florida
January 11 has been designated the annual National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the United States. The purpose is to bring attention to human trafficking — a modern-day slavery. Human trafficking does not segregate or discriminate. It can affect individuals of any gender, age, race, ethnicity or nationality. It can […]
Many African Americans wary of the vaccine
While many Americans — especially senior citizens — are thrilled that the COVID-19 vaccine is available, many communities are not ready to embrace the drug. People of color can remember racist and dangerous times when health policies and scientific experiments focused specially on susceptible Black and brown communities. America’s history […]
Review: I’ll be going back to Tin Lizzy’s
Located on Madison Avenue in the heart of College Town between Township and Little MASA sits Tin Lizzy’s Cantina. It is a restaurant that strives to bring you the best tacos in Tallahassee, and it offers thirst-quenching cocktails, friendly service, lively music and eclectic cuisine. In 2005 three longtime friends […]