Showing posts with label Hillsborough County school Board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hillsborough County school Board. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Hillsborough County School Board passes boundary line changes


Hillsborough County School Board members voted 4-3 to pass new school boundary lines for the 2024-2025 school year. It's a move that the school district hopes will save millions of dollars.....MORE

Hillsborough County school board to vote on redistricting plan


Hillsborough County parents are keeping a close eye on Tuesday’s board meeting as boundary changes become part of the discussion once again.

The conversation about redistricting has been a source of controversy over several months.

The school board could approve the superintendent’s plan that would change where 15,000 students go to school in 2024.

More HERE

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Gov. DeSantis signs bills limiting School Board terms, chipping away at teachers unions


The Governor signed a slew of bills likely to shake up public education’s status quo, with new limits on School Board terms, the end of automatically deducting union dues from paychecks and a block on students using social media via school Wi-Fi.....MORE


Thursday, March 30, 2023

Legislation to make School Board races partisan prepped for final House approval


A measure that would have voters decide whether the Florida Constitution should be changed to make School Board races partisan is ready for a final vote.....MORE

Monday, March 27, 2023

Push for partisan School Board elections advances


A bill that would have voters decide in the 2024 election whether School Board candidates should declare a party affiliation is taking a step toward becoming law.

Legislation (SJR 94) that Republican Sen. Joe Gruters filed received a nod from the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee, with Democratic dissent at its second committee stop.

More HERE

Friday, February 24, 2023

A Word From Jessica Vaughn

Jessica talks about important school budget concerns, boundaries, Ron DeSantis' hit list and other topics.

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Neo-Fascists target Hillsborough County School Board Members under guise of Parental Rights

Governor Ron DeSantis and his neo-fascist allies are wading into school board races as part of a calculated plan to up-end all the progress made since the Civil Rights movement. Public education has been the core component of social mobility in America. It now stands under attack at every avenue. Whether the efforts to decertify teacher’s unions, remove diversity and equity trainings, or out right erase history with white-washed fallacies, all these multi-pronged attacks serve one ultimate goal, the reversal of progress in America. Progress has been characterized as “Woke” ideology. To understand this fight, first allow me tell you what “Woke” truly means…

For those familiar with the 90s-2000s movie franchise of the Matrix, a dystopian future where artificial intelligences utilize human beings asleep in a virtual reality as batteries in the real world, being woke is to unplug from the artificial reality. Much in this way the moniker of “stay woke” was popularized by young African American scholars in last 20 years as a reminder to avoid falling prey to the artificial realities created by the mainstream media and global political systems. And, somehow right-wing activists and politicians have co-opted and appropriated “woke” as a blanket term to classify any policies which forward diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their long standing war on LGTBQ+ culture has now allowed them to target African American culture and any allies to either group. Gone are the days when political correctness would have right wingers call these folks special interest groups. Political correctness itself is now seen as woke ideology. Where their grandfathers had no problems dropping racial epithets in public speech, now Ron DeSantis and his Moms for Liberty now utilize the term woke in its place. These are dog whistles to a conservative base that fears the progress in America. Years ago I recall the warnings that conservatives were going to begin targeting school board races to reverse the work of desegregation. Now it is clear that they affirm to go much further in controlling curriculum from pre-K to PhD. Fascism in America was always going to be wrapped up in rallying cry for liberty while carrying a cross. This is exactly what DeSantis and his allies intend. To play victim and say their freedom is under attack, that their Christian values are lost in a public school system separated from Church by the State.

Their next target is Hillsborough County. Jessica Vaugh and Nadia Combs, two outstanding school board members are being targeted in this next election cycle by Moms for Liberty for their progressive ideals and desire to keep kids safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make no mistake, if DeSantis gets his way, Hillsborough County will no longer be a school system that produces scholars that can compete on an international level. We will become a bastion of pseudo-science, fascism, and false history instituted by a regime of his choosing as part of the greater culture war to destroy American progress. Gone are the days when David Duke and Klan are actively working to reverse our hard fought progress, now its Karens claiming their parent rights are infringed upon because their kids have to learn that their grandparents didn’t want to attend integrated schools. I would encourage any human being with an ounce of sanity and the right to vote to get out in this next election and ensure that these Moms for Liberty have several seats, and not ones on the school board.

Christopher C. Cano, MPA, Concerned Tampeño

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Letter to Hillsborough County school Board Member Jessica Vaughn

 Yesterday, the Hillsborough County School Board had an intense and robust conversation about our award winning equity policy. We’ve been notified by the state that we needed to review our policy, as they are concerned parts of it might be out of compliance with the new “anti-woke” legislation - specifically our purpose statement that talks about “institutional racism”. And even though we repeatedly asked for more clarity regarding how our policy might conflict with the law, we haven’t been provided with any more clarity from the state regarding any specific violations. I urge you all to watch the workshop for yourselves, when you have time.

n response to yesterday’s workshop, here is an email that I received this morning. I honestly can’t tell if this is genuine or satire.
(Possible trigger warning)
Subject: Major racism issue Hillsborough County Public Schools ignores
“Hello Hillsborough County Public Schools Board of Education members,
With all the accusations in Hillsborough County Public Schools of systemic racism against minorities (not supported by the facts) and an emphasis on “institutional racism”, there's a growing movement to have a Thank You White People Day
· White people created the very high standard of living all races in the USA enjoy
· They allowed non-Whites from all over the world to immigrate to the USA
· By 2044 Whites will no longer be the majority (Census Bureau) in the highly advanced country they created, extremely generous of them
· Many immigrants don't want to assimilate (destroys the cohesiveness and harmony of a country)
The USA was almost 90 percent White until the deceptive Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (proponents claimed it would not change demographics) flooded the country (chain migration big factor) with non-White immigrants (the USA became an economic superpower by about 1890).
White people created the government, the corporations, industries, technology, healthcare system, the banking system, the universities, made the US dollar the international currency etc.
The ubiquitous word “diversity” in the media, education and politics supports discrimination in hiring in companies, organizations, government agencies and education (especially management positions) against heterosexual White males and in many cases White females.
The ubiquitous phrase “people of color” intentionally divides society and marginalizes White people, Caucasians in one group and everybody else in another group. White is a color, White has 52 shades.
These days, there is more racism among the minority groups than from Whites to any minority group. For example, go to a Black neighborhood and tell them the Mexicans and the Vietnamese are moving in and see what happens.
Canada, Australia and many European countries, such as Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and France, are also generously allowing a vast number of non-White people to immigrate to their countries (huge amount of problems including financial and violence), perhaps they should also have a Thank You White People Day.
Are any non-White countries with an above average standard of living such as South Korea, Japan or Uruguay opening their countries to poor people of all races from all over the world? No, just White countries, yet White people are called racists, it’s absurd.
White people have sent billions of dollars to Africa and a vast amount of food and medicine and other vital items.
They also created the Affirmative Action program in the 1960’s so companies could hire Blacks based on their skin color and colleges could enroll Blacks based on their skin color.
Due to all the inaccurate information about White people (the most generous race in the world), perhaps Hillsborough County Public Schools can create a Thank You White People Day to show appreciation for their enormous generosity; they allowed millions of poor non-White immigrants (expensive) from all over the world to immigrate to their country and enjoy a high standard of living even though they're going to become a minority in the United States.
Best, Brian

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Hillsborough County Closing Schools

The Hillsborough County school district could close a half dozen schools and use them for other purposes, according to plans released Tuesday after months of development by a consultant. more

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Hillsborough School Board OKs Sex Education

Hillsborough County school board members approved their sex education courses for students in seventh, eighth 
and ninth grades. HERE

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Thank You Hillsborough County school Board

Thank You Shake WashingtonJessica VaughnNadia Temsamani CombsKaren Perez, and Lynn Gray for voting in favor of a simple policy that will result in the highest level of public safety 
in our schools.

This insane controversy makes clear how important public education is to our society. Mandatory SCIENCE CLASSES for ALL PARENTS NOW!

Kelly Benjamin

Friday, September 18, 2020

Hillsborough County's Over Staffing Myth

Hillsborough County School District Superintendent Addison Davis says some schools are living beyond their means and staffing cuts have to be made. 
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Teacher and School Board District 3 candidate Jessica Vaughn said when she visits schools she’s seen frustration with understaffing, 
not an excess.
“This over-staffing myth is something that I have yet to see or experience or really understand where that’s coming from,” Vaughn said. Both Stephanie Baxter-Jenkins with the Hillsborough classroom teachers association and Vaughn agreed that the District should look at recent software spending before threatening teaching and support jobs. HERE
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With just a few months on the job under his belt, Davis has already spent more than $12 million on computer-based learning systems for the district, including a $3.7 million purchase from a company that employs his brother
 as an executive.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Bill Person On The School Board Race

Come Tuesday, November 3rd General Election Day, voters in Hillsborough County have a major opportunity to save public education, as we know it, for decades to come. In early 2020, our current school board appointed a new leader, Superintendent Addison Davis, just prior to a district shutdown due to COVID 19. This leader has restructured the entire district, from instructional delivery, to support personnel and now he is implementing across the board unit cuts, including financial paring and key personnel adjustments to affect a leaner, more efficient school district. Now is a great time to change membership on our often dysfunctional and seemingly inept school board. Let's take a critical look at the four races in districts 1,3 5 and at-large 7.

District 3: Pro-privatization and supporter of for-profit managed charter schools, Incumbent Cindy Stuart, has resigned her seat to become the newly elected Clerk of the Circuit Court. The two winners in the primary are Jessica Vaughn, an educator and businessman Mitch Thrower. These two are polar opposites. Vaughn is a real people person with a  strong progressive stance toward improving public education for ALL students and instructional staff. She is opposed to vouchers, for-profit managed charter schools and privatization of public education.Thrower is supported by the private sector, which includes big bucks from the corporate world of for-profit charter schools, vouchers and privatization. He is funded by private sector friends and helpers in Tallahassee and developers and the like in our county. Thrower is another version of District 1 incumbent,Steve Cona III.

District 1 incumbent is a businessman, anti-union board member, promoter of for-profit managed charter schools,vouchers and Steve Cona, along with Stuart pressed hard in the past to privatize nearly 1500 district school custodians by moving to a contractor bid process for custodial services. He is being challenged by former teacher and educational business woman, Nadia Combs, a highly respected teacher and staff member previously employed by the school system. Combs dominated Cona in the primary election and she has a great chance to unseat this two-year incumbent who is supported by Mean-Girl Cindy Stuart and Mean-Girl Susan Valdes, a former school board member and current Florida State Representative. Valdes is also being challenged for re-election by Hillsborough classroom teacher, NPA, Laurie Rodriguez-Person and a Trump Republican supporter, Angle Urbina, in the general election.

District 5: This is an extremely heated race in the central Tampa/Temple Terrace/Seminole Heights areas between incumbent Tamara Shamburger and retired district Area Superintendent Henry "Shake" Washington. Neither have seemed greatly opposed to either Vouchers or for-profit managed Charter schools. Shamburger was initally opposed to the appointment of Superintendent Davis while Washington's campaign staff appears to be fully supportive of both Cona and Davis, Both Washington and his campaign staff and Superintendent Davis have stated publicly, "Charter Schools are here to Stay!" Political local office holder incumbents appear to lean in support of Shamburger but this race has proven to be a real show! Here, sparks really fly all the way to November.

District 7, at-large, county wide seat: This race is between incumbent and former teacher Lynn Gray and former school board member and former school district employee and private school owner Sally Harris. Gray has taught at many Hillsborough schools and also at Jesuit High School. She has the ear and support of the unions and school district employees. She is opposed to for-profit managed charter schools, generally, along with an aversion to vouchers and privatization. As a board member, she has been unafraid to "be an Army of One" pressing hard for kids, teachers and school communities. Harris was the fourth-wheel of the infamous "Mean Girls Four" along with long-gone, failed politican April Griffin, Susan Valdes and now Cindy Stuart. Harris lost her seat in 2018 to new board member and educator, Dr. Stacy Hahn, in South Tampa/South County/ South Shore areas.

As a three-time candidate, unsuccessful at that, for School Board District one in 2016, 2018 and in 2020 and as a 35 year teacher, principal, director and general director, I recommend you support and elect: Jessica Vaughn, Nadia Combs, Lynn Gray and Henry "Shake" Washington and help save our 
beloved school district.  Bill Person