This week, a number of new laws in Florida went into effect, with one in particular garnering significant attention during its debate in the legislature and again when Governor Ron DeSantis signed it into law.
Proponents of Florida’s decision to permit religious chaplains to provide counseling to students on public school campuses are celebrating the state’s continued support for parental choice in their children’s education. However, detractors are criticizing the idea, arguing that the state should not be involved in introducing religion into public education.
While the principles were being discussed, it seems that one provision was overlooked by many – that school boards have the option to allow chaplains, but it is not mandatory. As a result, a significant number of schools have no intention of implementing the program. For more information on this topic, click here.
There are various groups ready to offer their support if a district chooses to adopt the model.
According to WFSU, the Tallahassee Democrat reports that The Satanic Temple has confirmed their willingness to be the test case.
According to the News Service of Florida, the plaintiffs involved in a lawsuit against the Escambia County school district’s decision to remove books from school libraries have requested the court to mandate the district to return the books to their respective shelves. The removal of books has been a subject of challenge for the plaintiffs, and they are seeking restitution of the books to their original positions in the school libraries.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, qualified students have been turned away from Florida’s university nursing schools due to a lack of space, despite the state’s nurse shortage. This situation has prompted Florida State and Florida A&M universities to search for solutions to protect programs that have been labeled as underperforming by the Board of Governors, as reported by WFSU.
According to a report by WSVN, the building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, where 17 lives were tragically lost in a shooting massacre in 2018, has been demolished. The aftermath of the Parkland shooting saw the building remain standing for six years, but it has now been removed. The debris is set to be completely cleared before the students return to school in the fall.
According to WFLA, Sarasota is gearing up to introduce cameras in school zones to catch speeding drivers, who will then be slapped with a $100 fine.
According to WTVT, there are several organizations including the United Way in the Tampa Bay region that have initiated programs aimed at preventing summer learning losses among children. These programs provide children with access to books and other learning materials to keep them engaged in reading throughout the summer.
According to WOFL, a high school student who was found guilty of shooting a fellow student at Seminole High in Sanford has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Meanwhile, the News Service of Florida reported that two school districts in South Florida have been cleared of any obligation to reimburse an insurance company for the medical bills of three individuals who were harmed in school bus accidents, as per an appellate court ruling.
