Judge sets hearing on education amendment

A Leon County circuit judge will hear arguments Aug. 17 in a dispute about a proposed constitutional amendment that calls for changes in the state’s education system.  Judge John Cooper on Monday scheduled the hearing in the lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of Florida, which is trying to keep the constitutional amendment…

Amendment 8 intentionally misleads voters

If you want an education in political flimflam, one needs to look no farther than Amendment 8, School Board Term Limits and Duties; Public Schools. Commonly referred to as the education amendment, it will be on the November 6 ballot along with 12 other constitutional amendments. Read More

Gradebook podcast: Fighting Amendment 8, with Florida League of Women Voters president Patricia Brigham

Supporters of Florida Constitution Revision Commission Amendment 8 focus on the part that would create school board term limits, viewing it as a popular idea that could push the proposal to the 60 percent vote needed for passage.  Critics say the measure goes much further, though — with some potentially devastating provisions that could dramatically…

Lawsuit: Amendment 8 summary ‘misleading’ about control of charter schools

The summary language of a proposed constitutional amendment that would revoke the exclusive authority of school boards to operate public charter schools is “affirmatively misleading” to voters, according to a lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of Florida against Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner. Read More

Thursday Editorial: League of Women Voters is right to sue over deceptive ballot item

The League of Women Voters in Florida was right to challenge a seriously misleading constitutional amendment proposal in court.  Many of the amendments proposed by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission for a November vote have serious flaws, such as lumping four issues into one amendment.  But one of the batched amendments is so deceptive that…

Cotterell: Education amendment looks deceptive

A lawsuit filed last week may or may not succeed in knocking the education amendment off the ballot, but – win or lose – it has already underscored the duplicity of the Constitution Revision Commission.  Amendment 8 on the ballot seems bland enough, proposing eight-year term limits for all school board members and directing the…

Lawsuit challenges education amendment, seeks to remove it from Florida’s ballot

A constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would allow charter school organizers to bypass local school boards to get approval is “intentionally misleading” because it doesn’t directly explain to voters that the amendment is designed to circumvent local control and intentionally leaves out the word “charter,’‘ a lawsuit filed Thursday in Leon County Circuit…

Parkland commission recommending changes, better coordination of alternative-discipline programs

Alternative student-discipline programs in Florida need an overhaul, according to the commission investigating the Parkland shooting.  Commission members, meeting Tuesday in Sunrise, recommended reforms to school-diversion programs, created to shield students who commit low-risk, non-violent offenses from legal consequences. Read More

Editorial: End the double standard for Florida schools educating students with public dollars

For years, education leaders in Florida have been ratcheting up standards and expectations for students in public schools. Policymakers have increased the passing scores on the state-mandated tests that determine whether students can graduate and the grades their schools receive. Just last month, they voted to hike the required scores for graduation for public school…

Romano: Florida’s schools engaged in double standard of epic proportions

Your religious views matter, and don’t let anyone ever tell you differently.  This goes for evangelicals and agnostics, and everyone in between. A lawyer might argue it’s a First Amendment right, but it’s also a courtesy we should all embrace.  Even, or especially, when we don’t agree. I mention this because of a story I…