Tag Archives: education

The Providence Journal reports: While Rhode Island’s colleges tout high vaccination rates against COVID-19, religious exemptions are not always difficult to obtain. At the University of Rhode Island, requesting one is as simple as checking a box. A copy of the one-page form, which the school sent to The Providence Journal, asks students seeking exemptions to provide personal information including …

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports: A chiropractor in Venice provided more than 500 medical exemption forms for children attending Sarasota County Schools who did not want to wear a mask. Dan Busch, a chiropractor at Twin Palms Chiropractic, has signed roughly one-third of all medical exemption forms turned in district-wide, district spokesman Craig Maniglia said Wednesday morning. After the influx of …

The Oregonian reports: Kevin Purnell was fired Monday as superintendent of the Adrian School District just one week after students returned to school. The Adrian School Board, convening in an emotionally charged special meeting, voted 4-1 Monday evening to terminate Purnell after meeting in an executive, or closed door, session for less than half an hour to consider the matter. …

Fort Myers’ NBC News affiliate reports: The Lee County School District will now require masks for teachers and students, eliminating the opt-out form. The school superintendent made the announcement Monday. At a workshop meeting Monday, Superintendent Ken Savage said the mandate will be reassessed after that 30 days. “To those that are angry with this decision today, I will likely …

The Associated Press reports: The Education Department announced Monday that it’s investigating five Republican-led states that have banned mask requirements in schools, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions. The department’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah. Those states have barred schools …

Florida Politics reports: Communications Director Taryn Fenske said the administration “will immediately appeal” the ruling in the 1st District Court of Appeal, where administration officials are “confident” it will prevail on the merits of the case. “We are used to the Leon County Circuit Court not following the law and getting reversed on appeal, which is exactly what happened last …

The Hill reports: An unvaccinated elementary school teacher in California who was diagnosed with COVID-19 infected half of the students in their classroom and sparked a community-wide outbreak, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The teacher showed up to work while symptomatic, and continued to teach for two days before receiving a test. …

The Washington Post reports: A Florida judge ruled Friday that the state overstepped its authority in restricting school districts from enacting mask mandates after parents sued officials amid a surge of coronavirus infections. Judge John Cooper of Florida’s Second Circuit sided with parents from six Florida counties who challenged Ron DeSantis (R) and state education officials in court this week, …

Via press release from Liberty University: As part of its ongoing monitoring of positive COVID-19 rates on campus as well as active community cases and local hospital capacity, Liberty University administration announced on Thursday that it is enacting a temporary mitigation period from Aug. 30-Sept. 10. The university is making adjustments to campus operations during this time, which are designed …

Axios reports: A Virginia school board will pay $1.3 million to Gavin Grimm, a transgender man who sued his Gloucester County high school in 2015 after being denied access to the boys’ restroom. The settlement comes two months after the Supreme Court declined to hear the board’s appeal of a lower-court ruling that allowed transgender students to use the bathrooms …

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports: A Texas man stripped during a contentious school board meeting to make a point about wearing masks, causing a stir in the small town of Dripping Springs. When James Akers first approached the microphone for his allotted 90 seconds to speak before the board and the socially-distanced audience gathered in the auditorium, he was fully …

The Detroit Metro Times reports: Paul Marcum, who witnesses say flashed a Nazi salute and chanted “Heil Hitler” at a raucous Birmingham Board of Education meeting last week, has lost his job as a tennis instructor at the Sports Club of West Bloomfield. Police are investigating Marcum after witnesses said he flashed the Nazi salute and repeated “Heil Hitler” Wednesday …

New York City’s NBC News affiliate reports: All New York City public school teachers and other staffers will have to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, officials said Monday as the nation’s largest school system prepared for classes to start next month. The city previously said teachers, like other city employees, would have to get the shots or get tested weekly …

The Miami Herald reports: Broward County and Alachua County school board members who voted to impose a mask mandate could start losing their monthly pay as soon as next week unless they reverse their policy. Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran on Friday issued the warning, saying he would begin withholding an amount equal to their salaries each month until they …

Peoria’s CBS News affiliate reports: A current part-time Morton High School teacher is facing accusations of homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and racial insensitivity. Student testimonies show these claims go as far back as 2009. The district’s superintendent Dr. Jeff Hill twice confirmed in e-mails that there is an ongoing investigation into these allegations against French teacher Kim Johnson. “I remember comments …

Fort Myers’ ABC News affiliate reports: The woman caught on camera yelling racist insults at a mother and kids is no longer employed by the Collier County School District. According to CCPS’ staff email directory, Patricia Schmidt was an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Specialist at Lely Elementary School, but she has since been fired, a spokesperson for CCPS confirmed. “Are …

Axios reports: After record-shattering daily COVID-19 counts, school boards in Florida’s Hillsborough and Miami-Dade Counties held emergency meetings Wednesday and voted to again require face coverings on campuses. The districts are the nation’s fourth- and seventh-largest — representing more than 600,000 students. They join Broward, Leon and Alachua Counties in openly defying Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department …

Fort Myers’ NBC News affiliate reports: The woman caught on camera yelling racist insults at a mother and kids was placed on administrative leave by the Collier County School District. According to CCPS’ staff email directory, Patricia Schmidt is employed as an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Specialist at Lely Elementary School. The video shows Schmidt mocking the child behind the …

CNN reports: Arizona Republican Gov. Doug Ducey said Tuesday that the state would use federal Covid relief money to increase the funding available to public school districts only if they’re open for in-person learning and don’t require children to wear masks. To be eligible for the grant funding — $163 million in total — Arizona school districts must be open …

Jacksonville’s NBC News affiliate reports: The State Board of Education on Tuesday voted in favor of a recommendation to “use its enforcement powers” against Alachua County Public Schools after the district defied a statewide order to allow students to opt out of wearing a face mask without a doctor’s note. With a unanimous vote, the board authorized the Florida Department …