Florida Board of Education

Last updated

The Florida Board of Education, also known as the State Board of Education (SBE), is a committee composed of members appointed by the Florida governor to guide and direct the public K-12, community college and state college education in the U.S. state of Florida.

Contents

History

From Reconstruction through 2002, the commissioner of education had been a Cabinet-level position, elected by the people and directly responsible for public education in Florida. The 1998 Constitutional Revision Commission proposed a rewrite of Article IV, Section IV of the Florida Constitution that reduced the Florida Cabinet from six elected officials to three. The voters approved the changes and it became effective January 7, 2003. The Florida commissioner of education became an appointed position and the Florida Department of Education became the overall responsibility of the governor. The revised constitution also created a new Florida Board of Education with seven members (one of whom is the commissioner of education), appointed by the governor. The Florida commissioner of education manages the day-to-day operations of the FLDOE. The current commissioner is Richard Corcoran, appointed in 2018.

Meetings

The Florida Board of Education meets at least bi-monthly in Tallahassee; more often if issues require it. Public hearings are also held periodically at locations throughout the state.

Controversial regulations

In 2021 the Florida Board of Education prohibited teaching about critical race theory or the 1619 Project in public schools. [1]

In April 2023, the Board of Education extended the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, often called the "Don't Say Gay" Act, from covering kindergarten to third grade students into covering the entire range of kindergarten to twelfth grade. The regulation forbids teachers from discussing topics of sexual orientation and gender identity, except as part of reproductive health courses. The Board clarified that they did not believe that even their exception on health classes would come up frequently, as Chancellor Paul Burns said that "abstinence is the required expectation of what we teach in our schools". [2]

In July 2023, the Board of Education approved a Social Studies curriculum with lessons on how "slaves developed skills" that could be used for "personal benefit." [3] Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Jacksonville where she denounced the curriculum as whitewashing slavery and urged Floridians to "fight back" against "extremists in Florida who want to erase our full history and censor our truths." Two members of the work group who established the curriculum standards countered by saying the curriculum provides "comprehensive and rigorous instruction on African American History."

Members

NamePositionOccupationFirst ConfirmedCurrent Term BeginsCurrent Term Ends
Ben GibsonChairPartner, Shutts & Bowne, Tallahassee [4] March 8, 201807/14/201712/31/2024 [5]
Ryan Petty Vice ChairCommunications executive, school safety activistMarch 13, 2020 [6] 01/21/202012/31/2022 [7]
Monesia BrownMemberDirector of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Walmart April 29, 202101/12/202112/31/2024 [8]
Esther Byrd [9] MemberLegal Assistant, Cord Byrd Unconfirmed03/11/2022TBA [10]
Grazie Pozo ChristieMemberRadiologistUnconfirmed03/11/2022TBA [11]
Joe YorkMemberexecutive, AT&TMarch 8, 2018 [12] 01/12/201812/31/2021 [13]
Manny Díaz Jr. CommissionerPoliticianN/AJune 2022

Former members

NameOccupationFirst ConfirmedTerm Ended
Thomas R. Grady Insurance executive, former state Rep. [14] March 8, 201612/31/2022 [15]
Marva JohnsonRegional Vice-President of State Government Affairs, Charter Communications [16] April 29, 201412/31/2021 [17]
Andy TuckCitrus farmer, Highlands County [18] April 3, 201412/31/2021 [19]
Gary Chartrandbusiness executive201112/31/2014
Roberto Martinez12/31/2012
Sally Bradshawpolitical consultant2011October 2013 (resigned) [20]
John A. Colon12/31/2014
Barbara S. Feingold12/31/2014
John R. Padget12/31/2012
Kathleen Shanahan12/31/2013
Akshay K. Desai12/31/2013 (resigned early)
T. Willard Fair2010
Roberto Martinez2008
Phoebe Raulerson2008
Kathleen Shanahan2009
Linda Taylor2009

See also

Related Research Articles

The State University System of Florida is a system of twelve public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2018, over 341,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities. Together with the Florida College System, which includes Florida's 28 community colleges and state colleges, it is part of Florida's system of public higher education. The system, headquartered in Tallahassee, is overseen by a chancellor and governed by the Florida Board of Governors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Department of Education</span> State education agency of Florida

The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies. It is headquartered in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Florida</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Florida have federal protections, but many face legal difficulties on the state level that are not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Same-sex sexual activity became legal in the state after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas on June 26, 2003, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the state since January 6, 2015. Discrimination on account of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations is outlawed following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. In addition, several cities and counties, comprising about 55 percent of Florida's population, have enacted anti-discrimination ordinances. These include Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee and West Palm Beach, among others. Conversion therapy is also banned in a number of cities in the state, mainly in Palm Beach County and the Miami metropolitan area. In September 2023, Lake Worth Beach, Florida became an official "LGBT sanctuary city" to protect and defend LGBT rights.

Jonathan Satter is an American business executive and government official.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron DeSantis</span> Governor of Florida since 2019

Ronald Dion DeSantis is an American politician serving since 2019 as the 46th governor of Florida. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Florida's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018. DeSantis is a candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilton Simpson</span> American politician (born 1966)

Wilton Earl Simpson is an American politician who has served as the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture since 2023. From 2012 to 2022, he served as a member of the Florida Senate, representing areas around Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties. He was elected Senate President for the 2020–2022 legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Corcoran</span> American politician (born 1965)

Richard Michael Corcoran is an American politician who served as speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. A Republican, Corcoran represented the 37th district, which includes central Pasco County, from 2012 to 2018, and previously represented the 45th district from 2010 to 2012. From 2019 to 2022, Corcoran served as the state's education commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Florida gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Florida, alongside an election to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and other state and local elections. Incumbent two-term Republican governor Rick Scott was term-limited and could not run for a third term, and he successfully ran for Florida's Class I Senate seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anti-LGBT curriculum laws in the United States</span> Current and former laws prohibiting or limiting mention of LGBT topics in public schools

Anti-LGBT curriculum laws are laws approved by various U.S. states that prohibit or limit the mention or discussion of homosexuality and transgender identity in public schools, especially in younger grades. In theory, these laws mainly apply to sex ed courses, but they can also be applied to other parts of the school curriculum as well as to extracurricular activities such as sports and organizations such as gay–straight alliances. In July 2022, a wave of anti-LGBT curriculum resurgence saw ten such laws beginning to take effect in six different states. Some states enacting these new laws appear to have mirrored similar laws from other states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna V. Eskamani</span> American politician from Florida

Anna Vishkaee Eskamani is an American politician who is the member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 42nd district, encompassing parts of Orlando along with Maitland, Winter Park, Eatonville, Edgewood, and Belle Isle. She is the first Iranian American elected to any public office in Florida. Eskamani is a member of the Democratic Party and supports abortion rights, increased gun control, increasing expenditures on public education, and strengthening environmental regulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel Lee</span> American judge and politician (born 1974)

Laurel Frances Lee is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representatives for Florida's 15th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, she was a judge on Florida's Thirteenth Judicial Circuit from 2013 to 2019 and was the 30th Secretary of State of Florida from 2019 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Florida gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Florida, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Party governor Ron DeSantis won re-election in a landslide and defeated the Democratic Party nominee, former U.S. representative Charlie Crist, who previously served as governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 as a Republican. He was seeking to become the first Democrat elected governor of Florida since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election</span>

The 2022 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Incumbent Democratic Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried was eligible to run for a second term, but she instead ran for governor of Florida in 2022. Republican Wilton Simpson won the election with over 59% of the vote. Simpson’s victory gave Republicans complete control of state government for the first time since Reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Rufo</span> American conservative activist and journalist

Christopher Ferguson Rufo is an American conservative activist, New College of Florida board member, and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. He is an opponent of critical race theory, which he says "has pervaded every aspect of the federal government" and poses "an existential threat to the United States". He is a former documentary filmmaker and former fellow at the Discovery Institute, the Claremont Institute, The Heritage Foundation, and the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism.

The political positions of Ron DeSantis have been recorded from his 2012 election to the United States House of Representatives and his tenure as Representative, the 2016 United States Senate election in Florida, and during his tenure as governor of Florida. DeSantis is considered a conservative Republican.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Florida Senate election</span>

The 2022 elections for the Florida State Senate took place on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, to elect state senators from all 40 districts. Although on ordinary years, 20 senators are elected at a time on a staggered basis, races following redistricting elect all 40 members to ensure that each member represents an equal number of constituents. The Republican Party expanded their Senate majority from 24 to 28, gaining a supermajority in the Senate. The concurrently held House elections also resulted in a supermajority, giving Republicans supermajority control of the legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Censorship of school curricula in the United States</span> Suppression or prohibition of various topics in US schools

Throughout the history of the United States, various topics have been censored and banned in education, including teaching about evolution, racism, sexism, sex education, and LGBTQ+ topics. Due to the federal system of the country being highly decentralized, states are delegated with much of the responsibility for administering public education, and it is often governments of the red states that have enacted such policies.

Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies is a pilot college-level course and examination offered to a limited number of high school students in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program. The course will be dedicated solely to learning about and researching the African diaspora and is designed to elevate African-American history and education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Senate Bill 266</span> Florida legislation dealing with public universities

Florida Senate Bill 266, also commonly known by its Florida House of Representatives counterpart House Bill 999, is Florida legislation relating to public universities within the state. Under the legislation, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and certain college majors relating to DEI would be eliminated or heavily restricted; the legislation phrases such courses as being based on "unproven, theoretical, or exploratory content". The legislation would prohibit state universities from including DEI and political identity filters within higher education hiring processes, and bans the usage of critical race theory in hiring. The law was filed in the Florida House of Representatives on February 21, 2023, by Republican representative Alex Andrade, while a Florida Senate version was filed seven days later by Republican state senator Erin Grall. The senate version of the legislation, which was noted as less intense in its requirements than the house version, ultimately passed and was signed by governor Ron DeSantis, concurrently with the similar Florida House Bill 931, on May 15, 2023. SB 266 took effect on July 1, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governorship of Ron DeSantis</span>

Ron DeSantis has served as the 46th governor of Florida since January 8, 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Andrew Gillum in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election. As governor, DeSantis resisted taking many of the measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 that various other state governments implemented, such as face-mask mandates, stay-at-home orders, and vaccination requirements. During the pandemic, Florida experienced above-average economic growth. DeSantis cut state-government spending, which, combined with federal stimulus payments and high sales-tax revenue, led to the largest budget surplus in Florida history. He engaged in recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole, and oversaw the passage of the controversial Parental Rights in Education Act. He was reelected in a landslide in the 2022 Florida gubernatorial election; his 19.4% margin of victory over Charlie Crist was the state's largest in 40 years. He has generally governed as a conservative.

References

  1. ↑ Schwartz, Sarah (2021-06-11). "Map: Where Critical Race Theory Is Under Attack". Education Week. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  2. ↑ Natanson, Hannah (April 19, 2023). "Florida bans teaching about gender identity in all public schools". The Washington Post.
  3. ↑ Breen, Kerry (2023-07-23). "Map: Where Critical Race Theory Is Under Attack". CBS NEWS. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  4. ↑ "Personnel note: Rick Scott appoints Ben Gibson to State Board of Education". Florida Politics. July 14, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Swisher, Skyler. "Florida Senate confirms Parkland parent Ryan Petty's nomination to state Board of Education, despite concerns about his social media posts". South Florida Sun Sentinel. No. March 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  9. ↑ Gancarski, A. G. (March 12, 2022). "Esther Byrd, QAnon-adjacent defender of Jan. 6 insurrection, appointed to Florida Board of Education". Florida Politics.
  10. ↑ "Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Two to the State Board of Education". Ron DeSantis. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Two to the State Board of Education". Ron DeSantis. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  12. ↑ Wright, Colleen. "One new member, two reappointed to State Board of Education". Tampa Bay Times. No. Jan. 16, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  14. ↑ Solochek, Jeffrey S. (October 30, 2015). "Former state lawmaker Tom Grady appointed to Florida Board of Education". Tampa Bay Times.
  15. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  16. ↑ "Marva Johnson". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  17. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  18. ↑ "Andy Tuck". Department of Management Services. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "Executive appointments". Florida Senate. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  20. ↑ Wallace, Jeremy (October 14, 2013). "Common Core advocate resigns suddenly from Board of Education". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.