Latest news with #BoardOfEducation
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Huntsville City School Board passes changes to cell phone policy
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Huntsville City Schools Board of Education passed changes to its cell phone policy at a meeting Tuesday night. All members of the board, except District 1 Board Member Andrea Alvarez, voted in favor of making the changes. Policy changes include: Superintendent making sure that any disciplinary action that is imposed is consistent for all students, employees or individuals Blocking or filtering internet access to obscene visual depictions, child sexual abuse material or images harmful to minors Restricting access by minors to inappropriate and harmful material on the Internet; Limiting Internet access by students only to age-appropriate subject matters and materials; Providing specific procedures and other protections that prioritize the safety and security of minors when they are using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications; Preventing 'hacking' and other forms of unauthorized use of or access to computer or Internet files, sites, databases or equipment; Prohibiting access by students to unlawfully obtained data or information, including 'hacking,' and other unlawful online activity by students; Prohibiting access to websites, web applications, or software that exposes students to the disclosure, use, or dissemination of their personal information; Prohibiting students from accessing social media platforms, unless expressly directed by a teacher for educational purposes; Educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response. This comes after Governor Kay Ivey signed the FOCUS Act back in May. It bans smartphones in the classroom. HCS's Code of Conduct prior to this passing already students are allowed to bring, but not use or operate, wireless communication devices. These devices are supposed to be turned off and stored off their person in a locker, car, or other location during the instructional day except under limited circumstances. The definition of an 'instructional day' is: ● When school is open and in session;● During class time, lunch, transitions between classes, and any non-instructional periods;● Any time that students are required to store their Wireless Communication Devices by the Code of Conduct or other school rules; or● Any time students are instructed to store their devices by school staff. The existing policy also says that students who disobey the policy can be disciplined, and students are subject to inspection of their wireless devices if there is reasonable suspicion that the device contains evidence of violation of 'law, Board policy, the Code of Conduct, or other school rules, provided that the nature and extent of such reading, examination, or inspection shall be reasonably related and limited to the suspected violation.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ousted schools CEO shares how mayor asked him to resign
CHICAGO (WGN) — In an exit interview before his last day on Wednesday, Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez shared the moment Mayor Brandon Johnson asked for his resignation, and his fears about the future of the district. '[The mayor] asked to borrow, the most irresponsible thing you can ask. … And he said, Pedro, you have credibility in finances. You were the CFO. You can sell this.' I said, 'Mayor, it's not the right thing to do. You're getting bad advice.' He finally said, 'Pedro, … you've told me five times that I'm getting bad advice. All that tells me is you're not on board in my vision, and I need you to leave.' And that's when he asked me to resign.' Weeks after Martinez declined to step aside, the entire Chicago Board of Education resigned, giving Johnson an opportunity to appoint a new board before Chicagoans began choosing elected members at the ballot box. But before elected members took their seats, the Johnson-appointed board voted to fire Martinez. Martinez sued. 'I really thought that people would do the right thing. I really did,' Martinez said Monday. The drama played out during the middle of Chicago Teachers Union contract talks. In response to his suit, a judge ruled that Board of Education members could not block Martinez from doing his job. On his way out the door, Martinez filed defamation claims against the CTU, its president, Stacy Davis Gates, and the board president. 'I mean, we know it between the mayor, the mayor's office, the CTU leadership, they all been together in cahoots,' Martinez said. 'I've been bullied for a whole year and that's been publicly on the record. I've been personally attacked not only myself. My team has been personally attacked.' Before he departs to take a new job as Massachusetts state education commissioner, Martinez took aim at the CTU and Johnson: 'If you look at what's happening with [the Chicago Transit Authority] ight now, you know, they're asking for a bailout. That's always been the plan for CPS is to put the district in financial distress and to ask for a bailout,' Martinez alleged. 'It's always been the union and it's been the mayor's office because they think somehow that because the governor has political aspirations to be in DC then somehow he's going to do that.' Martinez predicts more turmoil for the district. Last week, the school board named Macquline King interim CEO while the search continues to a permanent replacement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How politics undermine Prince George's County Public Schools success
Prince George's County Public Schools headquarters in Upper Marlboro. (Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) As a veteran parent leader and advocate for six years in Prince George's County, I've seen my share of politically motivated nonsense. The mistreatment of Superintendent Millard House II over the past several weeks is easily the most shameful. Put simply, the Prince George's County Educators' Association (PGCEA) and Board of Education got this wrong and should be ashamed of the role they played in his departure. They unfairly attacked a good man who was the right leader for PGCPS and making real progress. Superintendent House earned my complete confidence over the past two years, which is why I remain willing to unequivocally publicly defend his record today. And I equally defend the dedicated department heads and PGCPS professionals who deserve full credit for their successes. By every metric, PGCPS should have been negotiating a contract extension. Under Superintendent House, graduation rates rose above 80%, including a 15-point increase for English learners. Major transportation reforms led to significant improvements, with on-time performance now above 80% and a new tracking app and electric buses on the way. School safety investments resulted in a 46% drop in student incidents. And PGCPS had a highly successful Annapolis advocacy effort this year that helped save Community Schools funding and about two-thirds of funding originally at risk of being cut. Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@ We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. Let's be clear what happened. Some county politicians, board members and special interests would rather play political games and undermine our students' future than allow major PGCPS successes and any credit for the superintendent. They staged a leadership coup behind closed doors, with no opportunity for public input, while putting a $2.9 billion school system at risk of turning into a patronage system for political appointments. Past is prologue, as we already saw similar shenanigans at the Board of Education level several years ago as board staff positions were used to hire political allies at taxpayer expense, with many hires ending in controversy. That is the historical context for this moment, and yet even knowing the professional risk of refusing to play along with unseemly and inappropriate demands, Superintendent House displayed true character, serving as the bulwark who bravely said, 'No,' and attempted to keep PGCPS from chaos. I've been through six years of PGCPS battles and seen these games too many times before. Past board members attempted to play politics and micromanage former CEO Dr. Monica Goldson on COVID-19 policy and other issues. She also pushed back, and even on the rare issues where we didn't agree, we shared mutual respect, and I could always trust her to do the right thing and act in PGCPS' best interest. Now, it's the same playbook, next chapter for Superintendent House. The same politicians who worked to undermine PGCPS accomplishments the past few months had the audacity to blame the superintendent for their own sabotage. And some of the same characters central to this coup did the same thing early in his tenure, nearly derailing more than $800 million in new school construction. Parent leaders called out their games then, and won't be silent now. Despite daily PGCPS successes, one constant continues to threaten our school system: Too much political interference in what should be administrative operations. To truly succeed, we must allow administrative leadership to be immune from politics. Hire a qualified education expert as superintendent, give them a four-year term, then stay out of the way. That doesn't exclude important oversight on policies, budget and key appointments. But short of serious malfeasance, any superintendent must have the security to do the job we hired them to do. What sane, qualified superintendent would want to work in Prince George's County after the disgraceful behavior of the past few months? Finally, we have created chaos at a moment PGCPS can least afford it. With a likely legislative special session in October and challenging state budget situation, good luck trying to win much-needed resources as Prince George's County proves incapable of governing ourselves responsibly. If PGCEA leadership had taken a fraction of the energy they spent attacking the Superintendent and used it to truly fight for protecting Blueprint funding, perhaps PGCPS could more easily meet their contract demands. Instead, now some other school district will gain a highly qualified and successful Superintendent while PGCPS searches for our fourth leader since 2018. That is no way to run a world-class school district, and like always, it will be the students of PGCPS who pay the price. And once again, the same old Prince George's politics to blame.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- CBS News
Father of Oxford High School shooting victim tells board to "shove" $500K settlement offer
The father of Hana St. Juliana, one of four students killed in the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, spoke before the school board on Tuesday after receiving a $500,000 settlement offer. During public comment at an Oxford Community Schools meeting on Tuesday, Steve St. Juliana called the settlement "insulting" after receiving the offer via email from the district's attorney, Tim Mullins. According to St. Juliana, the offer was available until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, less than 24 hours after he received it. "That's how little you value our children? How little the state value our children? Because they're on the hook just as much as you are," he said during the meeting. "I am not going to stop striving for the changes necessary to save our kids ... so you can shove your offer." He also said that the way the offer was delivered was unacceptable. A spokesperson for attorney Ven Johnson, who represents the victims' families, confirmed the $500,000 offer and said other parents were also offered the same amount. The Board of Education issued the following statement on Wednesday: "Last night, during the public comment portion of our board meeting, we heard from a father who tragically lost his child in the school shooting at Oxford High School that forever changed the lives of so many, most deeply the families whose children were taken. His words were powerful and heartbreaking. "We understand that the letter from legal counsel caused additional pain. We are deeply sorry for the impact it had, especially on those already carrying profound grief. The Board was unaware of this specific correspondence. It does not reflect the depth of our compassion or the level of support these families deserve. We recognize that the approach felt impersonal and insufficient, and for that, we are deeply apologetic. "The Board remains steadfast in our commitment to treating every family with dignity, compassion, and respect as we navigate these difficult legal proceedings." Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling were killed in the Nov. 30, 2021, shooting. Six other students and a teacher were injured. The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, is serving a life sentence after her pleaded guilty in 2023 to multiple charges. He was 15 years old at the time of the shooting. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2024. The prosecutors argued that the parents should be held partially responsible for the students' deaths because they ignored signs of their son's mental health needs and purchased the gun that was used in the shooting. The Crumbleys made history as the first parents to be convicted for a mass shooting committed by their children. They were given separate trials that included testimonies from school officials, law enforcement and other witnesses. In the months after convictions, the Crumbleys filed appeals, claiming that they did not get a fair trial and accused the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office of offering secret agreements with two school officials who testified at their trials. On Wednesday, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews upheld the convictions, adding in her ruling that "Jennifer Crumbley received a trial and verdict worthy of confidence based on the cumulative effect of the significant evidence against her."
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Barrow County faces backlash over proposed cuts to school resource officer funding
The Brief Barrow County plans to reduce funding for school resource officers, supporting only 12 of 25 positions, reversing a previous cost-sharing agreement with the school board. The decision follows the Board of Education's approval of eight new officers after a deadly shooting, increasing community demand for enhanced school security. The proposed funding cut would shift over $800,000 in costs to the Barrow County School Board, prompting community rallies and calls for prioritizing long-term safety solutions. BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A contentious funding debate in Barrow County has ignited community concern over proposed changes to school safety staffing, with parents rallying to oppose a county plan that would cut funding for school resource officers. SEE ALSO: Barrow County approves $182M budget for 2026 with no tax increase What we know The Barrow County Board of Commissioners is moving to scale back its share of funding for school resource officers, planning to support only 12 of the 25 positions beginning July 1. That marks a sharp reversal from a cost-sharing agreement established in 2017, in which the county and school board evenly split the cost of school-based law enforcement. The decision comes just months after the Board of Education approved eight new officers in the wake of a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School — an event that intensified community demands for heightened school security. What they're saying "Our students deserve to feel supported, safe and respected now more than ever," one parent said during a community rally Monday night. "Announcing budget cuts and reductions during the summer, when students should be enjoying a break, adds unnecessary stress and sends the wrong message about our priorities." The proposed shift would place more than $800,000 in additional costs on the Barrow County School Board to continue the existing level of officer staffing. School officials have stated they remain committed to keeping the SRO program in place. "We are confident the Board of Education will provide a safe and secure school environment for students in Barrow County with effective and efficient use of taxpayer money," another parent said. What's next During the rally, families urged elected officials to prioritize long-term solutions that reflect the county's values and maintain transparency throughout the process. The county government says the budget proposal remains under review and will be finalized in the next two weeks. Meanwhile, families with children in the district say they are left waiting — and worrying — about how the final decision will affect campus safety. SEE ALSO: Barrow County Board of Education stands firm on SRO program amid funding dispute Apalachee High School graduates remember victims during ceremony Apalachee High shooting: Judge rules on Colin Gray venue change request New scholarship honors coach killed in Apalachee HS shooting Apalachee HS hosts 'Barrow Together' event thanking community for support after shooting The Source The details in this article come from a rally on spending by Barrow County Schools. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used.
