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Reuters
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US school year ends under shadow of Trump DEI orders
June 16 - As the school year comes to an end across the United States, many teachers are wondering what they will return to in the fall. While most of the attention on education in the nation has centered on President Donald Trump's battles with universities, the administration has also vowed to close the Department of Education and issued broad orders targeting diversity and instruction of structural racism and gender in schools, raising concerns about what teachers can and cannot say and teach. 'I've noticed this past year, teachers have been a lot more nervous whenever they're teaching," said Ryan Matrigali, 17, a Florida high-schooler. He recently spoke up at a school board meeting in support of former AP English teacher Melissa Calhoun, who was let go after using a student's preferred pronouns, according to documents obtained by Reuters through a Freedom of Information Act request. 'With all of the rules and the school board cracking down, they're not allowed to be as open with topics," Matrigali told Reuters. Calhoun could not be reached for comment. She had been employed at Satellite High School in Florida's Brevard Public Schools for seven years. On April 1, she received a notice that her contract would not be renewed, along with a letter of reprimand from the superintendent, who cited a state law that requires parental consent, opens new tab for certain communications with students. The law does not outline specific disciplinary action for teachers. Satellite High School and school board officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Parent activist Amy Roub is part of a coalition of students and parents advocating for Calhoun's reinstatement and challenging a "climate of fear" she says has become more pronounced among teachers under the Trump administration. "I'm trying to get them to come to school board meetings, but they're terrified," said Roub, referring to teachers who express support anonymously but fear retaliation. "It's time to be brave because once we start rolling over, we've already lost." Tina Descovich, co-founder of the group Moms for Liberty, has championed conservative parental rights for years, with members taking over many school boards across the nation, and becoming a force in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. 'The claim that (Trump's) order infringes on teachers' free speech is misguided,' she said. Well before Trump's re-election, Florida led the way in advancing the Republican Party's education agenda. It was among the first to ban books in K-12 schools and introduce legislation preventing diversity programs and initiatives statewide. Now, across the country, teachers, parents, students, and advocates who support free speech and inclusive education in classrooms are worried Trump's executive orders will reshape public education nationwide. The moves have been driven by the administration's view that teachers have prioritized teachings of "white privilege" and unconscious bias. A January executive order banned schools from teachings Trump called "indoctrination" of students based on race and gender. The directive was followed by a "Dear Colleague" letter from the Education Department instructing schools how to enforce the executive order and a warning that any school continuing such practices would lose federal funding. Trump also aims to abolish the Education Department, which funds districts that serve low-income communities and students with disabilities and enforces civil rights laws. Federal courts have either halted enforcement or issued temporary injunctions pausing implementation of the directives. A federal judge also blocked Trump's attempt to shut down the Education Department. But teachers are already feeling their impact. On the final day of school at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, Idaho in late May, Sarah Inama took down a poster in her classroom that read, 'Everyone is welcome here.' She said school administrators told her the sign violated the district's policy requiring classroom displays to remain 'content neutral.' The sixth grade teacher resigned, blaming Trump's directives and school administrators for her decision. "I was told that my poster represented an opinion," Inama told Reuters. "But I said what's the other opinion, that they're not welcome?" When asked about Inama's claims, school officials said that its decisions are not based on any political administration's stance. "The district's responsibility is to ensure that schools remain inclusive spaces for all students, while also staying within the bounds of what is legally permissible in public education settings," Niki Scheppers, Chief of Staff and Communications at West Ada School District, said in an emailed statement. In New Hampshire, Valerie Wolfson, 49, is one of seven teachers who filed suit in conjunction with the National Educators Association (NEA) and the ACLU against the Trump administration's anti-DEI instructions, saying it violates its interpretation of Title VI of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, opens new tab. Title VI prohibits the discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs that receive federal financial assistance, including public schools. 'You can't talk about Jim Crow without talking about race," Wolfson said. Some teachers unions are working to safeguard educational autonomy by embedding protections into collective bargaining agreements. In Chicago, the teachers union secured a landmark contract in April that included explicit language on academic freedom and protections for marginalized and immigrant students. Atlanta history teacher Lena Hamilton said she is determined to continue teaching race and immigrant history. "The philosophy that raised me as a teacher was one that I think is deeply American," Hamilton said.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'I have always wanted to make a difference': Brevard legend Richard 'Dick' Blake dies at 91
"I have always wanted to make a difference, leave a positive impact." Back in 2015, those were the prescient words of Richard "Dick" Blake, a larger-than-life educator, civil rights activist and community leader, one whose imprint on Brevard County life provides a lasting indication that he did exactly that. As word spread of Blake's June 3 passing at age 91, loving remembrances and expressions of admiration poured in across the Space Coast and social media for a man whose name has long been synonymous with civil duty. Blake, a Brevard native, became the first post-desegregation Black principal in Brevard Public Schools when he was promoted to the top job at Cocoa High School in 1979. He also was a member of the Rockledge City Council for 40 consecutive years, from 1976 through 2016. Blake was the father of three: daughter Sheralyn Blake-Jenkins; son Mark Blake; and son Michael Blake, current Cocoa mayor. In the hours after his passing, they were flooded with tributes to their father, who died at home, surrounded by family members and friends. 'He was loved by many, everyone embraced him, and it was an honor to know him as my father. Some refer to him as an icon and a legend, but we referred to him as Dad,' said Mike Blake, who often accompanied his father during public appearances over the years. 'He had four words that he always said. The first two were 'Tighten up' and the second two were 'Tiger pride.' We just are so thankful for the love the community has shown us at this time.' Tiger pride is a reference to his beloved Cocoa High. A statement from the city of Cocoa shared that Blake "came from humble beginnings, born in 1933 in Bonaventure, a small community just south of Rockledge in Brevard County, into a family of migrant workers." He spent his summers in upstate New York picking crops alongside his family, the statement said, adding that his father, Virgil Blake, "believed deeply in the strength and potential of their hometown, saying that 'Cocoa is where the family belonged.'" And in Cocoa and across the county, people who saw Blake as extended family agreed: He was a positive force across his lifetime. "He was an amazing guy,' said Rockledge Mayor Tom Price, who joined the city council in 1999 while Blake was still a member. 'He had been on the council for decades. I learned a lot from him; the knowledge he had about the city was always amazing to me. He was a mentor and a teacher, just an all-around great guy ... he was a very bold, dynamic personality. I was always amazed at how he handled a crowd. He could take a room of 150 angry people and make them feel happy.' Former U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, who at one time served on the Rockledge council with Blake, wrote "Rest in peace my friend" in a Facebook post. He included the text of a speech he made on the House floor upon Blake's 2016 retirement from the council, saying that Blake "is someone I admire greatly ... Over the course of his life he has witnessed injustice, but he has always remained positive." In interviews with FLORIDA TODAY across the decades, Blake's wit and wisdom came through again and again, revealing his voluminous knowledge of Brevard history and Space Coast life. A kind, gregarious man known for his charismatic smile and curly black hair, he often referred to himself in third person, regaling friends and strangers alike with conversation that could go from humorous stories about his coaching days to heartbreaking recollections of life in Jim Crow Florida. The following snippets, culled from interviews with FLORIDA TODAY reporters over the years, offer just a slice of the depth and drive behind the man with that face-splitting grin who left a lasting footprint on the Brevard community and beyond. Blake, one of 10 children and the grandson of freed slaves, was known for his community involvement in all facets of Brevard life, including youth sports, from the time he was a coach at Monroe High School, then Cocoa's Black High School. Tall and athletic, Blake played both basketball and football at the school in the 1940s. He earned a bachelor's degree from Claflin University in South Carolina and master's degrees from Columbia University in New York and Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. He returned to Brevard in 1955 to coach football and teach. Later, in 1966, as the nation struggled through school desegregation, Blake was named assistant coach at what would become Rockledge High before taking the principal's role at Cocoa High. He continued to mentor students, teachers and others before running for political office in Rockledge. He never failed to give credit to those who fought for civil rights for all before him, including Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore. Educators who taught in Cocoa, Titusville and Mims, the Moores registered black voters, established NAACP branches and fought for equal pay for teachers, regardless of race. The two died after a bomb placed beneath their Mims home exploded on Christmas night in 1951. Blake stressed the credit due those who faced danger as they paved the way for others, when Brevard Democrats in 2012 presented him with the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Service Award. 'The mere fact that Harry Moore accomplished what he did, despite threats and violence, to get Black people registered to vote ... Think of that,' Blake said. 'I think of the sacrifices of these people ... our youngsters really need to know about the shoulders many of us are riding on.' If it weren't for Harry T. Moore, Blake said, he'd never have earned the principal role at Cocoa High. His son, Michael, 'would never have been the first Black mayor of Cocoa.' 'I am riding on the shoulders of my daddy. Harry T. Moore. Rosa Parks. Martin Luther King Jr.,' Blake said. 'Rosa Jones, my teacher in kindergarten. B.A. Moore, my principal at Monroe High School. And I don't forget it." Blake and his buddies from all-Black Monroe High used to play football with White athletes from Cocoa High on Saturdays. On Sundays, he said in 2012, it was basketball. Black against White. No trouble. All focused on the game. Monday morning, it was back to Jim Crow laws and segregation. "My salvation was strong family ties and good, Christian parents," said Blake. Once, on a trip back from Florida A&M, a carhop refused to serve Blake and his mother, Bertha, at a drive-up eatery. She cried. Blake hated that. "That hurt me to my heart," he said. "If I'd been by myself, it wouldn't have bothered me so much. But something like that happened to a mother because she was Black? Refused a hamburger?" The accolades bestowed upon Blake in his later years were many and well deserved, including having a Rockledge park named for him in 2013. In October 2018, the former Tiger Field at Cocoa Jr./Sr. High was renamed Richard "Dick" Blake Stadium. At a public celebration of the renaming, Blake told FLORIDA TODAY he was "overwhelmed" by seeing his name on the stadium, a move approved unanimously by the Brevard school board. "What an honor," said Blake, who spoke of his pride in and love for his family and friends. "It reminds me of all the people who've been so important in my life, all the people, the students, who tell me they have the love and respect for me that I have for them." They, like the community he loved as he worked for change through good and bad times, meant the world to him. "I have always wanted to make a difference, leave a positive impact," said Blake. "For something like this sign, this honor, to come about ... this leaves a lasting impression. This really is forever." A wake for Richard "Dick" Blake will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. June 12 at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 474 W. King St., Cocoa. A homegoing is planned for June 13 at Richard "Dick" Blake Stadium, Cocoa Jr./Sr. High School. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Richard 'Dick' Blake Scholarship fund. 'My dad loved people," said Sheralyn Blake-Jennings said. "Education was very important to him. He was a compassionate man and a motivator. He gave his all." Britt Kennerly is education/breaking news editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Kennerly at 321-917-4744 or bkennerly@ Twitter: @bybrittkennerly Facebook: /bybrittkennerly. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard native and legendary educator Richard 'Dick' Blake dies at 91
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City of Cocoa honors Richard Blake, first African American principal in Brevard Public Schools
The City of Cocoa honors the life of Richard 'Dick' Blake, the first African American principal in Brevard Public Schools post-desegregation. Officials said Blake was the principal of Cocoa High School for 23 years and served on the Rockledge City Council for 40 years. Blake was born in 1933 in Bonaventure, a small community just south of Rockledge, to migrant workers. Officials said his roots showed a lifelong dedication to service. In 2018, the Brevard County School Board unanimously voted to name Cocoa Jr./Sr. High School's stadium, the Richard 'Dick' Blake Stadium, in his honor. According to the City of Cocoa Government, Blake Avenue is named after his father, Virgil, who was the first African American to serve on a major advisory board. The city said to honor Blakes's memory, donations can be made to the Cocoa High School Richard 'Dick' Blake Scholarship fund. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Brevard's Class of 2025 celebrates graduation
Seniors in the Brevard County Class of 2025 are celebrating as family and friends watch graduation ceremonies across the Space Coast. Ahead of the ceremonies, Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Mark Rendell wished students around the district a "bright and fulfilling future." "Graduates, as you step into the next chapter of your lives, remember that learning doesn't end with graduation," he said. "Embrace every opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally. Stay curious, be resilient, and don't be afraid to take risks. Your journey will be filled with challenges, but it's through these challenges that you will find your true strengths." This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Space Coast Class of 2025 seniors celebrate graduation
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Congrats! West Shore Jr./Sr. High Class of 2025 accepts diplomas at Melbourne graduation
On a hot spring evening, West Shore seniors accepted their diplomas at the Maxwell C. King Center on Eastern State Florida College's Melbourne campus. The commencement exercises took place May 21. Between May 16 and May 27, more than 5,000 high schoolers were set to graduate at 24 ceremonies around the Space Coast. Ahead of the ceremonies, Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Mark Rendell wished students around the district a "bright and fulfilling future." "Graduates, as you step into the next chapter of your lives, remember that learning doesn't end with graduation," he said. "Embrace every opportunity to grow, both personally and professionally. Stay curious, be resilient, and don't be afraid to take risks. Your journey will be filled with challenges, but it's through these challenges that you will find your true strengths." In addition to West Shore's ceremony, students at Astronaut High and Cocoa High were set to accept their diplomas on May 21. Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@ X: @_finchwalker. Instagram: @finchwalker_. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: West Shore graduates accept diplomas at Melbourne ceremony on May 21
