Students fume at City Council over AP program cuts

Students in Jacksonville remain furious that City Council refused Tuesday to support state funding for education acceleration programs like Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Dual Enrollment.

Anna Jones, a student at Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies, spoke Wednesday on WJCT’s First Coast Connect program. She said it was disheartening to see elected officials ignore the voices of so many students.

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“I went into (the meeting) with full optimism thinking that, you know, our city would be on our side,” Jone said. “Actually in my speech, I had written in two ‘thank yous. Thank you for hearing us, thank you for taking us into consideration … hoping that, you know, education still has a future in Jacksonville. I had to throw that out.

The Duval County Schools District estimates it will lose $8 million if the Legislature enacts cuts provided in Senate Bill 2510 and House Bill 5101.

City Council members Matt Carlucci and Jimmy Peluso drafted a resolution opposing the cuts after a request from students at last week’s Rules Committee meeting.

The resolution needed 13 votes to become an emergency motion during the City Council meeting Tuesday. It received 10.

The votes all happened before the public comment portion of the meeting, meaning students couldn’t voice their perspectives before the council made its decision.

“I hope you all go to sleep tonight horrified of what you’ve done, destroying the opportunity and education for so many kids seeking this opportunity today,” student Cody Begay said.

Carlucci had hoped the resolution would pass when News4Jax spoke with him before the meeting. He was so upset by the council’s decision that he left the meeting early.

“I cannot tell you how deeply hurt, deeply ashamed I am at my colleagues who did not want to let these students have a chance to speak before they voted,” Carlucci said. “It was a disgrace in democracy at City Hall tonight, and I don’t ever walk out of a meeting. This is the first one I’ve ever walked out on, but I can’t take that kind of [expletive].”

Council members Rahman Johnson, Reggie Gaffney Jr., Tyrona Clark-Murray and JuCoby Pittman joined in co-sponsoring the resolution.

But Councilman Rory Diamond, one of the six votes against the emergency motion, said the council needs to stay in its lane and not become a super school board.

Council members who voted against the resolution assured students the funding will remain intact, but students disagreed and said the cuts put their future aspirations in jeopardy.

Even after the vote Tuesday, dozens of students spoke during the public comment period, passionately advocating for the importance of funding the education programs.

Jarrett Kelly, a junior at Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies, said the programs that are in danger of losing funding are helpful to students in saving money on their education in the long run.

He explained that he can complete three semesters of college by the time he graduates from high school. He was clearly disappointed in the outcome.

“I think the question that everybody in Jacksonville needs to ask of their council members is, ‘Who do you work for?’ If you work for us, truly, if you truly care about our city and work for us students, why won’t you help us fight to save our education? Help us fight to save our future?’” Kelly said.

Fletcher High School student Tristan Rodriguez called it a betrayal.

“It was a betrayal of everything the council is supposed to stand for. It’s a betrayal of the young citizens meant to be represented here today,” Rodriguez said. “The moment I heard that the proposed motion to enter emergency didn’t pass, I was sick to my stomach. I knew in that moment I would not be giving the speech that I had written throughout the week.”

Fellow Fletcher High student Kaden Young said the students won’t soon forget the betrayal they feel.

“I would never think that City Council would prioritize some of their personal politics over the students,” Young said. “We’re the ones that are going to be voting for them in the next election. We will remember this. It’s not like this is going to fly right by our heads. We will be in Jacksonville. We will remember, and we are voting against them.”

This report is based on information from Steven Ponson of Jacksonville Today and News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.