Featured image for “Duval School Board’s rightward turn on display in sex ed, book discussions”
A crowd of supporters watch three new school board members get sworn in on Nov. 19, 2024. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
November 19, 2024

Duval School Board’s rightward turn on display in sex ed, book discussions

Duval’s School Board now has a conservative majority, aligning with state and incoming federal officials, who prize “parental rights” and…

Featured image for “Duval Schools chief cleared on racial claim; commits to improve employee treatment”
Superintendent Christopher Bernier on June 12, 2024 | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
November 13, 2024

Duval Schools chief cleared on racial claim; commits to improve employee treatment

An investigation found the superintendent did not racially discriminate against an employee in Lee County.…

Featured image for “Clay County leads state in removing schoolbooks”
School library books, like these at R.L. Brown Gifted and Talented Academy in Jacksonville, remain a controversial issue in Florida. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 12, 2024

Clay County leads state in removing schoolbooks

Clay County was responsible for 287 of more than 700 schoolbooks removed from classrooms and libraries statewide.…

Featured image for “Duval Schools needs to find $97M. But where?”
Duval Schools' headquarters on Nov. 4, 2024 | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
November 6, 2024

Duval Schools needs to find $97M. But where?

School closures don’t begin to fill the gap in Duval Schools’ budget.…

Featured image for “Blount’s victory seals Duval School Board’s conservative majority”
Reggie Blount won a position on the Duval County School Board on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. He defeated Hank Rogers for a seat as the District 5 representative. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 5, 2024

Blount’s victory seals Duval School Board’s conservative majority

Reginald Blount focused his campaign on conservative talking points that emphasize cultural issues.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board election is Tuesday in district bearing brunt of school closures”
The Duval County School Board will vote on a proposal to close Hidden Oaks Elementary School and consolidate it with Cedar Hills Elementary School, along with six other school closures/consolidations, on Nov. 4. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 1, 2024

Duval School Board election is Tuesday in district bearing brunt of school closures

Jacksonville Today asked the two School Board candidates their thoughts on school closures in the district they want to represent.…

Featured image for “Restrained students still an issue for St. Johns parents”
October 30, 2024

Restrained students still an issue for St. Johns parents

The federal government found that St. Johns County has reduced the use of restraint, but some parents say it isn’t…

Featured image for “School Board skeptical on school closures, but supe warns against kicking can down road”
Eugene Butler football team members line up before the School Board meeting in support of keeping open the Young Men's Leadership Academy program at their school. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
October 29, 2024

School Board skeptical on school closures, but supe warns against kicking can down road

A vote is coming Monday on whether to close six elementary schools and discontinue the Young Men’s and Women’s Leadership…

Featured image for “One School Board seat still up for grabs in St. Johns County”
St. Johns County District 5 School Board candidates Linda Thomson, left, and Bethany Hilbert.
October 28, 2024

One School Board seat still up for grabs in St. Johns County

Linda Thomson and Bethany Hilbert are competing for the School Board seat in District 5.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board member pushes storm-related conspiracy theories”
Duval School Board member-elect Tony Ricardo appears on "First Coast Connect" in July of 2024. | First Coast Connect
October 14, 2024

Duval School Board member pushes storm-related conspiracy theories

Tony Ricardo is among the elected officials sharing hurricane-related content that’s misleading or incorrect on social media.…

Featured image for “Investigator tried to get arrested Duval teacher removed twice — and was denied ”
The Dolphin Resort, where a teacher was arrested in February, nearly two months before being removed from his classroom at Douglas Anderson. | Loren Javier/Flickr, used under Creative Commons license
October 7, 2024

Investigator tried to get arrested Duval teacher removed twice — and was denied 

Duval Schools was criticized for waiting too long to remove an arrested teacher.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board clears path toward closing 18 schools”
Members of Raines High School's national alumni association gather before a School Board meeting Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
October 2, 2024

Duval School Board clears path toward closing 18 schools

The board approved a five-year plan that suggests closing schools, but more votes and meetings would be required.…

Featured image for “Duval’s 15-year school closure plan up for a vote Tuesday”
Annie R. Morgan Elementary has served students on Jacksonville’s Westside since 1916. It’s named after an early 20th century educator who was on the faculty at what was then named Woodstock Park Elementary. The Duval County school district is considering whether to close the school at the end of the 2025 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 29, 2024

Duval’s 15-year school closure plan up for a vote Tuesday

Duval Schools’ proposal to close more than schools over the next 15 years is up for a board vote on…

Featured image for “NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Proposed school closures”
Annie R. Morgan Elementary may be forever padlocked if the Duval County School Board approves a district plan to close the school after the end of the 2024 academic year. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 26, 2024

NUMBER OF THE WEEK | Proposed school closures

Two dozen more schools could close in Duval County over the next 15 years.…

Featured image for “Duval could close 12 elementary schools within 5 years”
A community working group considers the draft school closure plan on Sept. 24, 2024. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
September 24, 2024

Duval could close 12 elementary schools within 5 years

Six more Duval County schools have been added to a potential closure list for the next five years — adding…

Featured image for “New Mission: Astronaut MOSH exhibit gives taste of life in space”
Anthony Mortimer with the Museum of Science and History shows off the new traveling exhibit Mission: Astronaut on Thursday Sept. 19. l Steven Ponson, Jacksonville Today.
September 19, 2024

New Mission: Astronaut MOSH exhibit gives taste of life in space

Starting Saturday, a new exhibit will open to the public at the Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville giving…

Featured image for “6 Jacksonville elementaries could close at the end of this school year”
Susie E. Tolbert Elementary is one of six schools to potentially close | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
September 19, 2024

6 Jacksonville elementaries could close at the end of this school year

6 Jacksonville elementary schools could close at the end of this school year.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville joins international effort to stop HIV spread”
Wednesday, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and President of the Fast-Track Cities Institute José M. Zuniga sign a document allowing the city to join the partnership. l City of Jacksonville
September 18, 2024

Jacksonville joins international effort to stop HIV spread

Jacksonville is joining hundreds of other cities and international organizations to try to stop the spread of HIV by 2030.…

Featured image for “Douglas Anderson hired teacher after state said he was drunk at previous school — now he’s removed for alleged misconduct”
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts on Sept. 12, 2024 | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
September 12, 2024

Douglas Anderson hired teacher after state said he was drunk at previous school — now he’s removed for alleged misconduct

State records show that at the time the arts school hired him, he was facing state discipline for having been…

Featured image for “Black historical society creates Freedom School to close knowledge gaps in Jacksonville”
Christina McNair will serve as one of the educators for the James Weldon Johnson ASALH chapter's Freedom School. McNair is a retired science teacher and educator who has lived in Jacksonville for nearly 50 years. | Will Brown, Jacaksonville Today
September 6, 2024

Black historical society creates Freedom School to close knowledge gaps in Jacksonville

Freedom School is designed to help school-aged children, and their families, learn about Black history.…

Featured image for “Duval School Board: 2 Moms for Liberty candidates elected; Pearson wins narrowly”
Cindy Pearson (seen here speaking at a board meeting on May 23, 2024) was reelected by a margin of less than 300 votes. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
August 20, 2024

Duval School Board: 2 Moms for Liberty candidates elected; Pearson wins narrowly

The Duval County School Board will have a Moms for Liberty majority in the fall.…

Featured image for “Republican-backed School Board candidates key on parental rights”
About two dozen people stand in the rain outside Duval school district headquarters on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. The rally was organized by Public School Defenders and Families for Strong Public Schools, two Jacksonville advocacy groups. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
August 9, 2024

Republican-backed School Board candidates key on parental rights

Parental rights are again a topic of conversation because of the prominent role they play in Florida’s increasingly partisan school…

Featured image for “4 school districts target substance abuse and violence”
August 8, 2024

4 school districts target substance abuse and violence

Putnam and St. Johns County schools are teaming with other school districts to increase awareness and support for students.…

Featured image for “School Board candidates find common ground at final forum”
District 7 candidates Sarah Mannion, left, and Melody Bolduc discuss the issues facing Duval's schools at a forum Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. | Jacksonville Public Education Fund, screenshot
August 2, 2024

School Board candidates find common ground at final forum

District 7 School Board candidates Melody Bolduc and Sarah Mannion discussed the issues Thursday.…