Featured image for “Duval Schools doesn’t know what to do with unapproved books”
Media specialists pulled dozens of boxes of old, outdated or objectionable library materials from Duval County school libraries this year.
June 4, 2023

Duval Schools doesn’t know what to do with unapproved books

Duval County Public Schools sent almost twice as many library books to its recycling plant this school year than it…

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Duval County Superintendent Diana Greene reviews her notes during a May 2, 2023 emergency school board meeting where she announced her resignation. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
May 23, 2023

Superintendent Diana Greene ends trailblazing Duval career under scrutiny

The Duval superintendent’s tenure ends amid criticism from both the political left and right, but she also won bipartisan support…

Featured image for “Duval Schools face 20% vacancy in media specialists, the only staff who can approve books ”
Mandarin Middle School is one of 67 schools without a certified media specialist.
April 5, 2023

Duval Schools face 20% vacancy in media specialists, the only staff who can approve books 

School librarians are a rarity in Duval, and 1-in-5 of the few remaining positions are vacant as the district faces…

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March 22, 2023

OPINION | Don’t close your eyes

College DEI programs provide safe space and solace for those of us looking for community in a dominant culture that’s…

Featured image for “Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning”
Parents rallied ahead of a December school board meeting over the district's months long review of books from the Essential Voices classroom library collection.
March 8, 2023

Duval Schools book-review supervisor, who called gay characters ‘contrary to the design of humanity,’ is resigning

The supervisor’s departure comes as Duval Schools has received national scrutiny for its book review process.…

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February 15, 2023

OPINION | The real life implications of erasing history

What came home from school was a list of people, places, or things the students could portray. Out of two…

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Ami Polonsky, author of "Gracefully Grayson," spoke during a rally ahead of the Dec. 6th Duval School Board meeting. The district ordered her book for fifth grade classrooms in 2021 but decided to send it back after a review process.
January 4, 2023

OPINION | The lie of invisibility

Banning books eliminates an opportunity for students to expand beyond their own surroundings and worldview.…

Featured image for “Duval Schools to keep 73 ‘diverse, inclusive’ books out of classrooms”
Ami Polonsky, author of "Gracefully Grayson," speaks during a rally ahead of the Dec. 6 Duval School Board meeting. The district ordered her book for fifth grade classrooms in 2021 but decided to send it back after a review process. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
December 22, 2022

Duval Schools to keep 73 ‘diverse, inclusive’ books out of classrooms

Dozens of books the Duval County school district ordered in the summer of 2021 will never hit classroom shelves. That’s…

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Mikynzi Alexander recites Useni Eugene Perkins' poem "Hey Black Child" during a ribbon cutting for Becoming Collegiate Academy. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 28, 2022

2 new Northwest Jacksonville schools mix HBCU culture with elementary curriculum

Mikynzi Alexander spoke with confidence as she recited Useni Eugene Perkins’ poem “Hey, Black Child” at her school’s ribbon-cutting last…

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President Joe Biden speaks about student debt relief on Oct. 17th. | AP
October 19, 2022

OPINION | Requesting relief for the people

I am one of the millions of people who submitted an application for student debt relief. I attended the Florida…

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Photo: Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today
September 7, 2022

OPINION | The 7-hour solution for work-life balance

Why isn’t the school day as long as the work day?  That’s the thought that’s been running through my mind…

Featured image for “OPINION | Government can work. Here’s proof”
Photo: Morris B. Silas, special to Jacksonville Today
August 31, 2022

OPINION | Government can work. Here’s proof

Spend a lot of time browsing social media or watching Fox, CNN or MSNBC, and it would be easy to…

Featured image for “OPINION | Advocating for humanity is not indoctrination”
Image: Screen shot from rondesantis.com
August 24, 2022

OPINION | Advocating for humanity is not indoctrination

As humans, we have an average of 6,000 thoughts per day. We are also flooded with as much as 34…

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Photo: AP
August 10, 2022

OPINION | Short on the things we need

Monday morning marks back-to-school time for my son along with thousands of other Duval County students. In preparation, I have…

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Photo: Jessica Palombo
June 6, 2022

OPINION | A toast to brighter futures

Saturday, the city of Jacksonville will mark its 200th birthday with a jam-packed bicentennial celebration schedule. It’s also my daughter’s…

Featured image for “OPINION | The miseducation of Florida’s future”
A screen shot from the Florida Department of Education shows a math book that was banned from Florida classrooms.
May 2, 2022

OPINION | The miseducation of Florida’s future

The summer after my freshman year at Florida State University, I worked as an intern at Pearson. As in the…

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Democratic Florida lawmakers Tray McCurdy, Angie Nixon and Felicia Robinson protest last week on the Statehouse floor. | AP
April 25, 2022

OPINION | Say goodbye, or stay put?

There is a big difference between perception and reality. For example, the perception the United States has of itself and…

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Esther Byrd | Facebook
March 13, 2022

OPINION | Controversial Ed Board pick shows what DeSantis thinks of Duval County

As the Legislature wrapped up its business Friday, the last bit of work before passing the budget Monday, Gov. Ron…

Featured image for “Duval students are growing more diverse, so DCPS wants teachers to be, too”
At San Jose Elementary in the Lakewood area, 45% of the student body are considered English language learners.
November 10, 2021

Duval students are growing more diverse, so DCPS wants teachers to be, too

When Ingrid Carias began working in the Duval County Public School system around 2014, there were about 5,500 students the…