Board of Education votes to investigate Alachua County Public Schools and take all legal steps to enforce rules

BY JENNIFER CABRERA
Today the State Board of Education voted to investigate the Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent and School Board and take all legal steps to enforce the law and the rules from the Florida Department of Health and the Florida Department of Education.
In his introductory remarks, Chair Tom Grady said the board has “the power, duty, and the obligation to not only create rules but enforce them.” Grady said that two districts out of 67 “have taken a path that appears to be contrary to law” and that the issue is not whether masks are good or bad but whether these districts are breaking the law.
Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran presented his finding of probable cause, adding, “these districts, while well-intentioned, have not followed the Surgeon General’s” emergency rule, and neither district has produced documentation showing that they’re in compliance with the law. Corcoran went through the timeline, stating that he had sent a letter to Alachua County Public Schools on August 9 and had received a response on August 10, stating that the school district believes they are complying with the rules. Corcoran said, “Every school board, every superintendent, has to comply with the law.”
In a prepared statement, Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Carlee Simon said, “We argue that we are in compliance with [the emergency rules]… We argue that [the rule] provides the access for the parents to opt out using the Hope Scholarship… Our county is in a state of emergency.” She added that “If a family does not want to follow the rules and policies of our district,” they have the Hope Scholarship option. She stated repeatedly that she believes the district is following the state rules.
During questioning from Grady, Simon stated that her interpretation of the rule is different from the board’s and continued to hold that the Hope Scholarship option satisfies the requirement that parents can opt out of mask requirements. She said that the courts would have to rule on the interpretation of the rule, stating that the interpretation is now “clearly in flux.”
Grady pointed out that her statement that the district is in compliance with the rules was in conflict with another statement she made about a lawsuit the district is participating in to overturn the rule.
Board Member Andy Tuck made a motion to “recommend that the State Board of Education use its enforcement powers to enforce the health protocols found in Emergency Rules 64DER21-12 and protect the rights of parents to make health and educational decisions for their children.”
After taking public comment, Grady said they have a duty to enforce the rules, so he amended the motion to “authorize and direct the commissioner to investigate further, to the extent further investigation is necessary, the conduct and acts of Alachua County, particularly the superintendent and the school board in Alachua County, and to take all legal steps to enforce rules of this board, rules of the Department of Health, and laws that have been duly enacted by the legislature, in accordance with the Florida Constitution, and that may include withholding funds from the district, although I would add a footnote that I do not want to withhold funds in a way that would harm any child in any district. It may involve withholding salaries, it may involve removing officers, it may involve reviewing district conduct, it may involve public records requests to see how monies are being spent within the district, including whether they’re being spent for public relations or political purposes, contrary to their constitutional mandate. It would include enhanced reporting and accountability to this board, and I would also add a report to the legislature, with recommendations to the legislature to act and to take whatever additional steps may be necessary, to the extent this board lacks the enforcement mechanisms to fully implement the constitution and the statutes and the rules of the Department of Health and the Department of Education and other State agencies.”
The motion passed unanimously.
Bring down the thunder!
It’s the same the $ociali$ts’ leadership would do to a more conservative member of the community who dared disagree with them. If DeSantis would have ordered “Masks mandatory,” the liberal hypocrites would have argued against that. There’s no pleasing them.
They are a disease and there should be a vaccine against their lunacy and tyranny.
All you liberals, keep on believing…
You speak the real truth.
In every country on earth where masks have been tried they failed to make any difference in viral transmission. They do an excellent job however of lowering immune system strength through excess carbon dioxide and reduced oxygen. A top European neurologist has warned that masks can cause permanent brain damage in children. Our Board of Education in Alachua County is already permanently brain damaged. They have no interest in real science — only media propaganda. Trying to argue science with a communist fool is hopeless. They are obsessed with control, not rationality. And they hate Governor DeSantis so much they would sacrifice every child in the county if necessary to promote their agenda. Aren’t they really just child molesters?
this needs to be resolved in court! What does the court system rule is “legal” & “illegal”?
Who is interpreting the Florida Constitution correctly? Who does the court say has the law-on-their-side? (keep in mind the entire Florida Supreme Court is currently Republican appointed)
Let’s get this (legality) resolved! Fast!
Should Republican or Democratic party even matter? It should be interpretation of the law as written…supposed to be – NOT by an individual’s political bias.
Against the law to kill someone – pretty clear.
Unless _________. Politicians make laws according to their political leanings.
There no longer exists simple morals and values in this country. This country has fallen from whatever “grace God has shed” for it.
Liberal ideology… it’s time to stop believing.
Sounds logical…
The mask is the perfect moist hot environment to
Grow bacteria and viruses and keep it right there
In the nose. That’s why they test you with the swab
In the nose. The tests are unreliable too…they give
False positives…I think even a mango tested positive…
Last year the moron Dr. Fauci went on television and said: “There’s no reason to be
walking around with masks” Fauci explained that they would not work. On February 29th last year the U.S.. Surgeon General sent out a Tweet in which he said: “They are not effective in preventing the public from catching corona virus.” Under political pressure they both changed their tune later on. Their rationale was based on politics, not science. They both knew masks were useless. Doctors all over the world have argued why they are useless and harmful and cannot prevent viral transmission. Think logically people! When public officials keep changing their tune, when do you conclude they are full of s***? Now we have the hysterical communists on the Board of Education in Alachua defying all logic and reason and insisting on masks on children because that lying little swine Dr. Fauci now says so. And maybe some chicken livered doctors in Gainesville advocate masks because they fear that opposing Dr. Fauci will get them ruination of the careers. Many years ago, they used to teach logic in our public schools. Now we have so-called “educators” on the Board of Education who not only cannot think logically, they evidently cannot think at all. And they are responsible for “educating” our county’s children? Are you kidding? They act more like a gang of communist child molesters than educators.
Thanks Sal!
Desantis needs to withhold All state funding to the
ACPS, the C of G, & Alachua county if they require
Masks & vaccines. We have constitutional unalienable
Rights to make our own medical decisions and the
Right to protect ourselves from a tyrannical government.
Try to Force a Vax shot in me and you will receive a lead shot from me. Now is the time for all good people
To come to the aid of their country. 09/14/21 protest
Downtown.. make downtown an autonomous zone.
Woodstock at bo Diddley plaza. We don’t leave until
We have freedom & liberty. What’s the dress code?
Barbarian attire. And to quote local rebel T. Petty ..
“And we won’t back down’”…
Fine. Don’t get the vaccine. But, if you get COVID, you have to pay your own medical treatment. Not insurance or any government funding. My medical expenses (including insurance premiums and/or taxes) should not have to bear the cost for your treatment.
Deal!!!
Where do I sign up you commie bastard?
I say the same about your 1% who live on the coasts, both of them, but that doesn’t help. Why should I have to pay the exorbitant insurance costs so they can have a home on the beach?
I also say the same about the homeless. I shouldn’t pay for their homes when your 1% have multiple homes, in multiple states, and as mentioned earlier – on both coasts.
Gotta love your hypocrisy but you just keep on believing…
Agreed!