School News

Bennett Wyche, caught on video knocking a teenage girl to the floor during a fight, acted in defense of his daughter, Broward prosecutors said.

By Rafael Olmeda

Feb 21, 2020

Palm Beach County schools were open on Monday, apparently to the confusion of some families who kept their kids home on Presidents Day. There was a 10 percent absentee rate, compared to 7 percent on a typical Monday.

By Lois K. Solomon

Feb 18, 2020

A proposed law that would establish parents’ authority to have more direct control over their children’s education and health care was approved by a Senate panel on Monday and a similar bill will be discussed by a House panel on Tuesday. Proponents say the bills moving forward in the Florida Legislature, which would create a parental “bill of rights,” would make clear that it is up to parents —not the government — to educate and discipline their children.

Florida’s safe-school officers have lost jobs for accidentally firing a gun, sexting while on duty, and pawning a service weapon, according to public records obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

By Skyler Swisher

Feb 18, 2020

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Palm Beach and Treasure Coast chapter has announced the 27 candidates who have signed up for “Students of the Year,” who will compete to raise the most money for the organization.

By Austen Erblat

Feb 14, 2020

The Florida House and Senate passed competing budgets Thursday that included raises for teachers but also large differences in spending for health care programs, tourism marketing and affordable housing that need to be settled through negotiations between the chambers over the next month.

A high-security charter school slated to open in August less than three miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

By Scott Travis

Feb 10, 2020

The massacre of 17 students and staff in Parkland could lead to the creation of a national School Safety Clearinghouse, President Donald Trump is expected to tell families 2 p.m. Monday in a private meeting.

A whistleblower says Palm Beach County school officials tried to cover up their lack of punishment of a principal over his comments about the Holocaust by finding far-fetched reasons to fire him after a community uproar.

By Lois K. Solomon

Feb 6, 2020

The impetus was a New Jersey incident in which a wrestler had to have his dreadlocks cut before he could compete.

By Lois K. Solomon

Feb 6, 2020

The Palm Beach County school system had to fire former Principal William Latson because of the chaos caused by his comments about the Holocaust and Latson’s unwillingness to repair the damage, Superintendent Donald Fennoy said during a hearing on Tuesday.

By Lois K. Solomon

Feb 4, 2020

A bill passed by a Florida House panel would allow school districts to change their attendance policies to give students one mental-health day off each semester. It would count as an excused absence without needing a doctor’s note.

West Broward High School Performance Ensemble has its sights set on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York following a state championship and a string of other accomplishments at the state and national level.

By Austen Erblat

Jan 31, 2020

Florida lawmakers are set to boost funding for school-based mental health care services for the third year in row, an effort to stem a rising youth suicide rate and identify potentially violent students.

By Skyler Swisher

Jan 30, 2020

Corporations that claim to value diversity are donating millions to a state program that offers school vouchers to private religious schools at which homosexuality is a firing offense.

By Dan Sweeney

Jan 29, 2020

Gov. Ron DeSantis announces a $5 million program to teach students how to engage in well-researched, civil debate. He concedes that in Congress, where he used to serve, there are a lot of incentives against operating that way. The effort will be funded by $5 million over three years from the foundation of billionaire Bernie Marcus, the founder of Home Depot.

By Anthony Man

Jan 28, 2020

The Palm Beach County School Board is the latest in Florida to consider a plea by some parents to remove a book from its classrooms. In this case it's “Little & Lion,” a novel that deals frankly with bisexuality and references abortion.

By Dan Sweeney

Jan 27, 2020

A Broward school district committee recommends creating two new K-8 schools, but the panel rejects two others.

“Little & Lion,” by Brandy Colbert, is the latest book that concerned parents are calling to be pulled from classrooms. The novel read in some high school English classes in Palm Beach County includes expletives, bisexuality and references an abortion.

By Dan Sweeney

Jan 25, 2020

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced new education standards on Friday, a year after he vowed to eliminate the “vestiges” of the controversial Common Core standards.

Parents are protesting a book being read in Palm Beach County high schools, "Little & Lion," which explores teenage sexuality.

By Lois K. Solomon

Jan 23, 2020

After nearly two years of contentious debates over school safety, a Florida Senate panel approved a modest proposal that enhances existing security measures at public schools but leaves out some recommendations made by a statewide grand jury. This year’s school safety proposal in the Florida Legislature focuses on “technicalities” and recommendations made late last year by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.

Refunds will vary individually depending on when families bought their plan, with the average refund being $4,700, Prepaid officials say

Nearly two years after a six-minute shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School left 17 people dead and 17 others injured, many schools are failing to comply with safety laws. And as Florida lawmakers gear up for the 2020 Legislative session, the question is: What more can they do?

About 1,000 students met at the Museum of Discovery and Science Friday to learn and take action on climate change.

By Scott Travis

Jan 10, 2020