Florida schools remind parents to fill out all those forms

[Desmond Milligan 0]

The reminder story: As students return for a second week of classes, school districts across Florida are prompting parents to fill out all their forms.

Florida’s emphasis on parental rights also has meant a raft of paperwork for families, as schools seek to protect themselves from taking actions that some parent might object to.

Parents now face filling out permission slips for a variety of things including checking out library books, participating in clubs and attending after-school events. Opting out is becoming less an choice than opting in, as schools are moving away from considering the failure to return forms as passive consent.

The reminder comes amid an ongoing discussion over a Brevard County teacher who lost her job after calling a student by the child’s preferred name without having permission from the parents. Read more from WFTV.

Hot topics

Tuition: Unlike other state universities, Florida A&M decided to delay any out-of-state tuition increases at least a year to give students time to prepare, WCTV reports.

Student transportation: Some Manatee County parents are worried about the safety of their children walking to school along busy highways, Bay News 9 reports.

Public comment: A federal court has revived a First Amendment lawsuit brought by a Manatee County pastor who said he was inappropriately kicked out of a 2019 school board meeting, Florida Phoenix reports. • The State Board of Education is poised to penalize Alachua County school board members over the way it dealt with comments at a recent board meeting, USA Today Florida Network reports.

President searches: The University of West Florida has hired a search firm to look for its next permanent president, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. Former education commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. is serving as interim president.

Pay raises: The Polk County school district introduced its referendum asking voters to approve a property tax increase in support of increased employee pay, Lakeland Now reports.

Enrollment: Efforts to stem enrollment declines in Broward County schools have not shown early success, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Dress code: A Duval County mom says her daughter was prevented from attending her high school classes because the family could not afford the school’s mandatory uniforms, WJXT reports.

From the police blotter ... A Clay County mom was arrested on allegations of putting a gun in her child’s school backpack, People reports.

Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to Friday’s roundup.

Before you go ... Count Chocula, Franken Berry and Boo Berry as Henson puppets? Maybe it was just a matter of time.

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