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☆ The College Board claps back at DeSantis, calling Florida's reasoning for banning AP African American studies 'slander'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The College Board clapped back on Saturday, defending the course. Instead, the College Board said the administration has leaned into spreading misinformation: "We need to clear the air and set the record straight." The College Board maintained that the course framework was just an outline for the pilot course. The organization also slammed the administration for taking credit for changes that the College Board made to the course and said that there have not been any negotiations between the College Board and the FDOE. "The College Board condemns this uninformed caricature of African American Studies and the harm it does to scholars and students," the statement continues.

☆ Learning about the Black Lives Matter movement will now be optional in a new AP Black history class after Florida Gov. DeSantis publicly rejected the course
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The College Board released its new framework for its AP African American Studies course Wednesday. The course makes topics like Black Lives Matter, reparations, and queer studies optional for students to learn. But much of its modern content — like Black Lives Matter, affirmative action, Black queer studies, and reparations — has been both watered down and labeled as optional for a required research project. Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of black history is queer theory?

☆ Florida wants its strict race and gender law to influence how an AP class on Black history is taught nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The College Board announced Tuesday that it would be reworking its AP African American Studies course. Florida's education department said it "expects" the College Board to change the course nationwide to reflect Florida's law. Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of black history is queer theory? The AP African American Studies course will be offered nationwide and was previously piloted at 60 high schools.

☆ The DeSantis administration's ban on AP African American studies 'is eroding traditional public education' in Florida, state school board member says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"It just feels like there's an erosion of democracy," a school board member told Insider. Ron DeSantis' administration banned the teaching of Advanced Placement African American Studies classes in Florida schools this week. Hillsborough County School Board member Jessica Vaughn, who represents District 3 in Tampa, told Insider the decision made her feel "extremely upset and horrified, but not surprised." I mean, aside from the erosion of traditional public education, it just feels like there's an erosion of democracy," Vaughn told Insider. DeSantis' office, the College Board, and the Florida Department of Education did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Florida Bars AP African-American Studies Course From Public Schools
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis has barred an Advanced Placement class on African-American studies from the state’s public schools. Florida won’t allow an Advanced Placement class on African-American studies to be taught in the state’s public schools, the state education department said. The Florida Department of Education said the course, which teaches about African-American contributions to society, contradicted Florida law and lacked educational value. The course is being offered this academic year in 60 schools across the U.S., according to the College Board, the organization that created the course.

☆ Florida schools will not offer AP African American Studies course
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Florida will not allow high school students to take a new Advanced Placement (AP) class in African American Studies, saying in a letter to College Board, the nonprofit that develops the courses, that the pilot version "lacks educational value." The College Board administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement tests that help students gain college credit while in high school. It is developing its first African American Studies course through a pilot program at 60 high schools. loading"The State of Florida will allow AP European and American studies — but AP African-American studies is 'contrary to Florida law'?" The College Board said in a statement to Reuters that the course aims to "explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans."

☆ DeSantis' second inauguration as governor will have a 'Free State of Florida' theme, an intimate candlelight dinner, and a toast to moms supporting the GOP governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The overarching theme is "The Free State of Florida," the Florida Standard first reported. "The Free State of Florida" is a motto mirroring DeSantis' 2022 campaign theme. Officials stand on stage during an inauguration ceremony where Ron DeSantis was sworn in as Florida Governor, Tuesday, January 8, 2019, in Tallahassee, Florida. This inauguration, DeSantis is considering turning down donations from Big Tech companies, The New York Times reported. "I support Governor DeSantis and am honored to have been invited to his inauguration," GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida told Insider.

☆ Republicans went after BlackRock and sustainable investing in 2022. Meet 12 officials crusading against 'woke capitalism.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

A group of vocal conservative officials are criticizing aspects of ESG investing. Players in the ESG ecosystem, like S&P Global and BlackRock, the world's largest money manager and an influential proponent of ESG investing, are often the subject of their critiques. Instead, officials often paint large financial firms' ESG strategies as functions of left-leaning agendas. Here are key GOP players who are taking aim at ESG investing. Abbott, who is seeking reelection in November, was early to denouncing ESG investing.

☆ Fact Check-Inaccuracies in claims Florida, Kentucky and Missouri all require drug testing for welfare recipients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Users on social media have claimed that welfare applicants in Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri require drug testing, which is partly false. A 2011 Florida law that was passed to drug test all welfare recipients was struck down as unconstitutional in 2014. Thank you Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri, which are the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare.” (here). FLORIDAIn 2011, Florida passed a law that would drug test all welfare recipients of the federal program known as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (here). A Missouri bill was passed in 2011 to allow for applicants for welfare benefits to be drug tested.

☆ Florida deputy killed after officer roommate 'jokingly' fires gun he thought was unloaded, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A 23-year-old Florida sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot by his fellow deputy roommate over the weekend, in what the sheriff described as a “clearly dumb and avoidable accident.”Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputy Austin Walsh was killed Saturday morning in Palm Bay by his roommate Andrew Lawson, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a Sunday news conference. A single bullet was fired, struck Walsh, and killed him, officials said. Brevard County Sheriff's OfficeLawson immediately called 911 saying he accidentally shot his roommate and needed help, Ivey said. NBC News has reached out to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for comment. Walsh had served with the agency since he was 18 and was part of its Explorers youth program before that, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

☆ Meet 12 Republican officials crusading against BlackRock and ESG investing
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

☆ Judge accepts insanity plea deal for Florida man in face-biting case
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Austin Harrouff, 25, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of first-degree murder and other charges for the 2016 slayings of John Stevens, 59, and his wife, Michelle Mishcon Stevens, 53. Harrouff, who attended Florida State University before the attack, will be committed to a secure mental health facility until doctors and a judge agree that he is no longer dangerous. Mourners exit a memorial service for John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon Stevens in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Aug. 19, 2016. The judge said Harrouff will remain in the Martin County Jail until he is taken to a secure mental health facility monitored by the Florida Department of Children and Families. His parents had set up an appointment for him to be evaluated, but the attack occurred first.

☆ Student-loan borrowers defrauded by Corinthian were promised $5.8 billion in relief 'immediately.' 6 months later Biden's Education Department says it'll take 'some time.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In June, the Education Department approved a $5.8 billion loan discharge for former Corinthian students. Six months later, borrowers are still waiting, and the department said relief will now take "some time." Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said at the time that the impacted Corinthian borrowers will see their loans "immediately forgiven." This prompted Biden's Education Department to reform the process. Still, aside from the June announcement of relief, none of the Education Department's recent actions are giving Corinthian borrowers any certainty.

Lee County suffered none of the state’s 123 Irma deaths. That experience influenced many people’s decisions not to flee Hurricane Ian. “Hurricane Ian is going to be the strongest outreach messaging for southwest Florida ever,” said Gleason, the Charlotte County spokesman. “When you live through it, then that message sinks in deep and forever.”A view of the Matanzas Pass side of Estero Island, home to Fort Myers Beach, Fla. Fort Myers Beach is expected to take years to rebuild. Thomas Simonetti for NBC NewsMichael Yost's two closest friends in Fort Myers Beach drowned in Hurricane Ian.

☆ Homebuyers who fled to Florida to escape high taxes are now shocked at their massive tax bills
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida law caps property taxes at 3% a year for existing homebuyers. The tax bills have come as a shock for some, who may have to consider moving out of the state. Anyone who bought a Florida property in 2022 will be in the same situation next year. Corporate homebuyers are also getting hit with higher tax billsDeeply resourced, large-scale homebuyers are getting caught off guard, too. Some local governments in Texas have argued for increasing property taxes in order to finance things like hurricane relief, the Texas Tribune reported.

☆ Midterm elections live updates: Pennsylvania races, New Hampshire Senate race too early to call
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Brandy Zadrozny | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Sahil-Kapur-Headshot.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +109 min

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate and governor's races too early to call It is too early to call the Senate and gubernatorial races in Wisconsin, according to NBC News. Share this -Link copiedNew Hampshire Senate race too early to call The Senate race in New Hampshire is too early to call, according to NBC News. Share this -Link copiedPennsylvania Senate and governor races are too early to call After polls closed at 8 p.m. While Maricopa County election officials initially categorized the problem as a “hiccup,” it took hours before a solution was identified early Tuesday afternoon. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said.

While Maricopa County election officials initially categorized the problem as a “hiccup,” it took hours before a solution was identified early Tuesday afternoon. According to the poll, 46% of voters said their family’s financial situation is worse than it was two years ago. Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, filed a similar complaint Friday against state election officials. The app and portal had been down for part of the morning and the state's election hotline also briefly experienced issues. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said.

☆ Casey Anthony gives first on-camera interview since being acquitted of murdering her daughter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Casey Anthony, whose 2011 murder trial for the death of her 2-year-old daughter made her a tabloid sensation, has given an on-camera interview for the first time since her acquittal. "Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies," a three-part limited docuseries, will premiere Nov. 29 on Peacock, the streaming service announced Tuesday. Anthony, now 36, was famously acquitted in 2011 of charges of murder, manslaughter and child abuse following the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. A day later, Casey Anthony was arrested on charges of child neglect. Experts would testify that air samples indicated that decaying human remains had been present in Casey Anthony’s trunk.

By the end of Election Day, approximately 21,000 total interviews will be conducted. Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, filed a similar complaint Friday against state election officials. The app and portal had been down for part of the morning and the state's election hotline also briefly experienced issues. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said. Share this -Link copiedSunny weather in most battleground states on Election Day It’s a bright and sunny Election Day in many battleground states!

☆ DeSantis' administration won't allow Justice Department monitors inside Florida polling places, saying his secretary of state will watch the 3 Democratic strongholds instead
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The DeSantis administration said DOJ-appointed election monitors aren't allowed inside Florida polling places. A letter from Florida Department of State General Counsel Brad McVay said they are legally not allowed inside. But according to Brad McVay, General Counsel for the Florida Department of State, "the presence of federal law enforcement inside polling places would be counterproductive and could potentially undermine confidence in the election." McVay wrote that while law enforcement officials are allowed inside polling places, Department of Justice monitors do not qualify. "They can certainly be outside of the polling places," Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said of the monitors at a press conference Tuesday.

☆ Incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis, a national Republican star, faces off against Democrat Charlie Crist in Florida's gubernatorial election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis is up for re-election, running against Democrat Charlie Crist. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, is up for reelection against Democrat Charlie Crist, who resigned his congressional seat in August after his primary victory. Florida's gubernatorial candidatesDeSantis has been governor of Florida since 2018 and is the youngest governor in the United States. Still, DeSantis won the 2018 gubernatorial race against Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, a Democrat, by only half a percentage point, or less than 34,000 votes. His political action committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, raised nearly $206 million as of November 2, according to the Florida Department of State Division of Elections.

☆ Missing Florida boy, 6, found 2,000 miles away in Canada, father and grandmother arrested
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A 6-year-old boy missing from Florida since August has been found safe nearly 2,000 miles away in Canada, and his father and paternal grandmother have been taken into custody, police said. Jorge Morales. As a result the child's father Jorge Gabriel Morales, 45, and grandmother Lilliam Pena Morales, 68, were arrested "without incident" and taken into custody by the RCMP, police said. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the relationship of Lilliam Pena Morales to Jorge “JoJo” Morales. She is his paternal grandmother, not his maternal grandmother.

☆ A multimillion-dollar war against mosquitoes is underway in Florida after Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

"The mosquitoes are out there, and they’re biting," said Eric Jackson, the deputy director of the Lee County Mosquito Control Division. The Lee County Mosquito Control District, a special district in one of the communities hit hardest by Ian, employs about 100 workers, Jackson said. Anne Askew, a biologist in the Lee County Mosquito Control District's Larviciding Department, uses a microscope to identify mosquito species. Lee County Mosquito Control DistrictIn Lee County, where Fort Myers is located, mosquito counts in the traps began to spike about a week after Ian. Florida officials don’t think federal help will be necessary, though Hurricane Ian’s damage has created challenges for mosquito control workers.

☆ Cannabis company inks deal with Circle K to bring weed to Florida gas stations
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Select Circle K locations in Florida will begin selling marijuana for medical use in 2023. In Florida, citizens may receive a medical marijuana card for PTSD, cancer, and Parkinson's disease, among other conditions, Axios reports. "The opening of RISE Express stores at Circle K locations is a game-changer. Florida's current laws around marijuana use only permit the drug for those who possess a medical marijuana card typically issued for chronic conditions. Over 700,000 Floridians are currently registered active cardholders in the state's medical marijuana program, according to the Florida Department of Health.

☆ Dangerous flesh-eating bacterial infections increased in Florida after Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Carma Hassan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An increase in infections with a rare flesh-eating bacteria was reported in Florida in the days after Hurricane Ian due to catastrophic flooding from the storm. Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm on September 28 in Lee County, which includes Fort Myers and Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida. The Florida Department of Health in Lee County warned residents of the risks of Vibrio vulnificus on October 3. “DOH-Lee is observing an abnormal increase in cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections as a result of exposure to the flood waters and standing waters following Hurricane Ian. Since September 29, 2022, 26 cases of Vibrio vulnificus associated with Hurricane Ian have been reported to DOH-Lee.

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