Florida Board of Education

The Florida Department of Education is warning district staff to "err on the side of caution" when choosing books for their school libraries. In new guidance up for a vote, librarians are warned to avoid books that contain “unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination."

Local school district policies aimed at safeguarding the privacy rights and wellbeing of LGBTQ students are under fire from the Florida Department of Education. Districts are rolling back the local rules, which state officials say may violate new state laws.

A federal judge Monday rejected arguments to block a controversial new state law that restricts the way race-related concepts can be taught in classrooms and workplace training.

The Florida Board of Education voted during a conference call on Thursday afternoon to sanction eight districts — including the three large public school systems in South Florida — for defying state rules that guarantee parents the choice of whether their children wear masks. As of now, the districts are allowing opt outs for only medical reasons.

The State Board of Education will meet Thursday and is considering disciplinary action against 11 school boards that set student mask mandates to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The districts targeted for potential penalties are Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Indian River, Leon, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach and Sarasota counties.

In a 28-page court document filed Tuesday, the parents’ attorneys wrote that the governor’s power “is not absolute; it is limited by the Florida Constitution” and said the lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis, the State Board of Education, the state Department of Education and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran should not be dismissed.

The chair of the Florida Board of Education said recommending that school board members are removed from office is on the table.

A state judge is expected to make a quick ruling over mask mandates in Florida schools, as the state Board of Education plans its next moves. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho discussed how "difficult" the coming weeks will be in his annual back-to-school speech.

The State Board of Education has scheduled an emergency meeting Tuesday “to consider the compliance of school districts, including Broward and Alachua” with the rule and a new state law known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” according to a notice of the meeting.

The State Board of Education adopted new curriculum standards for civics, government and Holocaust education, along with updates to other subject areas.

Florida’s State Board of Education on Wednesday will consider adopting a wide-ranging overhaul of curriculum standards across multiple subjects in public schools, including guidelines for teaching civics and government courses and Holocaust education.

Backing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign against critical race theory, the State Board of Education on Thursday approved a rule that places controversial guidelines on the way U.S. history is taught in public schools.