A New Student Code of Conduct Returns to the Agenda
We start the unpacking of the June 17 Sarasota School Board Work Session
If there were two things made perfectly clear during the Sarasota School Board Work Session held June 17, the first is that there must be two meetings held monthly. The other is that board members know they are stronger when they find a commonality.
The professional control to not even as much as roll an eye over differences, yet maintain an honest point of view, was commendable. I wouldn’t even be able to sit in my seat without asking what happened to “Ms” vs. “Mrs.” when referring to other female board members.
I am the fish that would take the bait every single time I heard something I didn’t like. Hello distractions, my old friend. These board members were hellbent on focus. They had to be as the meeting went on for over five hours.
Vice-chair Robyn Marinelli, filling in as chair for an absent Tim Enos, even mentioned to the board members to stay on topic and not to “get on tangents” due to time.
I’ll repeat from past blogs: It is such a disservice to all involved for there not to be a return to two work sessions a month. Speakers, who have prepared for weeks, have to sit around like they’re at a doctor’s appointment in order to be seen and heard. Board members can’t really sink their teeth into a topic, because they know there is another subject and then another. . . that needs to be scrutinized.
As for the public, I saw that a whopping 236 people had tuned in when I last checked. When I was watching, I saw 33 other viewers watching at the same time.
Marinelli expressed woe thinking of the future messaging that school staff and the public might hear concerning budget cuts due to Florida legislators’ anti-public education votes. She wanted accurate information getting out to all, so no one would fault the board when the hammer comes down on lay-off’s and slashed programs.
There’s a fix for that. It’s called a return to two board meetings and two work sessions a month. The public can tune in for a couple of hours over YouTube or in person. A five-hour meeting is beyond anyone’s scope, unless one is a reporter or they’re getting paid to be there.
Christy Karwatt, a retired educator and public school advocate spoke at the June 10 school board meeting requesting a return to twice-monthly meetings. If a person is unable to attend one, they could possibly make the other. She insisted that one meeting monthly would keep people like her out of the loop.
So wave the magic wand if any board member wants the public to get a full transparency, yet votes to cut the meetings and workshops down to once a month.
Let’s start with the good. Marinelli was impressive and capable in handling the responsibilities of Chair. She multi-tasked, didn’t get flustered and contributed to the conversation. Still, my mind is blown when she says something that is so antithetical to her actions.
Only last year, Marinelli went against School Attorney Patrick Duggan’s advice with no hesitation, when it came to signing a motion that wouldn’t follow Federal Guidelines on Title IX. Despite 100% of public speakers (her constituents) reasonably and logically asking board members not to sign this poorly executed motion (written by high school graduate, board member Bridget Ziegler), she eagerly voted in favor.
Duggan had explicitly warned to wait on it, as signing the motion could result in penalties to the district in the millions of dollars. Duggan praised Ziegler for her attempt at writing it, like she was a school child, but told her that the language needed to be cleaned up.
Yet at this meeting, when it came to new language written up by the same attorney regarding the Student Code of Conduct, Marinelli stated the following: “That’s why we have an attorney. This is a hot potato and it’s an emotional topic and I recognize that.
“It doesn’t mean we have to like it,” she continued. “We have to make decisions on what our attorneys make, but that’s why we pay him - to keep us out of trouble.”
Which brings us to the Student Code of Conduct that drew such controversy from the public that the agenda item was pulled from the May 24 vote. Superintendent Terry Connor took responsibility, making a full statement at the meeting, as reported in a Dear Bubbie blog.
The problem with the then-revised Code of Conduct is that it removed language that clearly excluded protections for queer and transgender students. At the time, there was a sector of the community that pointed their finger at board member Bridget Ziegler for this blatant change.
Her history includes being a founder of Moms For Liberty, known for their anti-gay rhetoric; and standing behind Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis as he signed the unconstitutional “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law. As a board chair, she allowed anti-Gay bullying from public speakers directed towards Tom Edwards, who was elected to the board and is a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
She was notably absent at the meeting where the agenda item was pulled, which led to more chatter.
This is why I clutched my pearls at this work session meeting when Board Member Liz Barker asked the board attorney: Why are we doing this now? Who asked for it and what are we going to get out of it. . .
As soon as Duggan took responsibility, I had to shake my head. It reminded me of the time when Superintendent Terry Connor claimed it was his idea to cut back to one meeting a month.
Let’s divert to Connor for a minute. He’s a hard worker, whose goals include getting the most out of his staff and creating efficiency. However, it is not lost on him or the public that the board is his boss. All will recall an unconscionable firing of the last superintendent, led by Ziegler. It makes sense that Connor, placing in action one board meeting a month, had to have been met with encouragement from at least one influential board member. Some would opine this directive came from Ziegler, who is held accountable at almost every meeting by a fed-up public.
Even the League of Women Voters noted the following in their report card:
Another subject brought up by at least two commenters concerned the content of the social media posts by one school board member. While we realize there are first amendment issues here, the postings are concerning.
Could a teacher or principal in the district make these same posts without consequences? A superintendent? A guidance counselor? Board members should be role members for the community. The district motto, “every student every day” loses its meaning when one board member’s social media posts suggests that some students are better than others.
At the June 10 meeting, Ziegler questioned whether “certain people” were even being bullied, stating:
There’s a lot of conversation about bullying and the perception of any, you know, certain people being targeted and I want to know if that’s the case. . . If there is an issue I sure want to know about it, so that we can provide the proper support to solve that or quash the aspects that there may not be an issue and that we are um looking for a problem that doesn’t necessarily need to be solved.
Regarding the Student Code, she stated, “I know the anti-bullying and harassment policy came up. When you’re putting subgroups out there we can’t list them all, but the reality is that there’s just no tolerance for that.”
Coincidence. There are no subgroups listed, but Duggan is steadfast “It was my idea.”
When Ziegler spoke of the policy, it was almost like an admission she was involved as she brought up the Title IX debacle, where she wrote there are only two sexes. Yet, she emotionally extolled, “It wasn’t anything I prompted! I didn’t call Patrick or anything like that and say, hey, we need to change it. . . it wasn’t anything that Bridget Ziegler prompted or the sort.”
Of course, Ziegler insisted that no one should be bullied and went on to belabor this point. She did the same at the last meeting, which prompted me to send her this email:
In response to you stating that you would want to know if any students were being bullied, would you protect a transgender student? (Yes or No)
If possible, what would the repercussions be for the bully in your best of all possible worlds? (Since you are uncertain bullying exists, look at this question as a hypothetical.)
Do you connect the t-shirt you wore "Real Women Aren't Men" as a bullying tactic?
Is it okay for you to bully the transgender population (as they and others logically see it) on social media (ie: your Happy Mother's Day post), but students are off-limits?
These answers would be for a blog. This is not journalistic reporting and I have a bias. However, your words would be COPIED / PASTED verbatim. Only in answer to the questions specifically. I'd let your words sit and let the readers ponder them and respond.
Your own words to these questions would peel back what is seen by many as hypocrisy, irony and even trolling during your June 10th comments.
I don’t fault her for not answering.
Meanwhile, Marinelli is in agreement with Ziegler on keeping the subgroups out of the new language in the Code of Conduct. She explains this as she looks at her computer screen of the school logo:
It’s said at every public comment - every student, every day. I got it right here in front of me. Every student every day. Every ethnic group, everything is represented in this picture. Every student every day. That’s what this policy, the way it’s been written includes. So I feel this policy will do just that. Every student every day.
And if it’s not, then it needs to be reported. And if incidents happen and it’s not, then that principal and whoever else needs to be held accountable. Because no student, no teacher, no staff is to be bullied or harassed. That’s the Federal law. That’s the state law and that’s what this board member expects.
In reply, Ziegler begins: “So, I agree with the summation of what Mrs. Marinelli just said.”
And somewhere in Sarasota, in front of their laptop screen, a feminist winces.
(With apologies to Carrie Seidman, who wrote in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune not to make Ziegler the center of attention.)
In the next Dear Bubbie: Attorney Patrick Duggan explains why he reworded the new Student Code of Conduct to exclude subgroups. Board Member Liz Barker provided questions and facts that opened Pandora’s box, for which we are grateful. Her presence throughout the meeting was a combination of folksy and brilliant. Edwards unleashed compassion on behalf of the students. He isn’t holding back and all 33 of us who watched on the YouTube channel at home were holding back tears and applauding.
We’ll also be hearing about some amazing unrecognized heroes in attendance at the workshop, who put in the hard work daily. Their fresh and encouraging approach is the face of what makes the Sarasota schools an A-rated school district. And. .
Hoooo-weeeeee. . .that budget news coming down from Tallahassee feels like public education has been hit by a flag-waving Ford F250 Truck. That will be explained like we’re all fifth graders, because the lawmakers are gung-ho in their obscene spin. Imagine being pleased that no legislation was passed to give teachers a raise, even though Florida is in last place in teacher salary.
In other local news. . . An event occurred at the June 10 No Kings Sarasota Protest that shined an ugly light on local law enforcement. We will be digging deep to investigate if this is the exception or the rule.
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Please tell me you're taking care of yourself!!!! Eating well, sleeping, taking vitamins.....
I didn't even know there was a workshop. Once again I rely on you. I read the Carrie Seidman article. How did you even remember to look it up. Evidence of how much she's missed at the SHT. As depressing as the public school situation is there are a few beams of sunshine behind the clouds. The public awakening. Liz and Tom on the school board. SEE Alliance and many others working for change. Where there's life there's hope.
Re: salaries for teachers
Imagine if Florida had a governor that valued public education, valued funding public education (not increasing school vouchers), and valued giving raises to public school educators. Just listened to Democrat gubernatorial candidate, David Jolly, and he cares about public education. He said (paraphrased): educators don't need a 2 or 3 percent raise, they need a 30% raise.
Re: school board meeting schedule. I attended the last few meetings. They do seem to be marathon sessions. I support 2 meetings per month...in different locations in this large county...to respect folks throughout the county.