Latest news with #EducationAdministrationSubcommittee
CBS News
19-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Florida lawmakers seeking "transparency" in searches for higher education presidential candidates
With state universities and colleges continuing to see a turnover of presidents, a House panel Wednesday unanimously approved a bill that would repeal a law shielding information about presidential candidates from public disclosure. The bill ( HB 1321 ), unanimously approved by the House Education Administration Subcommittee, also would make a series of other changes to leadership of the higher-education system, including creating term limits for members of the university system's Board of Governors and university and college boards of trustees. "This bill is all about accountability and transparency," Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, said. "I think it was overdue." The proposal would repeal a controversial 2022 law that provided exemptions to public records and public meetings laws for presidential searches. Under the law, identifying information about most presidential applicants is not disclosed, though information about finalists for the positions is made public. Supporters of the 2022 law argued that it was needed to help attract top candidates who might be hesitant to apply for Florida president jobs if their current employers could find out. But Rep. Michelle Salzman, a Pensacola Republican sponsoring the House bill, rejected such arguments Wednesday. "When we have presidential searches and when we're doing these things, we don't need to be hiding people behind the shade because we're worried about if they win or lose," Salzman said. The bill comes after numerous presidential hirings in recent years and current openings. In February, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, was chosen to serve as president of Florida Atlantic University, and former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez was chosen to serve as interim president of Florida International University . Also, University of South Florida President Rhea Law announced last month she will step down. In addition, Florida Polytechnic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida State University, the University of North Florida and New College of Florida have presidents who were appointed since 2021. Meanwhile, in addition to Florida International University , the University of Florida and Florida A&M University are operating with interim presidents. In the state college system, Broward College , Northwest Florida State College, South Florida State College and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota have hired new presidents during the past two years. Also, North Florida College President John Grosskopf announced this month he will step down from his post. Samique March-Dallas, an associate professor of finance at Florida A&M, told the House panel Wednesday that transparency is needed in presidential searches. "Transparency in presidential searches isn't merely procedural," she said. "It's essential for legitimacy. When decisions happen behind closed doors, we lose the opportunity to evaluate candidates against our institutions' needs and values." Other parts of the bill include: The bill would need to clear the House Education & Employment Committee before it could go to the full House. Senate Education Postsecondary Chairwoman Alexis Calatayud, R-Miami, has filed a Senate version (SB 1726), which has not been heard in committees.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tennessee school cell phone ban bill passes first committee hurdle
A bill allowing Tennessee school districts to adopt policies banning the use of cell phones and messaging devices during the school day – and permitting schools to require students to surrender their devices – passed a first committee hurdle on Tuesday. House Bill 932 would authorize all school districts in Tennessee to develop and implement policies restricting the use of any wireless communication devices – including cell phones, tablets, laptop computers and gaming devices – during instructional time. Districts would not be required to adopt such a policy. 'What we're doing here is we're setting a minimum level of expectation of what we believe is the best interest of the students,' said Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka. The bill leaves specifics of each device policy to individual districts' discretion. Districts could adopt policies requiring students to surrender devices at the beginning of the school day, or adopt restrictions on their use during classroom time only. Provisions are made in the bill for students with disabilities and medical needs – such as diabetic students who need to check their insulin level – to use devices as needed The bill passed unanimously out of the House Education Administration Subcommittee on Tuesday afternoon, with bipartisan support. Eight states – including Florida, California, Indiana and Louisiana – have already adopted statewide school cell phone bans. More than a dozen others are considering similar policies or pilot programs. About seven in 10 Americans support cell phone bans during class time, a nationwide Pew Research poll conducted last October found, while about a third of Americans support limitations on device use throughout the school day. Among those parents with reservations, many are concerned about being able to contact their child in cases of a disaster or emergency – like a school shooting. Rep. Rebecca Alexander, R-Jonesborough, who is sponsoring the bill in Tennessee, worked with the Tennessee Association of School Boards and the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents to draft the bill. Eighteen other House members have signed on to co-sponsor the bill. During committee on Tuesday, Alexander cited a policy active in Hamblin County that prohibits use of cell phones and personal electronic devices throughout the school day. 'They have seen marked improvement in their scores, in what the students are receiving by being able to not have a cell phone, for example, during lunch time – able to communicate with other students directly, face to face,' Alexander said. Cepicky said he has toured a few schools that have implemented similar policies. 'To see these children now starting to talk to each other and start to communicate to each other and express ideas to each other,' Cepicky said, 'It's reminiscent of the way our classrooms used to be, where kids were engaged in a day to day conversation with their peers and with their teachers.' Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee school cell phone ban: Bill passes first committee hurdle
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Tennessee bathroom bill on transgender access targets residential educational facilities
Two Republicans are seeking to require any educational facilities that house minors overnight to segregate restrooms and shower areas based on "immutable biological sex," in an effort to protect girls' privacy. House Bill 64 seeks to require any 'residential educational program' in Tennessee that serves minors to segregate restrooms, changing areas and showers 'by immutable biological sex.' The bill would apply to programs of any duration, run by both public and private entities. It's sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Franklin, and Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Manchester. The bill passed a first committee hurdle on Tuesday, passing the House Education Administration Subcommittee in a 5-1 party line vote after about 30 minutes of discussion. 'My constituents tell me that they believe that girls, when they're going into the bathroom or into the shower, deserve privacy and security such that only other girls are allowed to share those same facilities,' he said. 'They don't want boys in there.' During the hearing, Bulso said he brought the bill because of the experiences of a family in his district. A local private university's summer program asked parents if they would consent to their teenage daughter being assigned a roommate who is transgender. They did not consent to the roommate assignment, and objected to the young people sharing shower and restroom facilities. "The school was going to allow boys who quote, identified, close quote, as girls to share the same showering and restroom facilities on the floor of the dormitories where the students would be housed," Bulso said. "The purpose of this bill ... is to protect girls, protect young ladies and their privacy." Bulso said he considers the measure an 'issue of public health and safety.' 'The boys who are identifying as girls at this particular residential educational program are actively flirting with some of the girls in the bathroom,' Bulso said. State law already bars transgender students from accessing sex-based multi-use restrooms and changing facilities, instead requiring schools to offer another 'reasonable accommodation' to transgender students and school staff. A federal judge dismissed a legal challenge last September. In 2021, Gov. Bill Lee signed a law requiring businesses that allow transgender people to use facilities associated with their gender identity to post a sign notifying the public. That law was struck down by a federal judge a year later. It's rare that a subcommittee draws a crowd on the first full day of hearings during a legislative session. But House Hearing Room 4 was packed on Tuesday afternoon as spectators held signs that read 'Flush HB 64' and 'Get your mind out of the toilet and do something to actually protect our kids.' Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, the lone Democrat on the committee, condemned the bill as an attack on minorities, and said lawmakers should address far more pressing matters, like child hunger, household expenses, and housing. 'When I think about the attacks constantly on folks we don't agree with because we don't like their lifestyle, it's really disheartening,' Glynn said. 'Yet we continue this ongoing battle to demonize folks we don't agree with. It's as if we are back in slavery days when folks continued to demonize Black folks because they didn't look the right way or they didn't act the right way.' Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, questioned whether the legislation would create an unfunded mandate for private institutions. Bulso responded that he sees no cost of compliance. 'Recall that 20 years ago, every educational institution that dealt with minors was likely to have a boys bathroom and a girl's bathroom. I believe that is still the case,' Bulso said. 'It's not so much that anything needs to be built. It's just a question of who is allowed to use which restroom facility and which showering facility.' Cepicky also questioned whether mothers would still be able to take 4- and 5-year-old sons into the restroom with them. Bulso said prohibiting such an action is not the intent of the bill. 'Shameful!' one demonstrator called, as Bulso left the room. 'What bathroom am I supposed to use?' another called out. 'This is pedophile behavior, Bulso!' one spectator roared. Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee bathroom bill targets trans access at residential facilities
