Latest news with #JessicaSpencer
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spanish instructions cut from Royal Oak Elementary Schools, draws backlash from parents
The Brief Royal Oak schools decided to cut Spanish instruction for grades K-5, and some parents are not happy with it. The district says it's about realigning resources and focusing on language learning later in a child's education. Some parents argue that's missing the point. ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - It was a decision to cut Spanish instruction from Royal Oak Elementary Schools, and now it has drawn backlash from parents. What they're saying The district says it's about realigning resources and focusing on language learning later in a child's education, but some families say it's a step in the wrong direction. "There are people who go to public school because they can't afford to send their kid to private school. come on, that is a privilege that lots of people do not have and of course Im going to stand up for that. Public education is part of our country," said parent Jessica Spencer. One Royal Oak parent is grappling with the question of where resources should be funneled into public schools as they're trimming Spanish as part of the curriculum for Royal Oak's youngest students. Instead, the district plans to offer a blend of literacy, STEM, and other instruction. But for many parents, the change feels like a loss. The district insists the shift will strengthen Spanish instruction by focusing on it in middle and high school, where they say students are more developmentally ready to grasp grammar and fluency. But some parents, like Spencer, argue that's missing the point. "This damages the robustness of the education and narrows the scope of what our children are being taught," she said. Dig deeper The district says it's expanding STEM programs, something Royal Oak has invested heavily in. Officials say certified teachers will lead weekly lessons in science, tech, engineering, and math. But some parents say they're still in the dark. "The lack of transparency is my top concern because there's no plan," Spencer said. Big picture view According to the Department of Education, research shows that children who start learning a second language at an early age are more likely to achieve native-like fluency. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages also notes that early language learners show stronger problem-solving skills and higher academic achievement overall. But for Eric Coletto, who plans to enroll his child in Royal Oak public schools, STEM is still a bigger priority. "I think this is a step in the right direction for Royal Oak schools to really bolster the STEM curriculum because it's going to pay dividends as schooling progresses and really open up a lot of opportunities for lucrative careers in a variety of fields," he said. The other side FOX 2 reached out to the district in a statement and the superintendent said: "We look forward to fully developing a new literacy experience for all elementary students for 2025-26, working with our reading, elementary curriculum and technology integration specialists."
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Become a ‘weed wrangler': Volunteers needed for invasive plant cleanup March 1st
The Jacksonville-area U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is looking for help preventing the spread of harmful invasive species in Florida's green spaces. Efforts are especially active now, as part of National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Weed Wrangles are a state-wide initiative to hand-remove especially harmful trees, vines, and flowering plants. 'Most importantly,' said USACE biologist Jessica Spencer, 'It is a great opportunity to welcome our community to come out and learn about our local natural areas and how non-native/ invasive plants impact them.' This year, the target plants are coral ardisia, caesar weed, Japanese climbing fern, tuberous sword fern, arrowhead vine, wild taro, kalanchoe, camphor tree, and air potato. The local Weed Wrangles are hosted by the First Coast Invasives Working Group and The Garden Club of America. The next event is scheduled for Saturday, March 1st from 9 A.M. to 12 P.M. Read: Nutria Nuisance: The invasive rodent environmental officials are encouraging you to eat There are multiple locations: Vilano Beach (St. Augustine) Tree Hill Nature Center (Jacksonville) University of North Florida Hanna Park (Atlantic Beach) Atlantic Recreation Center Walter Jones Historic Park (Jacksonville) Organizers say they will need the most help at the Tree Hill Nature Center. For more information, click here. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Cannabis critic warns lawmakers about dangers of today's pot, urges against ever legalizing it
Dr. Jessica Spencer warns a Florida Senate committee against the dangers of high-potency cannabis on Feb. 11, 2025. (Screenshot/Florida Channel) A leading Florida critic of daily cannabis consumption urged a legislative panel on Tuesday to increase state funding in elementary schools to warn about the risks of early marijuana use, especially related to brain development. Dr. Jessica Spencer, who worked on the campaign to defeat Amendment 3 last year, also used her remarks in front of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee to urge against Florida ever legalizing cannabis for adults. Spencer began her presentation by noting that the potency of cannabis in 2025 is much higher than it was in the 1960s and '70s, as measured by THC content. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main ingredient in marijuana that produces the psychoactive 'high' when consumed. She showed a slide presentation from the University of Mississippi working with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to show that flower products averaged less than 1% THC in 1975, compared to an average of 16.14% in 2022. Spencer said her focus was not on the casual adult consumer of cannabis, but those who use it on a daily or near daily basis, and especially young people. 'The main concern for me is adolescents … but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned about adults and the daily use of these high-potency products,' she said, adding that children have a higher chance of addiction because their brains are still growing. Spencer discussed the relationship between cannabis use and mental health disorders, which has been documented over the past decade. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), citing a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), now says on its website that people who use cannabis are more likely to develop psychosis and long-lasting mental disorders such as schizophrenia, with that association stronger in people who start using at an earlier age and more frequently. 'We need to be educating individuals on the dangers of this particular substance,' Spencer told lawmakers. Spencer made numerous appearances in person and in the media last year denouncing the possibility of legalizing cannabis in Florida as the director of advocacy for the Vote NO on 3 campaign, and she used the platform offered to her on Tuesday to once again call for that to never happen in Florida. That's as the group that sponsored that constitutional amendment has already begun trying again to place the measure in front of voters on a statewide ballot in 2026. 'We don't want full legalization. We see what happens in other states when we have full legalization and we know it's not good,' she said. A majority of Florida voters (56%) approved legalizing the adult use of cannabis in Florida last year, short of the 60% threshold required for passage. Spencer told committee members that they need to be aware of hemp products such as Delta 8 that are sold in gas stations and smoke shops, and urged the Legislature to ban them. (The Legislature did pass a bill last year banning Delta 8 and putting limits on the THC content in hemp products but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it). She said that's why the state needs to use as much as 25% of available state drug demand reduction funds — including from the opioid abatement funds — for primary prevention strategies. But it was when she discussed cannabis and its link to violence among young men that she got some pushback by Democrats on the panel. Among those listed in a slide as committing crimes while having marijuana in their system was Rudy Eugene, the Miami man shot dead by police in 2012 after he chewed the face off of a homeless person, and Nikolas Cruz, the gunman responsible for the shooting massacre at Parkland in 2018. 'So really what we should be focusing on is identifying people who have underlying mental health issues and making sure they don't get anywhere near marijuana?' asked South Florida Democrat Jason Pizzo. 'That would be an interesting way to do so,' Spencer replied. Spencer said she supports efforts to decriminalize simple possession of the plant. 'Please consider not ruining people's lives over that,' she said, calling for allowing law enforcement to use diversion and civil citation programs to deal with those arrested for possession (which are already in use in several counties and municipalities in Florida for low-level possession arrests). The committee took no immediate action on Spencer's requests, but there is still plenty of time before the Legislature's session begins next month for any legislation to emerge based on her public testimony. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
