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Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca should have been focused on the needs of his military constituents. Instead, he played a game of identity politics and likely lost a bit of their respect in the process.
Baca, R-Belen, actually asked an African American Cabinet nominee during a Senate committee hearing last week if she felt “comfortable adequately representing both cultures,” citing his Hispanic heritage and the state’s low African American population of 3%. His question was insensitive and insulting and totally off point.
Sonya Smith, the governor’s nominee to lead the Department of Veteran Services, responded perfectly, saying she was nominated because of her skill set and ability to lead, not her race. “I don’t think when Gov. Lujan Grisham tapped me for this position, she was concerned about my color.” For the record, Smith is a Gulf War veteran with a background in health ca
Florida schools aim to improve education for all
A roundup of Florida education news from around the state.
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Tommy Steele, 9, works with his special education teacher over Zoom during a virtual school lesson in March. Some schools are overhauling their programs, such as special education, to better serve their students. [ Courtesy of Peggy Steele ]
Updated Feb. 3
If the pandemic has shown Floridians anything, itâs that one size does not fit all when it comes to their schooling. Some students have thrived on remote learning, while others struggled mightily and found respite back in classrooms. Some families left their schools in search of the right approach for their children. In that light, some school districts have begun taking steps to revamp their offerings. Read on for the latest on that and other Florida education news.