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Anita Burnette
Yes, Volusia needs strong LGBTQ+ policy
Following last week’s School Board meeting, I have received numerous calls and emails asking me to clarify my position on a resolution brought before the Board earlier today. First, I want to state unequivocally that I am an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, and that I stand staunchly against discrimination of any kind in Volusia Schools.
I want to be clear that I believe the urgent issue of LGBTQ+ discrimination in our schools deserves a strong response based on policy, not just sentiment. I could not in good conscience support a resolution that relegated such an important issue to Spring Break when students would not be in school. The resolution dismissed the values of inclusion that it allegedly represented. We cannot keep passing toothless statements of support instead of tackling the very real problems our LGBTQ+ students are facing.\
Volusia, Flagler schools improve graduation rates amid pandemic
For the first time, the Flagler County school district s graduation rate topped 90%.
The Volusia and Flagler county school districts improved their graduation rates in the school year that ended unceremoniously thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Flagler County school district s graduation rate for the 2019-2020 school year was 92.3%, topping 90% for the first time and improving almost 4 points over the previous year s 88.7%.
The Volusia County school district s graduation rate was 87.7%, improving about 3 points over the previous year s 84.5%.
Volusia County is still below the state s average of 90%, which is also an improvement of about 3 points.
Interim Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin aimed to correct the record on Tuesday when she gave a passionate speech at the end of a School Board meeting, following several weeks of discontent in the community directed at her. I feel compelled tonight to respond to a few statements and inaccurate narratives that have been put out there, she said, because I see it not only as a disruption to our vision and our focus of why we’re all here, but also to my professional reputation.
Speaking for about 10 minutes likely the longest address she s made all year Balgobin specifically responded to criticism over a board-approved pay increase for her work as interim superintendent, as well as backlash over the move to hire Ida Wright for a part-time position immediately after she lost her bid for re-election to the School Board.