Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 29, 2016

The Duval County School Board, when fully staffed, is a seven-person body. However, just one resignation or absence can turn the DCSB into a six-person panel. And, in the event of a controversial or closely contested issue, a 3-3 tie is quite likely. The board wasn’t at full strength earlier this year, after Rep. Jason Fischer […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 23, 2016

For the Duval County School Board, the slogan might be “wake me when September ends.” Earlier in the month, the board evaluated Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, deeming him “effective,” even though below the surface questions loomed about widening achievement gaps inside demographic categories of the student population. From there, board chair Ashley Smith-Juarez, according to Vitti, scheduled a meeting […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2016

Earlier this week, the narrative was that Duval County School Board chair Ashley Smith-Juarez had called a meeting Friday of the board to discuss the termination of Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Since that news came out, some developments have happened. Community leaders pressed Smith-Juarez to reconsider her intransigence; by Wednesday afternoon, she had backpedaled, contravening what she […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 21, 2016

Despite the maelstrom regarding the future of Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, Jacksonville City Council President Lori Boyer vowed that the Wednesday meeting between the school board and the council would steer clear of Vitti’s employment controversy, addressing more ordinary topics like school concurrency, hazardous walking conditions, and charter school development. The meeting did avoid the Vitti […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2016

The Duval County School Board has a special meeting slated for Friday morning; the topic, broadly, is “governance and administration.” What does that mean? School Board member Scott Shine believes this could mean the end of the tenure of Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. The board member who called the meeting, Ashley Smith-Juarez, has been a critic of Vitti’s communication […]

Peter SchorschAugust 5, 2016

A new flyer from Republican Dick Kravitz offers House District 16 voters a laundry list of his “accomplishments.” Among them, the former Jacksonville City Councilman and state representative claims he received an “A+” rating from the National Rifle Association. One problem; it’s a bald-faced lie. “Dick Kravitz DOES NOT have an ‘A+’ rating from NRA,” writes […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 24, 2016

Two powerful incumbents on the Duval County School Board got through the qualifying deadline without drawing opposition Friday, ensuring their re-election. Cheryl Grymes, targeted by at least one enterprising activist attempting to plant stories maligning her for taking money from charter school king Gary Chartrand, drew no opposition in School Board District 1. Grymes was criticized […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 20, 2016

On June 19, ahead of the date for qualifying for his state House race in Jacksonville’s House District 16, Jason Fischer resigned from the Duval County School Board. Fischer resigned in accordance with the “resign to run” law. Fischer, in a letter received by the Duval Supervisor of Elections Friday, described his four academic years of service on […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 18, 2016

It turns out that Warren Jones wasn’t the only big name being talked up for a run for Duval County School Board. Mike Hightower, JEA’s chief public affairs officer, was approached by some interested members of Jacksonville’s donor class for a potential school board run. He thought about it briefly — for about 14 hours — […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 17, 2016

Another day, another story about public school bathrooms from Northeast Florida. On Monday, Duval County’s school superintendent, Nikolai Vitti, discussed the “fear factor” from some parents and students, relative to transgender students using the bathrooms of their choice, a policy supported and accommodated by Duval County Public Schools. On Tuesday, Vitti, along with the school district […]

Tag: Duval County School board

Bill would divest tiebreaking power from Duval School Board chair

‘Broken’ Duval County School Board castigates media, each other in contentious conclave

In meeting with school board chair, Lenny Curry advocates for Nikolai Vitti

With Nikolai Vitti’s future in question, Jacksonville City Council and school board meet

Are Nikolai Vitti’s days numbered as Duval County school superintendent?

Dick Kravitz lies (again) about NRA rating, as HD 16 race gets nastier

Cheryl Grymes, Ashley Smith-Juarez draw no Duval School Board opponents

Jason Fischer resigns from Duval County School Board

Mike Hightower for Duval school board? Thought about it, ruled it out

Duval School Board sued over bathroom policy