Keep partisan politics out of the Sarasota County School Board

Any time I touch the thorny issue of politics, I am sure to get bombarded with emails from both sides of the political spectrum.

This time, I think it’s worth that self-inflicted pain.

Our School Board is once again jumping with both feet, unnecessarily, into a culture war issue. The Board risks putting our new superintendent into the same political no-win situation that cost us our last, very popular superintendent, Brennan Asplen.

This is the same School Board that said it wanted to get rid of politics and focus only on the needs of students and staff.

At the next School Board meeting, a resolution will be introduced by Bridget Ziegler that is completely unnecessary. I believe the only intent of this resolution is to enhance one School Board member’s political position at the expense of another’s.

I have attached the resolution to this document, so you can read it for yourself. While all of us may agree or disagree with various parts of this proposed resolution, the question is this: Why make it in the first place?

• Sarasota County schools will not be implementing any of the proposed changes while the case is slowly winding through the court system.

• Higher powers than our School Board are fighting what they perceive to be a threat to their values.

• Why would our district jump into an unnecessary fight that just serves to make one side of our community angrier at the other, especially after acknowledging in the resolution that they must follow the laws of the federal and state governments?

Clearly, they were once again being dishonest with the voters of this county. Because now they are moving to pass a divisive resolution — and forcing their new superintendent to sign it, thrusting him into the world of politics, where no superintendent belongs.

For the sake of this school district, this School Board should reject all political resolutions from either side and simply focus on education. Is that so hard?

In the past, resolutions and statements have been submitted by the other side. They were equally wrong.

Stop using the students and employees of this school district as political pawns in a national culture war that does not involve us. How many times must the same people swear off politics only to jump right back in and detract from our mission of educating this district’s children?

Has our school board forgotten we have a referendum vote coming up in November?

— Barry Dubin, Executive Director, Sarasota Classified/Teachers Association

Bridget Ziegler’s Proposed Resolution re. Title IX

THE SCHOOL BOARD OF SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA RESOLUTION __

A RESOLUTION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA TO COMMIT THAT NO POLICY OR PROCEDURAL CHANGES SHALL TAKE PLACE OR BE CONSIDERED IN RESPONSE TO THE APRIL 19TH, 2024 TITLE IX RULE CHANGES

WHEREAS, The School Board of Sarasota County is made up of five duly elected Constitutional Officers, each whom swore an oath to uphold, protect, & defend the laws of the United States of America, and The State of Florida; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education released a final rule, making significant changes to the regulations implementing Title IX, that run afoul of Federal and State Laws; and

WHEREAS, Title IX, enacted by Congress in 1972, provides that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” 20 U.S.C. §1681(a); and

WHEREAS, Title IX was passed to ensure that females and males receive equal educational opportunities. 20 U.S.C. §1681(a)(2) (referring to “both sexes”); and

WHEREAS, The statute requires that, if opportunities “are provided for students of one sex, opportunities for reasonably comparable activities shall be provided for students of the other sex.” §1681(a)(8); and

WHEREAS, “on the basis of sex” in Title IX is referring to biological sex, which, like race and national origin, is an immutable characteristic that cannot be changed, fluid, or altered; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education’s unlawful attempt to redefine “Sex” to include “Gender Identity” would have disastrous impacts to girls and women’s safety in restrooms, locker rooms, and sports; and

WHEREAS, The Governor and Attorney General of the State of Florida have enjoined a federal lawsuit on April 29th, challenging, among many provisions, the constitutionality of the United States Department of Education’s changes to Title IX, and

WHEREAS, The Commissioner of Education of the State of Florida, at the direction of the Governor of the State of Florida, has instructed that “no education institution should begin implementing any changes while legal challenges ensue”;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED the School Board of Sarasota County, Florida, in a public meeting duly called and assembled:

1. affirms that “sex”: is defined as biological male or biological female (only two sexes); is an immutable characteristic that cannot be changed, fluid, or altered;
2. affirms that inherent biological differences and abilities exist between the two sexes and commits to protecting female sports;
3. commits to ensuring the safety, privacy and protection of all students, and acknowledges the importance of single sex facilities;
4. provides that no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity within Sarasota County Schools;
5. supports Governor DeSantis, on behalf of the State of Florida, legal challenge of the United States Secretary of Education and the United States Department of Education’s rule changes to Title IX;
6. commits that no policy or procedural changes will be implemented or considered as legal challenges ensue, and hereby acknowledges the paramount duty of the District to make adequate provisions for the education of all children residing within its borders.