Certain said she plans to make the drive to Crawfordville on Thursday. But she\u2019s not going hat in hand.<\/p>\n
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On Monday, her lawyer, Gary Edinger of the Gainesville firm Benjamin Aaronson Edinger & Patanzo, sent the commissioner a seven-page letter<\/a> spelling out how Certain \u201cwill appear at the hearing voluntarily to answer those questions which she deems prudent to address.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe does so as an elected member of the Alachua County school board, not as an employee of your department and not as a subordinate official,\u201d Edinger wrote in the footnote-laden letter detailing how he viewed the state as overstepping its bounds.<\/p>\n Certain said she had questions about Kamoutsas\u2019 directive from the time he spoke at her board meeting. If he hadn\u2019t left immediately after making his speech, she said, \u201cI intended to ask him, \u2018What authority do you have to come in and question me about what I do on my personal time?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n She referred to Facebook comments she shared after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed, which Kamoutsas and others took offense to. She contended that whatever he or others think of her negative views about Kirk, she has the right to state them. Voters can decide whether to keep her in office.<\/p>\n \u201cI come from a line of people who we\u2019ve had to fight and stand up for our rights,\u201d Certain said. \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that a lot of the gains that we\u2019ve made in society, women and Blacks, are just being stripped away. … I\u2019m not going to be their little punching bag.\u201d<\/p>\n Edinger stressed that the State Board has no authority to adjudicate or enforce any findings regarding constitutional rights, \u201cwhatever right the department thinks it has to impose political orthodoxy among county school boards.\u201d<\/p>\n Certain will gladly participate in a fair and frank discussion about education policy issues affecting her district and the state, he added. \u201cHowever, Ms. Certain has no interest in participating in Star Chamber proceedings or a McCarthy-inspired show trial.\u201d<\/p>\n The topic \u201cAlachua County School Board\u201d is fifth on the Thursday agenda<\/a>. It states only that the board will \u201cdiscuss ongoing issues\u201d with the district.<\/p>\n Also on the agenda, the board will debate proposed standards for teaching the History of Communism<\/a>, Politico Florida reports.<\/p>\n Start times: The Orange County school district issued a survey asking families whether they think middle and high schools should start later in the day<\/a>, WKMG reports. The state has pulled back its start time requirements, but said districts must submit proof that they investigated the possibilities before making any decisions. \u2022 The Osceola County school district is conducting a similar survey<\/a>, WKMG reports.<\/p>\n Schools of Hope: Members of Broward County\u2019s legislative delegation aim to blunt the impact of Florida\u2019s Schools of Hope law<\/a> during their upcoming session, the Sun-Sentinel reports.<\/p>\n Public comment: The Nassau County school board will move its public comment session<\/a> earlier in its meetings, to take place before it votes on action items, Florida NewsLine reports.<\/p>\n Handwriting lessons: Some state lawmakers are trying again to require children to learn cursive handwriting<\/a> in elementary school, Florida Politics reports.<\/p>\n Career training: A workforce development program new to Duval County is working with major employers to offer internships<\/a> to high school students, Jacksonville Today reports.<\/p>\n Campus closures: Some Brevard County residents were frustrated about being left out of a meeting where school officials discussed plans to shutter a school<\/a> with parents only, Florida Today reports.<\/p>\n Charter schools: A Florida-based English-Hebrew charter school system<\/a> that is seeking to open a religion-based virtual charter school in Oklahoma, refueling a debate over religious charter schools in the Sooner State, Oklahoma Voice reports.<\/p>\n Athletic coaches: Momentum is growing for a legislative proposal to better pay Florida\u2019s high school sports coaches<\/a> after years of discussions, On3 reports.<\/p>\n From the police blotter … A Broward County teen was arrested on accusations of bringing a weapon<\/a> to her high school for the second time, WPLG reports. \u2022 A Seminole County high school student was arrested on allegations of threatening to blow up a school<\/a>, WKMG reports.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss a story. Here\u2019s a link to yesterday\u2019s roundup<\/a>.<\/p>\n Before you go … Pinellas County\u2019s Sandy Lane Elementary magnet kids have performed \u201cThriller\u201d at Halloween for the past eight years. It\u2019s been getting bigger and better.<\/p>\n