Duval County Public Schools

The announcement from the state Department of Education comes even though the district slashed its LGBTQ+ support guide, removed All In for Safe Schools and rescinded part of the sex ed curriculum.

PEN America, a nonprofit that advocates for free speech, said the district banned more than 175 books, but the districts says the books are under review — not banned.

The district pulled consideration of sex education curriculum this week and decided to develop its own teaching materials, a move shadowed by strict state laws and highly charged opinions among the public..

The base pay for starting teachers in Jacksonville is poised to rise to $48,700 annually under contract language the Duval County School Board approved at its meeting Monday.

Duval and three other districts asked a judge not to block the new state law that restricts instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in schools. Critics have dubbed the law "Don't Say Gay."

Michael Paul Gillis had at least 2,000 images and 150 videos depicting infants, toddlers and other young children being sexually abused, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

A grand jury report unsealed last week accuses the district's former chief of police of failing to report more than 500 crimes.

Caroline Lee, who was named “Teacher of the Year” at Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts last year, was arrested in October 2021 and accused of striking a student in the face during a confrontation.

Former Chief Micheal P. Edwards took elaborate steps for years to manipulate and underreport criminal activity on school grounds, the report says.