Teachers union reaches contract agreement with Lee County School DistrictCape Coral has met the FEMA guidelines
Teachers union reaches contract agreement with Lee County School District The Lee County Teachers Union said it has reached an agreement with the district regarding teacher contracts for the next school year.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral has met the FEMA guidelines Cape Coral is now meeting all of the female guidelines related to the flood insurance discount.
BABCOCK RANCH Family and friends remember teen killed in SR-31 crash Many of Hughes’ coworkers decided to skip their shifts Wednesday night and attend his funeral.
FORT MYERS Officers searching for alleged Racetrac arsonist The Fort Myers Police Department has confirmed an early morning fire at a gas station was arson.
CAPE CORAL What we know about man accused of flushing ex-girlfriend’s fish down the toilet Bret Dahl is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house, assaulting her, breaking things and flushing her fish named Bean down the toilet.
FORT MYERS Pushing for changes at Lee County Domestic Animal Services The Lee County Domestic Animal Services is responding to a letter listing concerns and allegations at the shelter.
Miracle Moment: Kinsley Vitiello Three-year-old Kinsley Vitiello loves to play dolls and dance her heart out with her big sister Aubrey.
CAPE CORAL Low canals and dried-up wells: Why does Cape Coral keep building? In a city with more canals than Venice, Waterfront living isn’t hard to find.
BONITA SPRINGS Students turn old treasure into gems for Mother’s Day An array of fine gems and jewels all for a mother’s heart. With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, one Bonita Springs marketing company is helping students think outside the box.
FORT MYERS BEACH Woman sees potentially suspicious charge on her account after parking at Fort Myers Beach Jennifer parked in the parking lot across from Lynn Hall Memorial Park, paid with a QR code and went to visit friends for lunch.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers DL balancing spring practice and shot put regionals North Fort Myers defensive lineman James Johnson is balancing spring football practice and going for a regional title in the shot put.
IMMOKALEE Training day for Folds of Honor donors and special guests On Wednesday, high-ranking veterans of the navy seals and other special operations conducted six different training scenarios.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Non-profit makes teddy bears for families of fallen officers Having a loved one in law enforcement means there is always a fear that they may not come home.
CAPE CORAL People fighting to lower the cost of playing pickleball in Cape Coral The price of playing on these courts is putting people in a pickle. The Lake Kennedy Racquet Center has yet to open, but there are a lot of concerns.
NORTH FORT MYERS Parents say their children are still waiting for winnings after Lee County takes over SWFL AG Expo Children in the 4-H program who raise animals say they’re still waiting to receive the money they won in early March.
Teachers union reaches contract agreement with Lee County School District The Lee County Teachers Union said it has reached an agreement with the district regarding teacher contracts for the next school year.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral has met the FEMA guidelines Cape Coral is now meeting all of the female guidelines related to the flood insurance discount.
BABCOCK RANCH Family and friends remember teen killed in SR-31 crash Many of Hughes’ coworkers decided to skip their shifts Wednesday night and attend his funeral.
FORT MYERS Officers searching for alleged Racetrac arsonist The Fort Myers Police Department has confirmed an early morning fire at a gas station was arson.
CAPE CORAL What we know about man accused of flushing ex-girlfriend’s fish down the toilet Bret Dahl is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s house, assaulting her, breaking things and flushing her fish named Bean down the toilet.
FORT MYERS Pushing for changes at Lee County Domestic Animal Services The Lee County Domestic Animal Services is responding to a letter listing concerns and allegations at the shelter.
Miracle Moment: Kinsley Vitiello Three-year-old Kinsley Vitiello loves to play dolls and dance her heart out with her big sister Aubrey.
CAPE CORAL Low canals and dried-up wells: Why does Cape Coral keep building? In a city with more canals than Venice, Waterfront living isn’t hard to find.
BONITA SPRINGS Students turn old treasure into gems for Mother’s Day An array of fine gems and jewels all for a mother’s heart. With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, one Bonita Springs marketing company is helping students think outside the box.
FORT MYERS BEACH Woman sees potentially suspicious charge on her account after parking at Fort Myers Beach Jennifer parked in the parking lot across from Lynn Hall Memorial Park, paid with a QR code and went to visit friends for lunch.
NORTH FORT MYERS North Fort Myers DL balancing spring practice and shot put regionals North Fort Myers defensive lineman James Johnson is balancing spring football practice and going for a regional title in the shot put.
IMMOKALEE Training day for Folds of Honor donors and special guests On Wednesday, high-ranking veterans of the navy seals and other special operations conducted six different training scenarios.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Non-profit makes teddy bears for families of fallen officers Having a loved one in law enforcement means there is always a fear that they may not come home.
CAPE CORAL People fighting to lower the cost of playing pickleball in Cape Coral The price of playing on these courts is putting people in a pickle. The Lake Kennedy Racquet Center has yet to open, but there are a lot of concerns.
NORTH FORT MYERS Parents say their children are still waiting for winnings after Lee County takes over SWFL AG Expo Children in the 4-H program who raise animals say they’re still waiting to receive the money they won in early March.
FILE – Florida House Representative Michele Rayner, left, hugs her spouse, Bianca Goolsby, during a march at City Hall in St. Petersburg, Fla., Saturday, March 12, 2022, to protest the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Florida’s move to expand its prohibition on teaching sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom comes as Republican lawmakers in other states are pursuing their own versions of what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law. (Martha Asencio-Rhine/Tampa Bay Times via AP, File) Florida’s move to expand its prohibition on teaching sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom comes as Republican lawmakers in other states pursue their own versions of what critics dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law. The prohibition signed last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is widely expected to announce a presidential run soon, is being copied by GOP lawmakers pushing for similar limits on what can be taught in public schools. DeSantis and other supporters of the prohibitions portray them as ways to protect children from being taught about inappropriate material. But critics say they are marginalizing LGBTQ people and creating a chilling effect on what teachers and students can discuss. FLORIDA’S EXPANSION The Florida Board of Education is set to vote next month on an effort by DeSantis’ administration to ban lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4 to 12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take. The initial law DeSantis championed last spring bans those lessons in kindergarten through the third grade or instruction that could be deemed inappropriate for students. The governor’s education department commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said the DeSantis administration’s move to extend the ban to the 12th grade is intended to clarify confusion around what is deemed age appropriate in later grades and to reinforce that teachers adhere to existing state standards that guide curriculums. “This rule basically says that we’re sticking to the standards, and when you’re talking about K through 12 instruction, all the way to 12th grade, these standards don’t incorporate gender ideology or any of these theories in math, social studies, reading or anything else,” Diaz said at a news conference Thursday. OTHER STATES Two other states — Alabama and Arkansas — have enacted laws similar to Florida’s since last year. Alabama’s law, signed last year by Republican Gov. Kay Ivey, prohibits classroom instruction in public schools on gender identity or sexual orientation from kindergarten through 5th grade “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Arkansas’ prohibition was adopted as part of a 145-page education overhaul signed this month by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders that also included a new school voucher program and an increase in teacher minimum pay. The law prohibits classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation before 5th grade. At least 30 proposals similar to Florida’s law have been filed in 16 states, and they vary by age. They make up more than a quarter of the bills filed this year to restrict what can be taught in the classroom, said Jeremy Young, senior manager of free expression and education at PEN America. “They have become the second most common proposed speech restriction in state legislatures after anti-critical race theory bills,” Young said. The proposals also come as statehouses have seen a surge of bills this year targeting the transgender community, including proposals to ban gender-affirming medical care for trans youth. DeSantis’ administration is pushing to expand the state’s ban even as GOP lawmakers advance a proposal to extend it to the 8th grade. A Missouri bill to ban K-12 public school staff from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation is pending before a House committee. THE DEBATE The Florida law reads as follows: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” When he signed the bill last year, DeSantis said the measure would “make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination.” Critics have argued that the law’s language is vague and doesn’t make clear exactly what constitutes “instruction” or “age-appropriate” lessons. “There’s no guidance in any of this, none whatsoever, which has made it the wild, wild west,” said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association. When the law was first implemented, there were concerns that it would stifle classroom discussions and create an environment where LGTBQ people would feel ostracized. Still, most educators did not expect a major change in lesson plans, given that one of the key criticisms of the law was that teachers do not cover such subjects in early grades. Opponents of the Florida law and similar proposals say the restrictions are creating a chilling effect on teachers. “Teachers are wondering, can I put up a rainbow sticker? Can I talk about this LGBTQ+ historical figure? Can I put up a picture of my wife if I’m a woman?” Courtnay Avant, legislative counsel for the Human Rights Campaign, said. “That is a big concern; where does the censorship begin and end with these bills?” THE FALLOUT Florida’s law sparked a feud between the state and Disney, one of the state’s largest employers and political donors. Disney publicly opposed the law and said it paused political donations in the state. In what was widely seen as retaliation, the Republican-dominated Legislature approved a measure backed by DeSantis to dissolve a self-governing district controlled by Walt Disney World over its properties in Florida. Lawmakers eventually gave DeSantis control of the board. The prohibition has also faced court challenges, though one federal lawsuit was tossed by a judge last month. Another lawsuit filed by LGBTQ students, parents and their families — as well as several civil rights groups — remains pending in federal court. Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida; Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri; and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama contributed to this report.