Florida — August 17, 2024 — The FCSA team held a series of Meet the Candidates forums in Broward, Pasco, Polk, St. Lucie, and Sarasota County. The goal of the forums was to educate the public and our members and foster informed decision-making. By providing a platform for open dialogue, we aimed to enhance community engagement and support for school choice initiatives. Thank you to all the charter school leaders who opened their campus to the community for the forums. Below is a brief recap of the events and links to videos of the conversations.
Do Kids belong to the Government or Parents? Candidates Chime in during an eventful night in Pasco County
In Pasco, school leaders, educators, and parents heard from Superintendent Candidate John Legg (pictured left), who shared his vision for Pasco County Schools, strongly advocated for the role of parents in educating their children, and voiced his support for School Choice. We also heard from Pasco School Board – District 4 candidates Allison Crumbly and Jessica Wright (pictured with moderator Dr. Arza). The stark difference between the two: Ms. Writght claimed that kids “also belong to the government” introducing a unique perspective on the issue of parental rights and voiced a desire to limit access to school choice for parents in Florida. Thank you to the Pinecrest Wesley Chapel team for their hospitality. It was important to host this event at a charter school campus and invite the community to participate. We also want to thank Ms. Mielke, Principal, and Fernando Barosso from Academica for supporting this effort.
Barker supports school choice but not at the expense of public school
In Sarasota, school board candidates Karen Rose and Liz Barker participated in a forum held at College Prep at Wellen Park. During an engaging conversation led by moderator Dr. Tony Arza, the candidates shared why they’re running for office, their views on school choice, and more. Click here to watch this conversation.
Limiting or expanding technology in the classroom? Marcus Wright and Travis Keys spar over whether cell phones should be allowed in school.
The Meet the Candidate forum in Polk County was held at the Bridgeprep Academy of Polk campus. Moderator Dr. Tony Arza (pictured, center) asked candidates (left to right) Travis Keyes, William Allen, Sara Beth Reynolds, Rebekah Ricks, and Marcus Wright about charter schools, parental choice, the role of technology in the classroom, and more. Watch the forum here.
Candidates Voice Support for a parent’s right to choose the best school for their child
Candidates for Broward School Board – District 2 Torey Alston and Rebecca Thompson spoke of their support for a parent’s right to choose a school that best meets their child’s needs. Click here to watch the recorded forum. held at Renaissance Charter at Pines. On Friday evening School Board candidate Nate Spera met parents and teachers at a forum held at Renaissance Charter at St. Lucie.
As a nonprofit 501c3, the FCSA does not endorse any candidates. However, we encourage civic engagement and want to provide a platform for our stakeholders and community members to engage in the election process and the issues that candidates support. For more information about the FCSA or the Meet the Candidates forums, contact Lynn@flcharteralliance.org.