[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6506627,"mediaKeyId","5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187","parentId",5600469,"title","Resident urges Pinellas Schools to return books removed under school challenges, cites judge—— Mendoza ruling and Florida statute","audioSeconds",157,"startMs",1933000,"endMs",2090000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187&start=1933&end=2090","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187/thumbnail_1933000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6506627/Florida/Resident-urges-Pinellas-Schools-to-return-books-removed-under-school-challenges-cites-judge-Mendoza-ruling-and-Florida-statute","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506627-6f81d27600ceb1f16b3882931f9ec275/orig.mp4?Expires=1776262683&Signature=gR-AZWAJAsv3hwVp1v~NMr0~-RD1~XI92jrBD1niDKDRBmH9NqbSTd9Ebp0fCyP7vtpznVUhevVm3F39RwqnW6pZwnEpFitj6fxNi9CLs2Es6~~kcyEHiKbe18TCYfmo1MXqW173In6ouDcSj7eCJ82~dGwsKEEMxgdJ2uf7Yg47FSlI0vka-F4WGFlRQKJ0hMe5a4T4men8ZoKp2bRegHr5w9SClYl~daavLyXU4yBB~b5xU~68IKwJl2rb3kY5dcNxi-tnAZhPiXTWyBhgF4yAfbup1lO6X016YA354IA6oVOBmbFUn2MT2vKm5nPvhGb2Mjk4NcGmtIW0SeMO8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pinellas County Schools","date","2025-08-18T16:18:59Z","article","A member of the public told the Pinellas County School Board on Aug. 19 that books removed from district shelves should be returned immediately, citing Florida Statute section 1000.02 and a recent district court ruling she said listed books that should not have been removed.

\"Books in hands impacts children achieving academic success,\" said Nicole St. Leger, who identified herself during the public comment period and asked the board to restore books that a judge had listed as compliant. She noted families still recovering from last year’s hurricanes may lack library access and described those gaps as harming literacy and academic achievement.

St. Leger referenced \"Florida statues regarding early learning through 20, specifically at section 1,000.02,\" and told the board she believed the district’s book removals did not meet the statute’s student‑centered expectations. She also referred to \"last week's ruling by judge Mendoza in the case of house bill 1069\" and asked that any books named in that ruling that had been removed be returned to shelves immediately. \"I understand the district has decided to wait for the appeals process before allowing the books removed to be returned,\" she said, and added that waiting could take months and \"the children in our district lose asset access to academic materials.\"

St. Leger also warned that removing books without parent complaint could expose the district to legal challenges, and she characterized the removals as \"imposing government censorship.\" The board did not take action on the comment during the meeting; the transcript records the public comment but no immediate board decision in response.

The commenter requested prompt restoration of the listed books; district staff said the board will wait for the appeals process, according to the public comment transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pinellas County School Board Meeting August 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A public commenter asked the board to restore books removed from district shelves, citing Florida Statute 1000.02 and a recent ruling by Judge Mendoza concerning HB 1069; the commenter urged immediate action rather than waiting for appeals.","taxTitle","Pinellas, School Districts, Florida","taxId",14662,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6506632,"Pinellas board approves 2025–26 field trip list after board hears participation numbers",140,622000,762000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187&start=622&end=762","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187/thumbnail_622000.jpg","/articles/6506632/Florida/Pinellas-board-approves-202526-field-trip-list-after-board-hears-participation-numbers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506632-2ba4802b1fe4874aa36433680773d274/orig.mp4?Expires=1776262683&Signature=h0GeKpfRPO-Ns6f2axAisdZlqfKQc92cAjKTY9QtyB27loPfayWTJk-jY5FBCQ5ESFhm~5T1AfX~6COBhAo7ZxSLnYZ7P6xyEdI3FQdgpdqx4Zz2dQtOS0e04OMnDm1MKxOJ32yI2zd2K8VuEllxvQBp~t6q2kut5BZa2kbnPgTZIj-P4CBiex~Skazyuen5GewYn1vsPzzCkEdbU7TzZDFB1Reul6u0iqJkr5rqtw6yGoYiD4JC3u1OvvIlxS~tQeGS6ON39SLpAPPV0mkBRqMtO30YB3dstXdjeefu2z1POVPIRx4qqJNIcrNL~enhPSsVn-bPNEtmsZk3wq3NHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pinellas County School Board unanimously approved the district’s approved field trip list for the 2025–26 school year on Aug. 19, following a presentation that summarized participation from 2024–25.

Danica Jones, chief academic officer, told the board the district funded 287 field trip experiences during the 2024–25 school year that reached 22,770 students. She also said the visual arts department supported 152 art‑focused field trips that engaged an additional 8,819 scholars. Jones credited the school board’s support and voter referendum funding for enabling the programming.

\"Today, we are thrilled to share the incredible impact of our field trip programming during the 24–25 school year... Pinellas County Schools proudly funded 287 enriching field trip experiencing, reaching an outstanding 22,770 students across our district,\" Jones said. She told the board these experiences extend classroom learning in STEM, visual arts and other curriculum areas and asked the board to approve the proposed list so the district could continue offering aligned, curriculum‑based trips.

Board members thanked teachers, PTAs and parents for their work organizing trips and noted the additional paperwork and fundraising often required. The motion to approve item 8.1 was made by Miss Peters, seconded by Miss Myers, and passed 7 to 0.

The board did not change funding policy at the meeting; approval was for the field trip list only.","Board voted 7–0 to approve the district’s 2025–26 field trip list; district leaders highlighted last year’s participation and said referendum funding supported the trips.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6506637,"Pinellas School Board adopts 2026 legislative platform, cites funding gaps for safety and mental health",374,833000,1207000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187&start=833&end=1207","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5600469-7681bad1a4ac016b30090af2a8e81187/thumbnail_833000.jpg","/articles/6506637/Florida/Pinellas-School-Board-adopts-2026-legislative-platform-cites-funding-gaps-for-safety-and-mental-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6506637-50cd9a90600d96e167d712cee08158b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1776262683&Signature=CO3k~AIQyLb4GBhNvV8tb4DYoaQjbyGJvrwjgHe8Yws7UGxw29xtE9AIrfvfao5mS4L7gkueQz4GSNU1nL3EX7WQ89zn~ZkcrhxJ4mz24gSPqKQT3Khh1EAYWsKpV0sXBlT7HiWbJfIe~unKeKK4oO6-ndctL3p7f2crsThu2s2TxJZ7CCg0KLQjMBRcaev140AhkmZJYHtcHAuFtAo~hjd4vHg0TO9kUmTPLhhB5ZiZUCsNxF4No2PASXewX4eHBzdChQS6fsTjMur~YZcGBB6AHVXm6890Z0T-UtopYGCrYa3gOA8mknR~WYF6U85~zGgMNVhwpB2W-9rDC2LyFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pinellas County School Board on Aug. 19 unanimously approved its 2026 legislative platform, directing district staff and board leadership to use the platform in outreach to state and federal legislators and to the Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards.

Board members said the platform will guide advocacy during the coming legislative session and at an Oct. 1 presentation to the Pinellas legislative delegation. Board member Blacksburg, chair of the board’s legislative committee, said the committee formed June 10 and refined a draft after staff and consultant review before presenting it to the full board for a vote.

\"The committee met shortly after to discuss platform ideas and review impact from Mr. Hendrick and staff, ensuring that the platform aligns with our goals as a district as well as our strategic plan,\" said Miss Blacksburg, chair of the legislative committee. She noted the draft was provided to the board on June 24 and that staff and the board’s lobbyist from Capital City Consultants reviewed it.

Board discussion highlighted carry‑forward priorities such as increased investment in voluntary prekindergarten (VPK), disaster relief for hurricane impacts and alignment of state reporting for virtual programs. Miss Long urged the community to contact legislators, saying, \"They need to hear what Pinellas County and as well as other districts... We need voices. We need support. We can't wait till crisis.\"

The board also discussed workforce development elements in the platform, including industry certifications and concordance for high school graduation assessments. Miss Kane said aligning state guidelines for virtual programs to report full‑time‑equivalent (FTE) students was important as the district expands virtual offerings.

During the discussion the board chair noted two funding shortfalls the platform will highlight. \"When it comes to school safety, we are allocated $10,000,000 from the state... Pinellas County Schools spends about $24,000,000,\" the chair said. \"When it comes to mental health, we are allocated $5,200,000 from the state of Florida, and Pinellas County Schools spends $28,000,000.\" Those figures were given to illustrate the difference between state allocations and district expenditures; the board did not adopt a specific spending change at the meeting.

Miss Edmond said the platform had been prepared with district staff and Capital City Consultants and would be posted on the district website; she also said it was shared with the Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards for inclusion in the consortium platform. Board members said they plan coordinated advocacy at the Sept. 24 Pinellas legislative delegation meeting and at the consortium meeting next week.

The motion to adopt the legislative platform passed 7 to 0.","The Pinellas County School Board unanimously adopted its 2026 legislative platform, emphasizing advocacy for funding alignment with actual district spending on school safety and mental health and setting outreach plans to the legislative delegation and regional consortium.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident urges Pinellas Schools to return books removed under school challenges, cites judge—— Mendoza ruling and Florida statute

Pinellas board approves 2025–26 field trip list after board hears participation numbers

Pinellas School Board adopts 2026 legislative platform, cites funding gaps for safety and mental health