Sarasota School Board to decide on science textbooks, cellphone use

When the School Board of Sarasota County convened on Jan. 14, for its first meeting of the new year, it set some goals for the meetings and workshops ahead.

Some of those included a vote on recommended science textbooks, as well as discussing policies around cellphone use. 

The school board is set to vote on the adoption of its recommended K-12 science textbooks on Feb. 18.

On Jan. 14, the board held a hearing for the books, which had already been reviewed by the district adoption committee, and voted on at the school level.

The five speakers at the podium voiced concerns that specific Florida editions of textbooks resulted in censorship, inquiring about what materials were excluded. 

"I have been in public education for over 50 years, and this is the first time I ever remember a public hearing on the adoption of textbooks," said Carol Lerner of Support Our Schools. "In my experience, textbook selection was always left to professionals, AKA teachers."

"If we do have textbooks that are deficient, we need to have supplemental materials, curriculum planning materials, to help the teachers augment what is in the textbooks with real science," said Michael Weddle.

Most board members did not comment during the meeting, but will still be able to do so at the adoption hearing on Feb. 18.

However, board member Liz Barker said she had a "slightly different lens" on the textbooks, having been part of the K-5 math textbook adoption committee. 

"As a parent, I can feel upset and disappointed that we have restricted the options to review for our students, and I do; I don't think it's fair that my students, because they are in Florida, have less information when it comes to science than students in other states."

She also offered her thanks to the committee's work.

"It is hours, and hours, and hours of painstaking reviewing and rating textbooks. … It is a not a willy-nilly process," she said. "It is very structured, and it is useful, and productive."

The school board also agreed to hold discussions on cellphone use in classrooms at a future workshop.

Board member Tom Edwards, who raised the topic said while the district was in compliance with state statutes, there was no reason there could not be a more restrictive policy. 

"I don't have an argument in this fight, I really don't," he said. "I think that the data is out there that cellphone usage and social media is damaging to students' mental health, and I also think that it has been confirmed that it's a distraction academically, but while talking to the community over the last year, in a campaign mode, I was having countless conversations with parents about the issue from both sides of the conversation..."

He said he encountered parents who were fearful about the issue of not having contact with their children on a daily basis, as well as parents with other concerns, suggested the school board discuss the topic to "put it to rest" and "find out what is the perfect fit for Sarasota."

Board member Bridget Ziegler noted she had previously discussed the topic during a recent school board retreat. 

"I will say, it's an issue, just where I'm coming from and where I've been consistent is, it has been proven, over and over again, through studies, that it does have a detrimental impact on mental health, on developing minds," she said. "It is a distraction, so it is counterproductive to the mission of our school district, full stop."

She said a "bell-to-bell" ban was an appropriate solution, stating she did believe there has been less disruption in certain classrooms since the district's policy was tightened previously. 

"I think, again, it makes me cringe when we approve multimillions of dollars in mental health, and yet we don't have a policy that really cuts out a device that we know, is a massive driver, is an impediment to mental health," she said, stating she didn't "mind being the one on the island" and understood the "very serious, real concern" of any type of security threat.

She said she would like Superintendent Terry Connor to present updated information before they enter the conversation. 

Board Chair Tim Enos said, noting he was present in the district during a zero-tolerance policy and referencing input during public comment, that, "As we heard from today, just as an example, if we took cellphones away, we don't want people to intentionally violate it and it become more aggressive."

He mentioned the possibility of putting up antennae to stop wifi services, and said he would "greatly appreciate" a discussion. 

Barker called it an "absolutely necessity to have the discussion.

"I would add that caveat as a mom of older children, who do have cellphones in school, and I think use them responsibly most of the time, that you're exactly right, Ms. Ziegler. We as parents live with a lot of fear. We want our children, when they get on the bus in the morning, to come home to us in the afternoon, and there is a level of comfort to watching that little red dot go through all the classes and the cafeteria."

She said she had not decided one way or another and was "very torn," but welcomed the conversation and the chance for parents to offer their input.