Trump-related rhetoric: A Wesley Chapel High School teacher is placed on leave after approaching a small group of black students in a hallway, asking them what they were doing and then telling them "Don't make me call Donald Trump to get you sent back to Africa." John Sousa, who is also the golf coach, reportedly apologized to one of the students' parents. Many similar incidents are being reported in schools across the country, according to the website The 74. Tampa Bay Times.

Students protest Trump: About 25 students from Palmetto High School hold a peaceful protest against the election of Donald Trump as president. The chanting and sign-waving occurred during a break between classes. Miami Herald.

Election-related incidents: A student carrying a Donald Trump sign at Bayside High School is attacked and beaten by another student Wednesday. The 17-year-old attacker is arrested and charged with felony battery and more. Florida Today. Racist graffiti invoking the name of President-elect Donald Trump is painted on a bathroom wall at Oviedo High School. Orlando Sentinel. An Arnold High School teacher hangs an American flag upside down after the election, which is typically a signal that someone is in danger or distress. It was righted after a parent complained. Panama City News Herald.

Learning system concerns: Some parents and teachers say a computer learning system now being used in the Palm Beach County School District is adding to testing overload for students. The program, i-Ready, diagnoses students' problems with math and ready and gives them personalized lessons that help them catch up, but it also includes frequent testing. The program is used in 40 of Florida's 67 school districts. Sun-Sentinel. (more…)

Scholarship appeal: The Florida Supreme Court is being asked to step into the fight over the state's tax credit scholarship program. Several groups that think the program is unconstitutional are appealing an appeals court ruling that the groups do not have the legal standing to challenge the program. The state Supreme Court is not obligated to take on the case. The Florida Education Association, NAACP and other groups believe the program resembles a voucher program that the court declared unconstitutional in 2006. The scholarships are funded by tax credits that corporations can make in lieu of tax payments. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the scholarships. Gradebook. redefinED. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. Sunshine State News. Associated Press.

Ethics issues: Miami-Dade School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho may have broken state law by accepting gifts worth more than $100 and not reporting them, the Florida Commission on Ethics rules. The commission decided not to pursue the case after Carvalho accepted responsibility and later filed the proper forms. Miami Herald. The ethics commission also found probable cause that State Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, misused his position by implying he would help the Okeechobee County School District only if it retaliated against a district employee. The employee was suspended. Florida Politics. Politico Florida. TCPalm. The ethics case against Flagler County School Board chairwoman Colleen Conklin has been closed, according to the ethics commission. Her 2014 financial disclosure form was filed a year late. Conklin says it was misplaced, and paid a $1,500 fine. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

School spending: The St. Johns County School Board approves a $641.2 million budget that school officials call very tight. St. Augustine Record. The Hernando County School Board approves a $173 million budget that, for the first time since 2008, does not include cutbacks of employees or programs. Tampa Bay Times. The Citrus County School Board approves a $215.4 million budget. Citrus County Chronicle.

Teacher shortage: The national teacher shortage is affecting the United States and Florida and will continue to do so unless steps are taken to address attrition, according to a report from the Learning Policy Institute. Florida data show that almost 50 percent of teachers hired in the past 10 years have left the profession. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)