A hastily-convened summit in Clearwater has education watchers cautiously optimistic that Florida’s varying education factions may have reached a consensus. Lynn Hatter reports The summit, convened by Governor Rick Scott, brought together state and local school officials, lawmakers, teachers and others for and against school reform policies.
The Department of Children and Families’ recent troubles took center stage at the group’s Child Protection Summit this week in Orlando. As Regan McCarthy reports, the event drew record attendance with 25—hundred guardians ad litem, DCF workers, and members of the justice system, along with a group of former foster kids who offered their take on issues facing the department.
Several Florida lawmakers are hoping to legislatively reignite the debate surrounding what should be done about the state’s Stand Your Ground law. Some hope to repeal the controversial law, while others say the law just needs some clarification. As Sascha Cordner reports, while those same measures never got a hearing this year, some lawmakers say the 2014 legislative session is the perfect time to have such a debate.
A new national study shows federal prosecutions of human trafficking cases have exploded by four-hundred percent in the last five years. But as Ryan Benk reports, tracking trafficking cases isn’t an exact science.
Food containing genetically modified ingredients would have to be labeled as such if a bill filed this month passes the Florida Legislature. As Jessica Palombo reports, the bill’s sponsor says people should have the right to refuse genetically modified foods. But food biotechnologists say supporters of the bill overstate the dangers of genetic engineering.