Friday's letters: Beware parochial takeover of public schools

Board must reject Vermilion contracts

After Gov. Ron DeSantis’ New College coup to remake it “Hillsdale of the South,” the next plot is the parochial takeover of our public schools.

Sarasota County School Board Chair Bridget Ziegler touts Vermilion Education for consulting services, bypassing normal bidding protocol and claiming no other company could do the job.

The proposed contracts are jaw-dropping in scope!

More: School Board delays vote on Hillsdale-tied consulting firm

More: How to send a letter to the editor

Ziegler wouldn’t say who directed her to Vermilion. Was it DeSantis and/or NCF President Richard Corcoran? His wife, Anne Corcoran, founded Hillsdale College’s Tallahassee Classical, a charter school that fired the principal over Michelangelo’s David because of “parental rights,” which are championed by Ziegler and her Moms for Liberty.

Vermilion founder and sole employee Jordan Adams only has degrees from parochial institutions, including Hillsdale, and no public school teaching experience.

On his LinkedIn page, he gives Vermilion’s founding date as March 2023, and until March he worked for Hillsdale. Michigan records show he started Vermilion in December.

Adams was part of Hillsdale’s team rewriting Florida’s civics curriculum, panned by teachers as indoctrination. He also nixed all but one math textbook for state adoption.

Tell the School Board to reject Vermilion at its meeting April 18 at 6 p.m., and attend a pre-meeting rally at 4:45 p.m.

The board office is at 1980 Landings Blvd. Email members at schoolboardmembers@sarasotacountyschools.net.

Robin Taub Williams, Sarasota

T-shirt shows disrespect for LGBTQ+

I feel compelled to write this letter after hearing Sarasota County School Board Chair Bridget Ziegler justify a picture of herself wearing a shirt that says, “REAL WOMEN AREN’T MEN,” posted by her husband on social media.

She was adamant that she would “stand behind it all day long because” she deals “with lots of young athletes that are really upset about what is happening to them as young women.”

I wonder how she defines lots. One? Two?

More: Board Chair Bridget Ziegler defends social media post critics call transphobic

As a teacher, I am far more concerned about how the many LGBTQ+ students in our school district are being negatively impacted by the attitude of the School Board chairwoman and like-minded people.

While I may not completely understand transgender youths, I choose not to judge them. Instead, I choose to help them feel safe and accepted at school so they can reach their academic potential. I choose to respect them as they are.

I would think that a School Board chairperson would do the same.  But she has proven that she doesn’t.

Thankfully, most of the students I encounter each day are far more accepting of those who are different than the person at the helm of the School Board.

Christy C. Karwatt, Sarasota

DeSantis doesn’t attack like conservative

Has the governor abandoned conservatism?

His latest attack on Disney and the millions of Americans who visit the park every year doesn’t sound like someone who embraces low taxes, less government and free market principles.

More: DeSantis vows to punch back at Disney

More: Disney embarrassment latest setback as presidential glow dims

“We’re going to look at things like taxes on (Disney) hotels. We’re going to look at things like tolls on the roads. We’re going to look at things like developing some of the property that the district owns.”

All to punish Central Florida’s largest taxpayer and a major job creator for exercising free speech.

Jan Vertefeuille, Venice 

You parent your kids and I’ll parent mine

You want more parental rights? Try this out.

If you don’t want your child reading a book that mentions a gay person, tell your child not to check that book out of the library.

You’re in charge of your own children, aren’t you? Don’t expect or allow politicians to decide what your child reads. Our governor shouldn’t be raising our kids.

Libraries hold thousands of books of all types.  Any child will only read a few of them. I may want my kid to read that book. That’s called “freedom” where I come from.

Don’t ban my kid’s books and I won’t ban your kid’s books.

Jim Stewart, Parrish

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tell board to vote 'no' on Vermilion, parent your own children