Category Archives: Public Schools

Part II. The Quiet Culling of Children’s Classics: Are Public School Librarians the Real “Book Banners”?

Posted on October 3, 2022 by Harmonica

Asking questions, listening to my kids, and trusting my instincts: this was how I discovered what was going on in libraries. In 2017 my children were coming home with very poor quality literature. They could read one of these “books” … Continue reading →

Posted in Hillsborough Schools, Kids Books, Public Schools, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The ALA’s Dedication to Transforming Public School Libraries

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Harmonica

Let’s take a peek into the American Library Association (ALA) and a few of its’ divisions that appear to be executing an end run around parents and restrictions intended to comply with laws protecting children from CRT, obscene, and age-inappropriate … Continue reading →

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Cameras in Florida Classrooms: 30 Points Leading to NO

Posted on February 8, 2022 by Harmonica

What is the effect of training kids to submit to surveillance all day? China does it—and then uses the surveillance to social credit score citizens and limit freedom. What is the psychological impact on kids from cameras in classrooms? Will … Continue reading →

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A War on Parents and a Waste of Taxpayer Dollars: Social Emotional Learning

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Harmonica

Hillsborough County School Board (ahem: IMO law breakers!) recently approved spending $362,500 annually on Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) surveys.  It was not spent on reading, writing, or arithmetic; it was spent on a contract with Panorama Education for SURVEYS … Continue reading →

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FortifyFL: Florida’s Misguided Communist-Style Student Reporting Tool

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Harmonica

In 2018 Florida passed legislation requiring the rollout of a reporting app called FortifyFL that promotes communist-style snitching on your neighbor, but in this case on Florida’s students. Continue reading →

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Congratulations Hillsborough Schools: Your Skills in Stonewalling Parents are Superb!

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Harmonica

My jaw dropped when I came across School Board Member Cindy Stuart’s comments from the July 30, 2019 Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) board meeting.  Given what I know from years of research on student data security, her comment swirled … Continue reading →

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Who Holds Florida School Districts Accountable?

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Harmonica

On May 12 Boca News Now reported that a second grader hacked Palm Beach County School District’s student password system.  This isn’t the first time a Florida school system has had problems with security.  In 2018 Florida Virtual Schools “left the … Continue reading →

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Who Has Your Kid’s Data?

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Harmonica

Below is a story written by a mom in central Florida about an under-reported and growing problem in public schools.  She is sharing this story to bring attention to the lack of control parents have over protecting their children’s privacy … Continue reading →

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Kids Need Better Books: How Did Mabry Elementary’s Library Perform Against Four Other Hillsborough Schools?

Posted on March 24, 2018 by Harmonica

Public School Library books should exude quality content with morals and ethics; after all schools are for educating students.  Should children’s desires be what guides the books procured for school libraries? Is that what guides the classroom? Mabry Elementary is … Continue reading →

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