Now that a nationally watched election resulted in the flip of a seat from red to blue, will it mean anything in Tallahassee? Democrats in Tallahassee certainly hope so, and made clear Monday that the first casualty of the voter mandate in Sarasota should be a proposal to expand school vouchers.

At a press conference at the state capitol shortly before state Rep. Margaret Good, D-Sarasota, was sworn into office, party leaders said Republicans should back away from a plan to direct more funding to private schools or risk the wrath of voters statewide in November. “When is enough enough in the attack on our public schools?” asked state Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park.

Good told SRQ that protecting public education would be her most immediate priority now that she’s won a seat in the Legislature. “I am going to work hard on this education policy, as I talked about throughout the campaign,” she says. “This systematic move to privatize the education system is wrong, and I’m not going to stand for it.”

The Republican-controlled state House has advanced a bill that would increase the $1 billion spent on private school vouchers each year. Most vouchers in Florida today go to disabled students or to certain low-income students. If the new bill becomes law, it would also open vouchers to students who report bullying, harassment or other violence while in public schools. 

State Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Venice, says he’d like to see the vouchers conversation become more bold, not for it to be stepped back. “It needs to expand way beyond bullying,” Gonzalez says. “The conversation always has to be what options are available to provide a quality education to the most number of kids.”

And Sarasota County School Board chair Bridget Ziegler says too many lawmakers see the value of school choice for the course to change. "Perhaps the referenced politicians should hold less press conferences and focus on speaking with the people they represent," she says. "I'm confident that they'd hear from many people who support school choice as a vehicle to bypass failing public schools that they are assigned to simply due to the ZIP code they reside in."

But Democratic leaders suggested Wednesday that Good’s election demonstrated that all voters—Democrats, independents and moderate Republicans—all shared a distaste for plans in the Legislature to direct more funding toward vouchers. Going into a Tuesday special election, public polls showed Good had gained an edge over Republican opponent James Buchanan, but many were stunned when she took 52.17 percent of the vote to Buchanan’s 44.8 percent; Libertarian Alison Foxall won 3 percent of the vote. The seven-point margin came in a district Donald Trump won by 4.5 percent in November 2016.

“Public funding should not be just for the 10 percent of kids in voucher schools,” said state House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa. “Funding for public education should be for the 90 percent of kids who attend our public schools.”

State Rep. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, says though that policy didn’t drive the election Tuesday. And he said the arrival of Good in Tallahassee will mean little in terms of policy. The vouchers bill already passed the House, he notes. “It’s hard to fault any parent whose child is bullied the opportunity to change schools,” Gruters says. And charter schools will continue to be an issue primarily dealt with by local school boards, not state lawmakers. 

Gruters, also the chair of the Republican Party of Sarasota, says he welcomed Good to the House and promised to work with her to the benefit of the district. But he notes that, coming into the session, she won’t have much time to influence policy before facing a tough re-election campaign in November. “And with a Democratic rep, it doesn’t matter if they represent Miami, Tallahassee or Sarasota, they will get very little done in terms of legislation because of the fact Republicans have a two-to-one majority up here,” Gruters says.

Good, though, says she will use her time to do as much as possible before session closes. “Just like in my campaign, in the legislature I am going to work everyday to do everything I can,” she says. “This district has been without representation since August. Now that’s going to change.”

SRQ Media will host a deep dive dialogue on this issue at "SB2 Rumble Parley: School Vouchers, Charter Schools and School Choice" on Feb. 20 from 5:45-7pm at the Powell Crosley Estate. Further details and tickets available at link below. 

Pictured: Good speaks to Tallahassee reporters, flanked by House Democratic leadership.

SB2 Rumble

The Spicy Tuna Tartare can be found at Bijou Cafe in The Gossip’s Lounge– Bar Bites, as well as their full dining menu. The dish is an enticing standout that pairs oh so nicely with one of Bijou’s crafted cocktails. Chef Ryan put his spin on the taste and presentation with an upgraded variation from a past tuna tartare dish, giving it that extra umph that has you coming back for more. The freshly scooped avocado is flavored with a lemon truffle, while sriracha aioli does it’s work to kick it up a few notches. The crispy wontons take place of your fork so you can shamelessly shovel the crunchy goodness in with tender cubes of finely diced raw tuna. The dish is mixed with bold seasonings and garnished with microgreens for a finishing touch. Sharing may not be an option for you once you get as taste, so we give you permission to act a little greedy and order this appetizing nosh item for your solo indulgence.

1287 1st Street. Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 366-8111

Bijou Cafe is a member of Nosh, the SRQ Magazine content marketing program for local restaurants. 

Photo Credit: Wyatt Kostygan

Bijou Cafe

You know that comfy, old T-shirt full of nostalgia from your favorite band’s tour way back when? You may still even throw it on to knock around at home since it doesn’t seem befitting enough to adorn in public, right? Well, Philosophy & Vines has redefined what it means to repurpose sentimental threads so that you have an excuse to chariot it to brunch or out to the bar. All shirts are individually unearthed and hand-picked– some are old, some new, but always reinvented. Boutique owner, Betty Graulich explains, “We pick jackets and button-downs that have details, comfort and fabric quality, not driven by a certain brand.” From there, a hunt ensues for vintage tees from local consignment shops and thrift stores of albums/concert tours, quirky prints and cool logos/graphics. Betty goes on to describe, “Once the shirts and patches have been picked, we then start the process of dying, bleaching, staining and thorough washing. Lastly, the patches or details are cut out from the original shirt and sewed on to the shire.”

In order to bust out these specially unique shirts, Philosophy & Vines collaborates with two other designers– one locally and one in Chicago. They are beginning to work with other artists for additional input and talent as well. Having each piece chosen and touched by multiple artists with different backgrounds makes your reconstructed top truly one-of-a-kind. It’s impossible to replicate anything these designers have created, as no two shirts are alike, which means you can count on being the only one in your outfit at the next party. None of that ‘Who wore it better?’ nonsense. 

606 S Pineapple Ave. Sarasota, Florida

Philosophy & Vines

Parents and guardians residing anywhere in the state of Florida are now able to apply for their children to attend a public school outside their regular attendance zone through the Controlled Open Enrollment process, more commonly known as School Choice. Sarasota County Schools invites parents and guardians from any school district in the state of Florida whose child is not subject to a current expulsion or suspension to apply for a 2018-19 School Choice assignment to a public school identified as having available space capacity. Applications for School Choice will be accepted through Friday, March 16, 2018. For the first time, the district’s school choice process requires that an online application be completed. If assistance is needed to access and submit an online application, parents/guardians may contact the Office of School Choice. Parents will be notified of choice assignments in May. The complete list of schools open to School Choice is available at SarasotaCountySchools.net. COE assignments will be determined by a random lottery process, rather than on a first-come, first-served basis. 

School Choice Application

Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center is going to offer a cultural competence in health and human services workshop in Sarasota on Friday, March 16, 2018, 8:30am-12:30pm at GSAHEC Sarasota. Gulfcoast South AHEC’s Cultural Competence in Health & Human Services course is designed to help healthcare providers and human service organizations, and their teams, work effectively in a culturally diverse environment. The goal of the program is to reduce disparities by equipping attendees with the necessary tools to deliver sensitive, patient/client-centered care and lower liability risks while driving behavioral changes in their own organization’s culture. The course curriculum was created by Cross Cultural Communications, and is divided into two interactive modules, Language & Communication and Connecting Across Cultures, each with distinct learning objectives. GSAHEC’s Advanced Cultural Competence Education and Support Services (ACCESS) Program offers medical interpreting training, certification preparation, language mediator training, basic occupational Spanish for the health care, human services and safety settings, and more. Early bird registration is $60 by February 28 and standard registration runs through March 9. 

Gulf Coast Area Health Education Center

The office of the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller recently promoted Phaedra Carter to manager of historical resources. An employee of the Clerk’s Office since 2005, Carter previously served as the supervisor of the Manatee Village Historical Park. She will train with the department’s chief historian, Cathy Slusser, to prepare for Slusser’s retirement in February 2020. Carter will continue to manage the Manatee Village Historical Park and the Manatee County Historical Commission. In her new role, she will also spend the next two years learning about historic preservation and the other sites and organizations within the historical resources department. 

Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller