POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The federal government has told several Florida school districts, including Polk County, to discontinue their Latinos in Action programs.
Approximately 42.6% of students in Polk County are Hispanic, according to Polk County Public Schools.
Octavio Hernandez taught in Polk County schools for a decade, most recently at Davenport High School.
Watch full report from Rebecca Petit
“I believe this is one of the few schools that is over 50% Hispanic. I think it’s 51% especially in the northeast area of Polk,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez is currently running as a Democrat for Florida House District 51. As a person who migrated from Mexico to the United States at a young age, he understands the barriers some of his Latino students encounter.
“A lot of parents don’t know how to get the kids involved in scholarships, how to get involved in nonprofit organizations for community service hours. What type of jobs are out there. So, clubs like these are the ones that help our students become future leaders,” Hernandez said.
Latinos in Action is a nonprofit organization that describes itself as closing opportunity gaps and preparing students for college and careers.
Polk County Public Schools received a letter from the U.S. Department of Education stating that the "district may be discriminating based on race," through its partnership with Latinos in Action, instructing the district to terminate the program.
According to the district, it offered the elective course at Davenport, Haines City and Kathleen High Schools.
“It’s a shame that local districts don’t seem to have control over their curriculum in this country,” said Stephanie Yocum, President of Polk Education Association.
Yocum said school districts fear losing federal funding.
“Districts are not in a position to really fight back because they’re reliant on federal funding, especially in a state where we’re already starved for resources,” Yocum said.
A spokesperson for Polk County Public School said in an emailed statement, “PCPS will work to ensure compliance with the federal mandates. In the event the class is removed we will convert it to a leadership course allowed by FLDOE, and remove any Latinos in Action (LIA) content or references from the syllabus,” Kyle Kennedy said. “LIA may be allowed to continue as a club so long as it meets all federal and PCPS requirements to do so.
Specifically, the club may not restrict access to non-Latinos, or violate any other PCPS policies or federal laws regarding discrimination.”
Share Your Story with Rebecca
Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
.
Former Israeli defense minister speaks in Sarasota as protesters demand arrest over alleged war crimes
Yoav Gallant spoke at a ticketed event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, while protesters outside denounced his wartime actions and called for accountability.
