Southern Poverty Law Center Files Complaint Against Escambia Schools
August 7, 2012
The Southern Poverty Law Center announced Tuesday morning that it has filed a series of federal civil rights complaints against Florida School Districts, including Escambia County. The complaints alleged that the districts subject African-American students to harsh disciplinary policies at rates that are far higher than for white students.
The complaints, filed with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, describe how African-American students in the school districts in Escambia, Bay, Okaloosa, Flagler and Suwannee counties are suspended, expelled and arrested at school for relatively minor and non-violent conduct.
“Unforgiving disciplinary policies are cutting short the futures of countless African-American students across Florida and the entire nation,” said Stephanie Langer, a staff attorney for the SPLC’s Florida office. “If school districts truly want to provide a quality education to all of their students, they will reform these discriminatory policies.”
The complaints explain how the school districts have imposed long-term suspensions on children as young as 8 years old for minor rule infractions such as tardiness, inappropriate cell phone usage, talking in class and dress code violations.
The SPLC said in Escambia County Schools, African-American students account for 65 percent of all out-of-school suspensions, but they represent only 36 percent of the student population.
The SPLC alleges that M.C., an African-American student in Escambia County, was suspended and arrested for “trespassing” after purchasing a hot meal at a neighboring high school. Before this incident, M.C. had no history of discipline issues.
Florida has amended its zero-tolerance discipline law to encourage schools to handle minor behavioral problems with in-school discipline rather than harsh policies that decrease a student’s time in the regular classroom, the SPLC stated in a news release.
“Local school districts and state officials must make reforms that improve the effectiveness of school disciplinary policies without forcing children out of the classroom,” said Tania Galloni, managing attorney of the SPLC’s Florida office. “School discipline should never deprive a child of an education, but that is happening in these school districts. What was once considered minor misconduct has become an opportunity to punish or even criminalize a student’s behavior.”
In addition to Escambia County, the complaints target Okaloosa, Bay, Suwannee and Flagler counties.
Woman Charged With Beating Boyfriend With A Golf Club
August 7, 2012
A Jay woman was arrested after she went to her boyfriend’s house, kicked in the door, and beat him with a golf club.
The incident started when 24-year old Tristan Danielle Watson was on the phone with her boyfriend when the conversation became heated. After the victim hung up on her,Watson then proceeded to drive to her boyfriend’s home in Jay, kick in the backdoor, and hit him twice in the face with a golf club, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
He fell to the ground and was able to get the golf club from Watson. Watson continued to punch the victim in the face before taking a few hundred dollars from the victim’s wallet. Watson then left her boyfriend lying on the floor and fled the scene. The victim had bruising and swelling around his eye and forehead, according to deputies.
Deputies recovered a “Kidpower” brand golf club at the scene, according to an arrest report.
Watson was located by deputies at a residence in Pace, and she admitted to attacking her boyfriend with a golf club after entering his home.
Watson was charged with home invasion robbery, burglary, felony battery and petit theft. She remained in the Santa Rosa County Jail Monday without bond.
Watson and the victim have a child together, according to he Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Escambia Parents Can Apply Online Now For Free, Reduced Lunch Benefits
August 7, 2012
School does not start in Escambia County until August 20, but parents and guardians can apply online now for free and reduced prices meals to speed up the approval process.
Online applications for the 2012-2013 school year can be completed at:
http://mealapp.escambia.k12.fl.us/
There are no charges or fees to use the online free and reduced meal application.
To view the income guidelines for the free and reduced price meal program, click here.
New Multi-Agency ‘Gun Response Team’ Formed In Escambia County
August 7, 2012
Law enforcement agencies are teaming up in Escambia County to form the “Gun Response Team” to investigate incidents of gun related crimes in the county.
The multi-agency group will respond to and investigate crimes where a firearm was the weapon of choice. At times, they will support investigations by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office or the Pensacola Police Department. Sometimes the team will be the primary investigative unit.
“The goal of this initiative is the reduction of gun related violence as well as the arrest and successful prosecution of those who commit gun related crimes,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Gun Response Team will respond to crimes including:
- Homicides that are gun related
- Drive by shootings
- Intentional weapon discharges with property damage or injury
- Suspicious firearm wounds and firearm wounds to known criminals
- Persons arrested and charged with a firearm violation (primary and secondary)
- Illegal aliens with firearms
- Narcotic related crimes involving firearms
- Illegal firearms and weapons caches
- Found or recovered firearms (including those with no arrest)
The Gun Response Team consists of members from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office. Also assisting in the venture will be the Florida Department of Probation and Parole, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the U.S. Marshal’s and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The first day of operation for the new team was Monday.
Former NBA Coach Leads Bratt Basketball Camp
August 7, 2012
A basketball camp was held recently at the First Baptist Church of Bratt under the leadership of a former NBA coach.
Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach taught kids the fundamentals of basketball along with Biblical awareness.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. His career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“One of the many things that touched me about the camp”, said Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey, “is coach does not receive any salary.The $35 registration fee will actually be used to purchase shoes and basketballs for children in other countries that do not even own a pair of shoes. So, we not only benefited much from learning about basketball, but we were able to participate in missions, too.”
Each of the over two dozen students completing the camp received a t-shirt and copy of Dutremble’s book “From the Backcourt to the Frontcourt – A Journey Into Faith” which details the coach’s life from abandonment as a child, living on the street, to his climb to the top of the sports world.
Pictured: A basketball camp with former NBA coach Roger Dutremble was held recently at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Submitted photos by Ken Wooton for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Sentenced For His Part In Tasing Incident
August 7, 2012
An Atmore man was sentenced Monday in connection with an incident in which two women allegedly tased a man during an armed disturbance in Walnut Hill.
Slick Kenneth Corey, 43, was sentenced to 12 months probation Monday on a battery charge and ordered to perform 25 hours community service.
Two women were sentenced in July connection with the same incident. Windy Hall Hudson, age 28 of Century, was sentenced to 12 months probation and 25 hours of community service for battery. Wanda R. McGhee, age 44 of Atmore, was sentenced to six months probation and ordered to perform 25 hours of community service for misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
On March 21, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to an armed disturbance on Rigby Road where the victim said he was sitting on the porch with his girlfriend and the homeowner. He told deputies that McGhee, who is his estranged wife, along with Hudson and a man he knew only as “Slick” pulled up in the driveway. He said “Slick” headed toward him in an agitated state and punched him in the face and then grabbed him around the neck in a choke hold, according to an arrest report.
While the victim was down on the ground in the choke hold, a witness told deputies that McGhee began to use a stun gun to tase the victim repeatedly while Hudson kicked him. The witness said Hudson grabbed the taser and also tased the victim. “Slick” and the two women then left the residence.
Deputies later made contact with the women at the Grey Goose Lounge on Highway 97. Hudson refused to answer questions, while McGhee told deputies that her estranged husband had swung at the unnamed male first, starting the fight.
Deputies later identified “Slick” as Corey.
Century Denies Variance So Man Can Live In Too Small Mobile Home
August 7, 2012
The Century town council voted Monday night to deny a variance to allow a man to live in an old mobile home cited for multiple code violations.
Brian Sanders petitioned the council to allow his 12×60, 1974 mobile home on a lot in the 6700 block of Jefferson Avenue. Century’s Land Development Code does not allow a mobile home less than 14 feet wide.
The mobile home has been on the lot about 45 days and was cited by Escambia County Code Enforcement for 10 separate violations on July 30. No one currently lives in the mobile home.
Council members disagreed on whether or not a variance was warranted to allow Sanders to keep the mobile home on the property.
“We can’t do anything for him,” council member Annie Savage said. “We stand by our rules and regulations that we enforce.”
“I can read, and I know what it means,” council member Jacke Johnston said, adding that she was torn as to how to vote. “We have an application for a variance…because sometimes you need a variance.”
“If we do variances, we might as well not have any law,” Council President Ann Brooks said. “We are trying to regulate mobile homes.”
And council member Gary Riley said he was against the variance. “We won’t be setting a precedent…because if we do for one, we have to do for all.”
The council voted 4-1 to deny the variance request.
Mayor Freddie McCall said Sanders should have obtained an permit before locating the mobile home on the lot, but it was moved in by a moving company from Alabama. He said the town has problems with Alabama companies failing to obtain the necessary permits before moving mobile homes into Century.
Pictured top: The Century Town Council listens to Brian Sanders request a variance to keep a mobile home that does not meet the town’s lad development code. Pictured inset: Council member Jacke Johnston throws her hands up Monday night, saying that she was torn how to vote on the issue. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs To Hold Football Camp For Ages 8 To 8th Grade
August 7, 2012
The Northview High School Chiefs will host a football camp Saturday.
The camp is for players age eight years to the eighth grade. Registration is $30 which includes a hot dog lunch, camp t-shirt and a free pass to the first home game. Camp participants will be recognized at halftime of the first home game.
For more information and a registration form, click here (pdf).
Typo Forces Santa Rosa County To Pull Referendum From Ballot
August 7, 2012
A typo has led to a referendum’s withdrawal from the ballot in Santa Rosa County.
There was a typographical error on the resolution signed by the Santa Rosa County Commission and the corresponding non-binding referendum on the August ballot regarding new and expanding business tax incentives. As a result, the ballot measure will not be counted by the supervisor of elections’ office. The item is printed on the ballot, but signs will be posted in the voting booths notifying voters of the change.
Commissioners may choose to request the item be included in future elections.
The clerical error cited “Constitutional Article VI Section 3″; however, the correct provision in the Florida Constitution is “Article VII Section 3″. Section 3 of Article VI pertains to the citizen’s oath while Section 3 of Article VII outlines tax exemptions.
The withdrawal of the ballot measure is not anticipated to have a negative impact on future economic growth as the county has an ordinance which gives the board of commissioners the authority to grant tax refunds as an economic incentive to qualifying new or expanding businesses.
‘Felony Lane Gang’ Member Arrested For Bank Fraud
August 7, 2012
A member of the “Felony Lane Gang” has been arrested for alleged bank fraud.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted by Wells Fargo bank of attempted fraudulent check cashing. They located and arrested 28-year old Irving Brown of Fort Lauderdale.
It was determined that Brown, and others not yet named by authorities, were breaking into cars, stealing identifications, credit cards and checks, and then cashing them or wiring money.
The suspects, deputies said, had committed the crimes throughout Florida. They were dubbed the “Felony Lane Gang” due to their use of the outermost drive thru lane at banks.
Brown was charged with defrauding a financial institution and fraud-swindle. His bond was set at $50,000. Authorities said he will also face charges in other jurisdictions.