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January 15, 2021December 30, 2020

Florida preserves college-level civics literacy requirements

Who’s second in the line of presidential succession? Speaker of the House, you say? Good job. You know your civics.

When President Reagan was shot in 1981, Secretary of State Alexander Haig said, “Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the president, the vice president, and the secretary of state in that order…I am in control here.”

Haig later insisted he was talking about the executive branch, not the presidential line of succession. Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill, was not amused.

Either way, Florida wants to make sure its citizens are civics literate. So if you didn’t know your civics in high school, you’re in luck, because civics literacy is a graduation requirement at all state colleges and universities. It has been since 2017.

Civics literacy means an understanding of history and how government works.

Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis wanted to amend the 2017 law, introducing “The Florida Civic Literacy Test,” which basically was just a version of the U.S. Immigration Services Naturalization Test.

It was a 100 multiple-choice test and you only had to get 60 right to pass, the equivalent of a “D” letter grade.

To be clear, there are 100 questions would-be citizens have to study, but the examiner randomly selects ten from the 100 and the test taker isn’t given multiple choices. They have to know the answers to six questions, in addition to passing reading, writing, and speaking tests.

The Florida Department of Education (FDE) withdrew the amendment it had proposed after parties petitioned against it at the end of May. The amendment would have added the test as one of several options by which Florida College System students could demonstrate civic literacy competency.

But a representative from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), one of the petitioners against the proposed rule change, said that the citizenship test is problematic. “The problem with the proposed rule was that it created a test that could be passed by scoring 60 percent on a memorization test instead of completing a university-level course or an existing assessment specifically designed to measure collegiate level learning,” said Jonathan Pidluzny, ACTA’s vice president of academic affairs.

An ACTA press release states that the proposed rule would have “seriously weakened” the 2017 law, which says educators must “establish course competencies and identify outcomes that include, at minimum, an understanding of the basic principles of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government, an understanding of the United States Constitution, knowledge of the founding documents, and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-governance, and an understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases and their impact on law and society.”

The Parklander requested a copy of the multiple-choice test from the Florida Department of Education, but officials did not supply one.

Civics test

A recent survey of 41,000 Americans, conducted by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, indicates less than four in ten Americans could pass a civics test. Some other notable facts from the survey: Those in Vermont had the highest passing rate (53 percent); the next four highest scoring states were Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana, and Virginia. Meanwhile, Louisiana had the lowest passing rate (27 percent), followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Florida’s score was 29 percent. The questions below come from 100 used in the citizenship test.

Scroll below for correct answers

What is the supreme law of the land?
When was the Constitution written?
How many voting members are in the House of Representatives?
What position is third in line of Presidential succession? (Hint, it’s still not Secretary of State.)
Who is the current Chief Justice of the United States?
How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
Name one right or freedom under the First Amendment.
Who was the president during World War I?

ANSWERS:

December 9, 2020December 2, 2020

DECA perseveres at MSD despite COVID

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s DECA program is the fourth largest chapter in the world. With CDC safety guidelines and virtual learning set in stone for the remainder of this year, DECA has not allowed the circumstances to limit its outreach to students.

Originally, DECA stood for “Distributive Education Clubs of America,” but it is now known only as DECA, a not-for-profit student organization. Since the club is co-curricular, it only includes students enrolled in the Academy of Finance and/or the Hospitality & Tourism programs offered at MSD.

“In the spring when I was appointed to be the president of DECA, I thought I would be sitting back in the classroom,” co-President Lexie Sealy said. “I feel like I am missing out on engaging with our members. I was really looking forward to meeting the freshmen and new members face to face.” MSD’s DECA is around 700 members strong and as a result, it has become a challenge to connect the members when meetings and socials are done through a computer screen with no real interaction. With students learning through computers and staring at screens for hours at a time, it has become hard to engage and involve members.

“It is definitely a challenge for our chapter to connect with one another on virtual platforms, especially with all the technical difficulties that come with virtual events,” co-VP of School Activities Raegan DiRenzo said. “Despite this, I feel we’ve made the best of this situation and have been able to participate in engaging officer bonding events and socials.”

As an incentive for more participation, the club introduced a Girls Who Start chapter for students interested in hearing from female entrepreneurs, along with DECA in the Middle, a program where students from Westglades Middle School could learn about business-related concepts.

“Online learning has really made it hard for us to connect with the middle school kids,” VP of Middle School Relations Ziya Kassam said. “Usually we would be able to talk to the members one on one and be there in person whenever they needed, but this year it’s hard for us to communicate efficiently.”

Typically, DECA students compete at state competition and at the International Career Development Conference, where thousands of DECA students come together to compete and develop knowledge and skills for college and careers. Since competitions will no longer be conducted the same way as years prior, resources such as “Manual Monday” and “Testing Tuesday” are available to students who would like to focus more on preparation.

“It’s important to be prepared for competition,” sophomore LJ Russinoff said.

“Our chapter offers [resources] to ensure that our members are as prepare as possible for their events.”

As a result of eLearning, the DECA officer team and advisors have found ways to collaborate and find solutions for more effective networking, learning, and bonding. Just like other clubs and extracurriculars, establishing connections has become a struggle. The DECA program at MSD has learned to combat this issue with strong teamwork and innovative alternatives.

PERSPECTIVES:
Sharon Cutler – Academy of Finance teacher and DECA advisor

“From a teacher perspective, I had to rethink my lessons and how I’m going to teach with the understanding that students are looking at a computer screen. I am used to having project based learning so having my students still work in projects and with other people is very important to me. I try to look at what I can do instead of what I can’t.”

Lexie Sealy – DECA Co-President

“The biggest challenge is keeping members engaged through a computer screen. We have had to take all the events we do every year and figure out a way to make them virtual and engaging for members. COVID-19 has made this position much more difficult than anticipated, but it is so rewarding to hear positive feedback from the student body.”

Jacob Foster – DECA senior who has gone to state/ICDC competition

“I have competed in state and district competitions every year, and I attended ICDC my sophomore year. Virtual competition is not ideal, but it is understandable since DECA wants to keep everyone safe. My goal this year is to work hard to win at ICDC since this will be my last chance. We have been looking forward to this competition in California since our freshman year, and everyone is hopeful that things will be better in May or April so that we will be able to travel and compete.”

September 25, 2020August 27, 2020

If only mosquitoes sucked fat instead of blood

One fact might remove some of the sting from this year’s mosquito season: Health officials have no data to suggest that mosquitos transmit coronavirus to people. Still, mosquitos can transmit potentially deadly diseases to humans. And so, like every mosquito season, county officials are working to control the
population.

This year, Broward County has temporarily suspended mosquito home inspections as part of social distancing protocols. However, “we continue to provide truck-dispersed mosquito control products,” said Ahn Ton, director of the Broward County Highway and Bridge Maintenance Division and Mosquito Control.

The county’s seven inspectors apply products, collect traps, test water for larvae, and participate in public outreach. The county’s call center received about 50-80 calls per day in May, Ton said. By July that grew to 150-200 calls, County residents can call 311 or (954) 831-3940.

Ton said the mosquito problem this year is no greater or less than previous years. “Thankfully, we are not currently experiencing a mosquito-borne illness pandemic as we did with the Zika Virus,” Ton added.

However, from March 9 through July 28 of this year, as of press time, Palm Beach County had experienced one case of West Nile Virus in a human. In Miami-Dade County, that number is 24. Also, the Florida Department of Health has confirmed a case of West Nile in a horse in Northern Broward County.

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne disease that affects birds, but mosquitos, through their bites, can also transmit the condition to humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States.

Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. Most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. Roughly one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About one out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

“Mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus bite during the day and night,” according to information on the county’s website. “People can avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellent (formulated with Permethrin, Picaridin, or DEET), by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and by treating clothing and gear.” The website also advises people with horses to ensure the animal is vaccinated against the virus. “When possible, keep your horse stabled and spray it with a horse mosquito repellent.”

Broward County officials are educating people about methods to lower mosquito populations such as removing standing water from their properties. Also, the county is providing materials and non-toxic larvicide tablets at special events and doctors’ offices.

Trapping is another control method, said Ton.

“Traps are used for surveillance so that we know the quantity and species of mosquitos in an area so that we can tailor our treatment technique to maximize effectiveness and minimize any waste,” Ton said. “Traps have the added benefit of removing adult mosquitos from the environment.”

Officials place traps throughout Broward County and collect them weekly for “counts.” On a regular basis, the county biologist traps mosquitos, separates them by species, and detects any potential viruses. Findings determine the chemical application that county workers will use and the type of treatment required. Aerial spraying traps provide another control method. But under
Florida law, counties must show a 10-fold increase in their mosquito population before the state approves aerial spraying. Ton said the last time Broward County conducted aerial spraying was July 2019.

In Palm Beach County, mosquito control program supervisor Chris Reifinger said he deploys 17 traps around the county. This year, several traps caught more than 1,000 mosquitos in 24 hours. “That indicates a mosquito problem,” Reifinger said. Therefore, he’s had to conduct aerial spraying. Reifinger added the county usually uses a helicopter for that purpose an average of six times every year.

In early August, Reifinger said the mosquito problem in his county was “pretty calm.” By contrast, in June, mosquitos were a “big problem.” He’s had to conduct aerial spraying west of Military Trail on 270,000 acres of land which tends to flood. Reifinger said his team has also used a spray truck to try to kill West Nile Virus-carrying mosquitos.

For information on how you can avoid getting sick from viruses spread by mosquitos, visit cdc.gov/features/stopmosquitoes/index.html.

By Aaron Krause