Emails from a Florida Capital Star information request show that Florida school officials in districts across the state have been recruited by Equality Florida to promote LGBTQ issues.
Equality Florida is a left-wing political group that advocates for civil rights and protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBQT+) residents in Florida. The group has come out against the current Parental Rights in Education bill now being considered in the Florida Legislature.
The emails, covering 2016 to 2020, show how De Palazzo, the Safe & Healthy Schools director for Equality Florida, engaged one school district official from Leon County to help with Equality Florida’s mission.
In 2016, Palazzo reached out to Dr. Kathleen Rodgers and wrote, “I am working and meeting in about 20 school districts and would be happy to assist your district as well in the form of direct service, meeting with teams, etc. A friendly reminder that there is no fee for service because I know that budgets are tight and for this important subject, fees could be a deterrent.”
Later emails indicate Rodgers became part of what Palazzo often referred to as a “team”
For example, in 2017, Palazzo referred to the “team” when trying to set up a meeting with Hershel Lyons, chancellor of the division of public schools in Florida to discuss LGBTQ issues. In an email to a Florida Department of Education official she wrote, “I have gathered a team from school districts across the state that look forward to spending a brief time with the chancellor…”
Members of the “team” from taxpayer-funded school districts included Dr. Kathleen Rodgers, director of equity, Leon County Public Schools; Jim Porter, board attorney, Hillsborough County Public Schools; Michelle Kefford, principal of Flanagan High School, Broward County Public Schools; and John Sullivan, director of legislative affairs, Broward County Public Schools.
Dr. Kathleen Rodgers was also invited to be a speaker at the 2016 Equality Florida sponsored “All Together Now” (ATN) conference.
The ATN conference is one of the methods used by Equality Florida to influence policy at schools. Equality Florida states that ATN provides “dynamic programming that includes sessions such as a superintendent’s roundtable discussion, family acceptance panels, GSA workshops, and legal expert testimonials.”
According to an email from Palazzo to Rodgers, the recent conferences were “geared toward upper level school district leadership, such as yourself, Directors of Student Services or Safe Schools, School Board Attorneys, Assistant Superintendents, Board Members and Superintendents.”
The relationship between Florida school districts and a political advocacy group like Equality Florida raises questions about who is financing certain activities. Are the Equality Florida-sponsored conferences and “team” meetings taxpayer-funded?
Also, does the access granted Equality Florida to unelected school district employees through conferences and “teams” impact policies in school districts?
The Florida Capital Star has reached out to Ms. Palazzo for comment and has also requested more information from school districts.
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Steve Stewart is a senior contributor at The Florida Capital Star. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ed Palazzo” by Equality Florida.
