WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
Two students were arrested on suspicion of their connections to five bomb threats at Newberry High School and Oak View Middle School.
Read More »Parents and students react to bomb threats plaguing Alachua County Public Schools
Alachua County parents discuss potential vaccine mandates
Young children traded in toys and recess for masks and social distancing. The CDC recommends children between the ages of two and 12 wear masks in public spaces. It also suggests kids wear masks around people who are not in their household.
Read More »The Lede || Season IV Episode III: Serving Food for Thought
In this edition of The Lede, we cover IFA Food Week and recap UF’s homecoming game.
Read More »Alachua County schools are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in these ways
Under a Florida statute, schools are required to teach Hispanic contributions, and Hispanic Heritage Month is one of the ways those contributions are highlighted.
Read More »Florida is targeting Alachua County and seven other school districts over mask requirements
The crackdown intensified the battle over whether school districts can set student mask requirements, a debate that is also playing out in courts.
Read More »Ghost, goblins and groceries food drive
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo hosted a community food drive.
Read More »Following backlash and support, school board extends mask mandate in Alachua County Public Schools
In a meeting Tuesday, the Alachua County School Board voted 4-1 to continue with mandatory masking for all students. Only medical exemptions will be accepted for students in kindergarten through eighth-grade. Parent exemptions will be accepted for high schoolers.
Read More »School bus drivers were always in demand. COVID-19 further strained the staff, parents and students
Local school districts including Alachua, Marion, Putnam and Bradford are recruiting bus drivers, which is not abnormal as many school districts hire year round. But the pandemic amplified the need with quarantine absences and a reduction in staff.
Read More »Alachua County School District officials expect more arrests in large-scale bomb threat investigation
Three students have been arrested for allegedly making recent bomb threats against Alachua County schools, and more arrests are expected soon, authorities said. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office executed multiple search warrants last week in Newberry, and a total of seven bomb threats have been reported across county schools, said …
Read More »Judge refuses to reconsider Florida mask ruling
Rejecting arguments by parents of children with disabilities, a federal judge has refused to reconsider a decision that backed Gov. Ron DeSantis in a battle about student mask requirements in schools.
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