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Angry parents have derailed Sarasota school board meetings. Two board members tell us what's next

This week, we look at the issue of public discourse at local school board meetings.

Recent Sarasota County School Board meetings have turned into rowdy affairs with some parents becoming disruptive on issues such as mask mandates and critical race theory.

Host Steve Newborn speaks to two members of that school board on this week's show.

RELATED: How to manage 'disruptive' school board meetings? Sarasota can't agree

One of them, Shirley Brown, is a longtime board member and was recently targeted by protestors who came to her home and called on her to resign.

The other, Bridget Ziegler, is a former co-founder of Moms For Liberty, an organization that advocates for “parental rights” in local public school systems. She has since left the group.

Later on, we also hear from WUSF education reporter Kerry Sheridan, who reports on the Sarasota County school district.

RELATED: ‘Black Lives Matter’ removed from Sarasota 5th grade curriculum due to critical race theory concerns

You can listen to Steve’s conversations with Brown, Ziegler and Sheridan by clicking on the “Listen” button. Or you can listen to the WUSF app under “Programs & Podcasts.”

Copyright 2021 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7. To see more, visit WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7.

Dinorah Prevost is a WUSF Public Media news intern for summer 2018.
Steve Newborn is WUSF's assistant news director as well as a reporter and producer at WUSF covering environmental issues and politics in the Tampa Bay area.