Panel discusses current state of Florida education

The Flagler College Political Guild notified the Historic City Newsroom that they will host an Education Forum on the “Current State of Education in Florida” on Thursday, March 10th, at 7:00 p.m., in the Virginia Room of the Ringhaver Student Center located at 50 Sevilla Street.

The panel will include Dr. Joseph Joyner, superintendent of the St. Johns County School System; Mark P. Miner, county commissioner and vice-chair for District 3; Steve Voguit, Flagler assistant professor of history and geography; Dr. Meryl Goldman, president of the St. Johns County Education Foundation; and Beth Upchurch, teacher at Ketterlinus Elementary School.

Skeeter Key, Flagler’s director of Academic Advising and Retention, will be the moderator for the panel discussion.

The panel will address such issues as the teacher merit pay bill, charter schools, the FCAT and the policy for removing tenure for teachers.

Joyner has been the recipient of the Superintendent of the Year Award and has served as president of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. During his tenure, the St. John’s County School System has earned recognition as one of the best school systems in the country.

Miner was elected to the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners in 2008. He has supported local laws protecting children including the Kid Safe Zone Ordinance. He is currently a member of the St. Johns County School Board and the Early Learning Coalition.

Voguit earned his M.Ed. and B.S. degrees from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. Twice nominated for the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award, Voguit has won numerous awards for his teaching and is featured in “Who’s Who among American College Teachers.” He teaches U.S. History, Oral History and Economic Geography at Flagler College.

Goldman has served as a teacher of special education and assistant principal in Long Island; principal, education director and adjunct professor at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati; and served as a principal and adjunct professor at Hofstra University in Long Island. She received her master’s and Ph.D. in education from Columbia University. She is currently an adjunct professor at St. Johns River State College.

Upchurch, who began her teaching career as a substitute teacher, has been with the St. Johns County School District for 28 years and was just named St. Johns County Teacher of the Year. She is a co-literacy coach and a fourth grade teacher in a lead/associate classroom at Ketterlinus Elementary School.

Key teaches education courses at Flagler each semester.

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.