In a Slim Victory, Voters Agree to Spend more for School Safety

Jenn Karvaski, a teacher for the Palm Beach County School District, stood outside the Lantana Library passing out pamphlets advocating for the countywide question at the very end of the ballot. The countywide referendum, which was later passed, asked voters to agree to a new property tax that would be used to enhance school safety, student mental health, teacher pay, and arts and music.

Karvaski was out campaigning to persuade voters to support the measure in order to lighten “the workload that is put on us… and obviously security and mental health for our kids.”

Just nine months after the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, school safety weighs heavy on the minds of students, parents and faculty. Marjory Stoneman Douglas lies just outside of Palm Beach County’s border, and for many residents, this tragedy hits too close to home.

Currently, Palm Beach County School District has a police officer at every elementary, middle and high school. The problem is that high schools are much bigger than elementary and middle schools.

“The money that Tallahassee gave us and said, ‘this is what needs to be spent on police officers’ did not cover the cost, so the district is already paying more to give one police officer to every school,” explains Karvaski. School district officials said Palm Beach County did not have enough funding as is to comply with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act, which was passed a few weeks after the Feb. 14 massacre that left 17 people dead and a community

The countywide question passed with just a two percent lead, seemingly indicative of the Florida divide. Many extremely slim races in the midterm election were the subject of a controversy-laden recount. This includes two of the biggest races: Republican Rick Scott leading his Democratic opponent Senator Bill Nelson for the U.S. Senate seat by just 0.2 percent and the GOP’s Ron DeSantis ahead of Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum for Florida Governor by 0.4 percent. Over the weekend, both Nelson and Gillum conceded. The only major state office captured by the Democrats was Nikki Fried, who won the post of agriculture minister by .08 percent margin.

Despite the passage of the Palm Beach County measure to put more funds towards school safety, not everyone supported it — including those with children in district schools.

“I pay taxes, I believe in education, I have three kids, but I am not for doing all the extra security,” said Sarah Hoffman, a small business owner and mother of three. “I’m against what all my girlfriends think, and I have very strong opinions about extra funding. I just have different views and I voted against it.”

The school district will now have the means to put one police officer at every elementary school, two police officers at every middle school and three police officers at every high school. There will also be in-house mental health professionals to work with kids one on one full time.

Briefly touching on other key issues, Hoffman explains how the economic laws have really affected the community of small business owners and how health care, and the environment are issues that should be on the top of newly elected officials list.

“The environment and what’s happening down here… I know that I want the governor involved in all of that right away. It’s all so important right now,” added Hoffman.

Joan Cheesman a relative and campaigner for Maxine Cheesman, winner of the Circuit Court Judge race, recalls the crowds of people who waited for hours to vote.

Karvaski attributes citizen’s willingness to stand in the hot Florida sun for more than two hours to their desire to spark changes in Washington.

“What was so heartwarming was to see how many young people have been here for the last two weeks and there were so many first time voters,” Cheesman said.

Three separate women with different views who all share one common opinion: educating voters.

“We don’t have enough material information… We don’t know who these people are, many people vote for their general party,” said Hoffman.

“I think that one of the toughest things are the amendments, the way they are worded and the way things are put together are very confusing. They put things together that just did not relate as far as I’m concerned,” expressed Cheesman.

Hoffman, a strong Republican, recalls reading about an amendment that came from the Democratic Party. Someone explained it and gave her the hard facts, and she agreed with them.

“I researched it and did my due diligence and I agreed with it and voted for it and I think more people should be educated. Who is running our money, and our towns and our state? People don’t really know,” Hoffman said.

Karvaski commended the Palm Beach County School District for their determination to promote and educate citizens on exactly what the countywide question was proposing.

“The district held a live Q&A, which I think was great because people still had a lot of questions. When it first came out there was a lot of misconception, even teachers were not clear on what they should do or what this meant or where their money would be going…they did a really good job at clearing that up,” Karvaski said.

Since last Tuesday’s election the Palm Beach County School District’s Facebook page has posted five statements and two videos, one by students and one by Superintendent Dr. Donald Fennoy, expressing their gratitude to Palm Beach County voters for passing the countywide question.

One of the first posts stated, “THANK YOU for your support! Palm Beach County voters, once again, put students first by approving the Countywide School Question on the November 6 ballot.”