Escambia County School Board member Kevin Adams discussed with Inweekly the need for parents to be aware of the dangers to children of unlimited and unsupervised cellphone use, especially those younger than under 16.
“Over the last couple of years’ there has been a lot more noticed about the negatives it has with cell phones, with increased suicides, increased self-harm, increased mental health issues, bullying, the list goes on,” Adams said. “What they’re recommending right now at the national level is do not get your child a cell phone with a plan where they can access sites on their own before they’re 16 years old.”
He continued, “In the state of Florida, they passed legislation a long time ago that allows cell phones in the classrooms, and now they’re backed off of it. So now by Florida law, you can no longer have used cell phones in classrooms unless the teacher asks you to use it. But still, they can use it at breaks and at lunch and different areas.”
He said that school districts that don’t allow cell phone usage on campus have fewer disciplinary problems, such as bullying, higher grade point averages, and lower absent rates. “I think you’re going to see a lot more legislation come down the pike in the state of Florida.”
Pensacola City Administrator Kerrith Fiddler discusses his five years with the city. He started his public service Fiddler as a bus operator and worked his way up to his current role, gaining experience in different sectors of government.
Fiddler believes that Pensacola, despite being a small city, has many amenities of a larger city, including its own airport, port, and gas utility. Fiddler is proud of the city’s strategic plan and the progress made during his tenure, including a comprehensive compensation study aimed at ensuring fair wages for all city employees. He will be succeeded by Amy Miller on an interim basis.
Calling all area companies and organizations to join the “Quest for the Cup” in this year’s YMCA Corporate Cup Games, to be held Saturday, Sept. 21, at Pensacola State College.
In its 28th year, Corporate Cup welcomes local companies of all sizes for fun, fitness, and fellowship. Athletes participate in traditional events such as the One-mile Run, Egg Toss, and Obstacle Course, and unique events such as Sink It, Frisbee Chaos, and Sod Surfing.
Teams must consist of 20-28 members at least 18 years old and regular employees of the company. Employee spouses may participate. For a $1,000 entry fee, your team receives event entry, food and drink, a participant gift for each team member, and a chance to win awards and bragging rights. Silver Sponsorships are also available. Proceeds benefit YMCA mission programs. The event is made possible by the support of Gold Sponsor Florida Power & Light.
Learn more and register at www.ymcanwfl.org.
The full show: Rick talks with Sena Maddison, Andrea Rosenbaum, Mike Dobuski, Kerrith Fiddler, Kevin Adams, and Peter Charalambous.