Black History Month
at the Manatee School Board Meeting

Support Our Schools and ASALH, Manasota have come together to encourage you to honor the legacy of Black History Month by going to the next School Board Meeting and standing in solidarity with our community.

Here are some easy ways you can honor Black History Month and let it be known that you support the truthful teaching and learning of history in our public schools:

1 - SHOW UP

Tuesday, February 8, 2022, 9:15 AM

At The Manatee County School District located at the Walter E Miller School Support Center at 215 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton, FL 34205.

The meeting starts promptly at 10:00 AM, but we are asking supporters to show up early, if possible, to guarantee a spot in the audience.

WEAR BLACK - we will have custom stickers to distribute to show our solidarity and togetherness.

Need a reminder for the meeting? Click below.

2 - SPEAK UP

If you feel comfortable, share your words. Your story, your experience, and your opinion matter. Most importantly, your words may inspire others.

Please, as you are introducing yourself, say “My name is… I live in Manatee County and I took the pledge to stand up for public schools.”

Learn more about how to prepare for the meeting below.

  • View the upcoming agenda for the Manatee School Board, here.

  • View the public participation guidelines, as published by The School District of Manatee County, here.

  • You can register your spot beforehand, by going to the district’s website and clicking on the option to sign up to speak, here.

  • If you want a rehearsal with someone, feel free to reach out to us here.

3 - EMAIL

If you’re unable or uncomfortable attending an in-person meeting, you can send the School Board an email through our portal below.

We must demand that our young people learn our nation's history in its entirety.

You can also email them directly, at public_comment@manateeschools.net.

4 - WRITE

If you have an opinion on the way public schools are being attacked, use your voice and send a letter to the editor of one of the local newspapers.

  • To submit a letter to the editor of the Bradenton Herald, click here.

  • To submit a letter to the editor at the Tampa Bay Times, click here.

  • The Sarasota Herald-Tribune encourages its readers to share their opinions through letters to the editor.

    Letters must have the writer's name, full address, and daytime phone number and should be no longer than 200 words. We may condense letters and edit them for accuracy. Writers can have one published letter every 30 days. We are unable to acknowledge or publish every letter we receive. We no longer accept letters by postal mail.

    Email letters to editor.letters@heraldtribune.com