The resolution passed 3-2 and also bars staff from supporting students’ organizing efforts.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: April 22, 2026
Host: No students came to protest yesterday morning as the Sarasota School Board passed a set of new policies, including one that punishes student protest during school hours. Ramon Lopez brings us the details.
Ramon Lopez: The conservative Sarasota County School Board member majority—as expected—got its way this past week.
By another 3-2 vote, they pushed through a controversial resolution that will limit local students from protesting on campus.
The policy was hatched by staunch conservative and controversial School Board Chair Bridget Ziegler.
School board candidate Michelle Pozzie favors the new policy.
Michelle Pozzie: There are 16 hours of the day plus the weekend that you can still be active in the community. 99-something percent of our students stayed in school—stayed engaged in their curriculum—and I think it speaks volumes.
RL: The district says students will retain First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and expression while on school property. However, those rights won’t infringe on or interfere with the orderly operation of the schools.
Zander Moricz addresses a crowd outside the School Administration Building. Photo via SEE Alliance on Instagram.
It says students who engage in demonstrations remain subject to all existing board policies, school rules and the Code of Student Conduct. Punishment shall be imposed based on the disruptive conduct, and shall be administered consistently and proportionately.
School staff will be barred from supporting such disruptive conduct by students and be subject to disciplinary action. Outsiders cannot help organize disruptive behavior by students and could be thrown off school property for doing just that.
The three conservatives on the five-member board—Ziegler, Robyn Marinelli and Karen Rose—support the new policy.
But Liz Barker and Tom Edwards voted nay. They explained why.
Liz Barker
Liz Barker: As one board member, I will not be complicit in that. That is far from “every student, every day.”
Tom Edwards: We have policies that already cover and govern that. I believe that this is the United States and we leave moments for exceptions to the rule. So I will not be supporting this.
RL: Activist J.T. Priar sees light at the end of the tunnel.
J.T. Priar: Sarasota deserves to see a school board fighting to address the growing funding gaps from the state disregard for public education. I have my doubts that this board majority will meet that challenge, but thankfully, August is coming.
RL: The favorable vote was a foregone conclusion because of the current school board makeup. But three seats on the school board—Districts 1, 4 and 5—are each up for election this summer, and with multiple candidates, change may be blowin’ in the wind.
This is Ramon Lopez with WSLR News.
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