Page 23 - Florida Sentinel 4-15-16 Edition

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Business Owner Wants To Provide Opportunities For Others
Teacher In Trouble Over Questionnaire Given To Students
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
It wasn’t that long ago when Robert Marshall found himself facing the same future as a lot of his friends. He stumbled around for years, but finally decided to hold himself accountable for his actions.
Marshall not only picked himself up and found employ- ment, five years ago he used what he learned on that job to create his own company, Affordable Family Movers of Florida.
“None of the young people out there need to tell me their story, because I’ve been there. I could have continued to feel sorry for myself, but I knew there was no future in that.
“Now that I’ve started my own business, I want to help others by offering them a chance to join me. I currently have five full-time peo- ple working with me, and my business is growing rapidly.”
Marshall said he spent his first year building up his clientele, and now he takes care of cus- tomers all over Central Florida.
“I realized that by keeping my costs affordable for everyone, I could generate more business, and be in a position to hire more people.
“I anticipate growing even big-
ger than I am today, but I’ll need more loyal employees to make that happen. I want to offer an op- portunity to all willing me and women to help me so I can help them.”
Marshall said he’s trying to start a mentoring program to help young men and women who feel because they have a criminal past, they can’t find employment.
“First of all, I know you can find a job regardless of your record. All you have to do is not give up.
“The other option is to create your own business, and help oth- ers get their lives together by of- fering them employment. That’s my plan.”
Affordable Family Movers of Florida does residential and com- mercial moving and you can visit their website at affordablefamily- movers.com for more informa- tion.
ROBERT MARSHALL
MS. YOSELIS RAMOS ... First year teacher
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
A questionnaire given to students last week has resulted in the teacher being investi- gated. The investigation came about after two parents com- plained about the question- naire.
Last Monday, Ms. Yoselis Ramos, 23, passed out a form asking students about their race, sexual preference, gen- der, skin color, religion, and other personal information. The forms were passed out in two classes to 7th and 8th grade students.
The form was part of a les- son on inequality and was a classroom assignment.
Ms. Ramos has been re-
This is the form the teacher passed out to students. It was taken from the Facebook page of a parent.
moved from the school. How- ever, she will remain on paid leave until members of the School Board decide what ac- tion shall be taken.
A first-year teacher in the district, Ms. Ramos is em- ployed at Monroe Middle School as a Spanish teacher.
Ms. Tanya Arja,
spokesperson for the Hillsbor- ough County School District said, “She passed the form out to two classes, but she did not collect them. The next day, two parents came to the school and met with Monroe Principal Peter Megara, who had no knowledge about the form.”
Ms. Arja further stated that the School District doesn’t collect this type of information
because it could put students in an uncomfortable position.
After learning about the as- signment, Principal Peter Megara notified parents using a recorded message.
Ms. Arja said the investi- gation by the School District’s Office of Professional Stan- dards should be completed by the end of the week.
When contacted by the
Sentinel, Mrs. Doretha Edgecomb, a member of the School Board, said the Board typically does not become in- volved in disciplinary actions.
“We normally don’t get in- volved unless the recom- mended discipline is challenged. We address them at the highest level of appeal.”
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A