School Board Member to Speak to East Hillsborough Democrats

News Report

On Tuesday, May 8, Hillsborough County School Board member April Griffin will be the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the East Hillsborough County Democratic Club.

The meeting will take place at 6:30 pm. at Barnacle’s Restaurant, 926 Providence Rd., Brandon.

With a total budget of $2.9 billion and nearly 200,000 pupils, the Hillsborough County School District is the eighth largest in the nation and is the county’s largest employer.

With an infusion of $100 million from The Gates Foundation to change the way it hires, supports, evaluates and compensates teachers, the school district has entered the national spotlight in debates over school reform.

At the same time, Hillsborough County, along with other Florida districts, faces challenges and opportunities as it grapples with funding at the local, state and national levels; vocational training; high-stakes testing; use of public money for privately run, for-profit schools; fiscal and educational accountability; and access to and preparation for higher education.

On May 8, April Griffin will address Brandon area Democrats, including a diverse group of educators, parents and other citizens, to discuss these and other salient issues in the county’s education system.

Griffin is serving her second term in the District 6 (countywide) seat on the seven-member Hillsborough County School Board, where she is the 2012 vice chair. She has been a member of the PTA and a classroom volunteer and has been active in her children's schools for many years.

Prior to her full-time commitment to the school board, she was a business owner and longtime child and elder advocate. The Weekly Planet (now Creative Loafing) honored Griffin with a "Best of The Bay" award for her humanitarian work with the medically needy.

She currently serves on the boards of directors of Ignitus Worldwide, the Juvenile Justice Board, the Hillsborough County Council of Governments and Hillsborough Kids Healthcare Foundation. She is an alumna of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce leadership program.

The East Hillsborough County Democratic Club was formed in 2005. Its president is Mike Angel. Among its core values are a stronger economy, quality education, an improved health care system, support for families and communities, protection of the environment and greater American effectiveness in the world.

With members from Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Mango, Lithia and points in between, the club’s membership has grown dramatically as the eastern part of the county has increased in political diversity.

Call 813-653-0959 for information.