The three-part question we would like you to address is: 1. What are your beliefs regarding the importance of supporting early literacy and learning In our community, in your current work and in the elected position for which you are running? (Early literacy refers to a child from birth through the end of third grade.)
Teaching the youth is one of the most important things we do as a society. That is why I founded the Academy of the Stars in 1994, and I have been teaching the youth ever since. Over the years, we have taught thousands of students. Unlike many others in the industry, the Academy of the Stars accepts very young students. We have taught several 3-year-olds, and we are willing to accept even younger students, although none have applied. Although the younger students don’t learn as fast as the older ones, they build a solid foundation of understanding that places them ahead of the pack as they get older. Electing a Sheriff who has extensive experience in education may be beneficial to the community and may further the objectives of Moonshot Moment and the Learning Alliance.
2. Do you understand the science of literacy and learning, such that you are able to support it or would you be willing to participate in trainings to learn more?
Yes, I understand the science of literacy and learning, and yes, I support the independent, peer-reviewed science. Yes, I would be willing to participate in trainings to learn more. 3. How can you, in your elected position, create sustainable stewardship for an early literacy culture in our homes, schools and/or community?
First, we must stop the school-to-prison pipeline. Students have a First Amendment right to disagree with educators and authorities, or even throw temper tantrums. They must not be arrested or Baker Acted for just being kids. Juveniles should be kept out of the criminal justice system as much as possible. There is no reason to terrorize our youngsters with excessive policing, just to pad the pockets of defense attorneys, bailbondsmen, prison suppliers, and other police union cronies.
Second, and a related initiative, is to stop enforcing the Baker Act. The Baker Act is unconstitutional. It violates the Fourth Amendment prohibition of arrest without probable cause of a crime, as well as the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment liberty interest. Citizens are arrested under the Baker Act even though they have not committed any crime, nor is there evidence of any crime. Our constitution protects us from these excesses. I am the only candidate who has worked to restore constitutional rights.
The Baker Act targets women, children, dissidents, and people of color. Children should never be arrested under the Baker Act, for obvious reasons. Parents, not the state, should be allowed to make health care decisions for their own children. Women should never be arrested under the Baker Act, or falsely arrested at all, because their children and families need them at home. We must end racial profiling, and reinstate the First Amendment rights of expression and religious practice.
Third, we must end the practice of false arrest without probable cause. I am the only candidate that has opposed the practice of false arrest, which is not only unconstitutional, but also wastes valuable public resources. In our outreach efforts, we have found that approximately 40-50% of all arrests in Indian River County are without probable cause or any evidence of a crime. This is shameful! False arrest destroys people’s lives and tears families apart. Children suffer when their parents and caretakers are falsely arrested and taken away.
Fourth, I have proposed a 50% reduction in the Sheriff’s $55 million budget. We can achieve this by simply ending false arrest, which accounts for 40-50% of all arrests in the County. But we will do more than this. We will not arrest drug addicts and small time drug dealers. They will be sent to rehab. We will not make any arrests for marijuana, which is legal in Florida. We will not make any non-violent misdemeanor arrests. If warranted, offenders will simply be summoned to court, without being taken into custody. We will reduce or eliminate unnecessary new equipment purchases. We will sell off some of the unusable equipment; for instance, stingrays, surveillance equipment which contravenes the Fourth Amendment, and lethal “non-lethal” weapons such as tasers, tear gas, etc. We will end the systemic graft and misappropriation of funds, as exposed in the Adam Bailey case. We will honor all requests for records under Florida Sunshine laws, including those from Save Vero Beach. We will withdraw the unwarranted legal defense in this case, which is costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. The $28 million in savings can be redirected toward education or other important investments in the community.
Fifth, I am the only candidate who openly opposes the law-enforcement assisted drug cartel, which is committing crimes against our community. I am the only candidate who has prosecuted police misconduct in courts of law, and who has secured an admission by the State of Florida that our Sheriff is trafficking narcotics (2016). I am the only candidate who is committed to shut it down and bring the perpetrators to justice. When our community is flooded with narcotics, it affects parents who are at risk of becoming addicted. Drug addiction interferes with their child-rearing duties. The drug pushers also target school children, in high school and even elementary school. This criminal activity stops with me.
Finally, we must protect students’ health. We will reduce EMF exposure by working with school administrators to replace harmful Wi-Fi with safe wired Ethernet. We will work with FPL to remove all harmful wireless Smart Grid equipment. We will work with the telecommunications companies to prevent 5G installations and remove some of the most harmful 4G equipment.
We will not enforce mask or vaccine mandates, which are unconstitutional. Students and adults have a right to breathe. Masks reduce oxygen levels below OSHA standards. Students learn better when they can breathe clean air. The Supreme Court has found that vaccines are “unavoidable unsafe”. Bruesewitz v. Wyeth LLC, 562 U.S. 223 (2011). The US government has paid out over $4 billion in compensation for vaccine injuries through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. We will not subject our students, nor anyone else, to this harm.
Deborah Cooney for Sheriff of Indian River County, Florida 