Stephanie Ragusa is back in the news.

Since we last saw her, Ragusa had been out on bail after being arrested for allegedly having sex with two students in early 2007. The students were 14 and 15. She was initially released March 18, 2008 after posting bail, but was re-arrested April 15 when investigators found out about the second student.

She gets out on bail again. And what does she do? She goes right back to the home of one of her pet students and has sex with him again!

Life’s One Big Party

Officers discovered Ragusa and the now-16-year-old boy at his house about 12:20 p.m. Monday, the arrest affidavit states. Ragusa had gone to the teen’s house to discuss the criminal case but wound up in bed with him, police said. Detectives nabbed the woman as she was leaving and getting into her boyfriend’s truck. Ragusa remained behind bars Tuesday, charged with two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Nick Hogan

Sitting in jail, Ragusa wrote a letter to the son of wrestler Hulk Hogan, Nick Bollea (also in jail), which was intercepted by Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies. Bollea, who was later given a copy of the letter, is currently serving an eight-month sentence on a charge of reckless driving with serious bodily injury.

Celebrity Kids - Ragusa’s Movin’ On Up

The letter states:

“I just want you to know that you are not alone, and for what it’s worth, I can sympathize with the dynamics of your case.”

“It’s not us, Nick, but something ‘off’ with society that our situations garner more attention and print than the president, the election or even an earthquake killing thousands. Keep your head up, and never lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel. You have more people supporting and pulling for you than you will ever know. You remain in my prayers.”

Nick Bollea is 17 years old. He sits at the Pinellas County Jail in Largo, Florida, after the August 26, 2007 crash in Clearwater, caused by reckless driving, where his friend John Graziano, a former U.S. Marine, was left permanently brain-damaged.

Trainin’, Sayin Prayers, Eatin Vitamins
(Photograph Supplied by PacificCoastNews.com)

Source: Sun Times
Location: Morningside Elementary School, Port St. Lucie, Florida (where else?)

Kindergarten teacher Wendy Portillo has been reassigned after she allowed her students to oust a fellow 5-year-old from the classroom because of his disciplinary problems. Last week, Portillo held a vote in her classroom in which the students “voted out” 5-year-old Alex Barton, who is in the process of being tested for Asperger’s Disorder, a type of high-functioning autism.

After each classmate was allowed to say what they didn’t like about Alex the teacher said they were going to take a vote, Barton said. They said he was “disgusting” and “annoying,” Barton said. By a 14 to 2 margin, the students voted him out of the class.

Barton, who said she is considering legal action, said Alex began the testing process in February for an official diagnosis under the suggestion of Morningside Principal Marsha Cully. Alex has had disciplinary issues because of his disabilities, Barton said. The school and district has met with Barton and her son to create an individual education plan, she said. A veteran of 12 years of teaching, including nine at Morningside, Portillo has attended these meetings, she said.

Barton said after the vote, Alex’s teacher asked him how he felt. “He said, ‘I feel sad,’” she said. Alex left the classroom and spent the rest of the day in the nurse’s office, she said. Alex hasn’t been back to school since then, and Barton said he won’t be returning. He starts screaming when she brings him with her to drop off his sibling at school.

Poor Alex just got a lesson in American democracy. Somebody on the Sun Times web site named “jedijahendo” wrote this eye-opener:

On the side of the child, this is a horrible lesson in the lack of trust and compassion in the world, especially in our public school systems. “Cast out” by a majority vote because you’re different, and being too young to understand what happened or why will leave him cold, and unwilling to trust people around him for a very long time.

On the side of the teacher, this is a lesson in democracy and government to the children. He was being disruptive to their studies at a very critical age, where they learn the importance of school, and how to behave in such a setting. This is a learning experience for all involved.

Indeed! For this commenter just hit upon the true function of government schooling - to prep good little conforming citizens. Majority vote, mob rule. Might as well start the lesson early!

By the way, Wendy Portillo’s email is portillow@stlucie.k12.fl.us.

Another “Only In Florida” story, courtesy of Local 6 News:

A Pasco County substitute teacher named Jim Piculas has lost his job after being accused of wizardry. Piculas recently did a 30 second magic trick in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School where a toothpick disappears and then reappears. He then got a call from the supervisor of teachers, saying he’d been accused of wizardry.

Rushe Middle School is located in Land O Lakes, which lies north of Tampa. I suppose they have Lakes there, where, presumably, witches are drowned. Because that’s the only way to kill a witch (or wizard). Folks around Pasco county don’t take to kindly to pagan black magic and supernatural goings on. Hell, I heard Jim Piculas even made a penny come out a poor boy’s ear. Sorcery!

Rumor has it Snape was not impressed.

Florida lawmakers debate offering a Christian license plate

Florida drivers can order more than 100 specialty license plates celebrating everything from manatees to the Miami Heat, but one now under consideration would be the first in the nation to explicitly promote a specific religion. The Florida Legislature is considering a specialty plate with a design that includes a Christian cross, a stained-glass window and the words “I Believe.”

The problem with the state manufacturing the plate is that it “sends a message that Florida is essentially a Christian state” and, second, gives the “appearance that the state is endorsing a particular religious preference,” said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.

This isn’t the first time a Florida license plate design has created religious controversy. In 1999, lawmakers approved a bright yellow “Choose Life” license plate with a picture of a boy and girl. It raises money for agencies that encourage women to not have abortions. That generated a court battle, with abortion rights groups saying the plate had religious overtones. But it was ruled legal, and about a dozen states now have similar plates.

Simon, of the ACLU, said approval of the plate could prompt many other groups to seek their own designs, and they could claim discrimination if their plans were rejected. That could even allow the Ku Klux Klan to get a plate, Simon said.

Rep. Edward Bullard, the plate’s sponsor, isn’t sure all groups should be able to express their preference. If atheists came up with an “I Don’t Believe” plate, for example, he would probably oppose it.

OddCulture approves use of the license plate if the state of Florida can guarantee availability of a license plate featuring the Flying Spaghetti Monster. The only true religion is that which exists under his noodly appendage!

So the kid did.

Quonterious vs Jameeka: Faceoff! Doesn’t quite have the same ring as a “Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever”, but whatever:

A sixth-grader at Meadowbrook Middle School in Orlando, Florida said he had to go. Teach says no:

“She said, ‘You have two choices: You can pee in this,’ which was the lunchbox, ‘or you can pee in your pants,’ so he decided to go to the back of the portable and peed in the lunchbox,’ a student said.

The incident allegedly happened on Thursday, and the teacher has been attending a conference in New Orleans since then. Officials with Orange County Public Schools said the teacher was suspended with pay while an investigation is conducted, but she has not been charged with anything.

Jameeka Chambers, the teacher, is a first year sixth grade teacher who teaches language classes. She has been put on paid leave until the investigation is completed.

“If I had waited any longer, I would have peed on myself and that would have been even more embarrassing,” said Quonterious Thomas, adding that his entire class of 19 students and his teacher watched.

I remember when that happened to me in grade school - I had to go real bad, teach said no, and I went to the bathroom anyway. I got yelled at, but hey - when nature calls, you answer.