David Khalil started the class period with a hodgepodge of tiles and ended it with a mosaic wall-hanging that spelled out "Love." Third-graders at Sheehy Elementary surrounded the artist as he trimmed tiles and took turns spreading adhesive on the backs and mounting them on a wooden backing. They had to be careful, 9-year-old Jaquez Cantave said, and not put too much or too little adhesive on the tile. "Then you got to find a place," Jaquez said. "If it can't fit, he cuts them." Khalil, a Carrollwood-based mosaic artist, visited Sheehy as a guest teacher today, part of a program to get disabled students involved in the arts. The Sheehy students had learning, behavioral or emotional disabilities; other schools involved students who had physical disabilities. ...more

April 1, 2009

Sarasota Schools Superintendent Lori White is recommending that the School Board fire Diana O'Neill, who was accused of abusing her profoundly disabled students at Venice Elementary. ...more

February 20, 2009

Diana O'Neill was acquitted last week of abusing four developmentally disabled students, but there is one question that remains: Will she teach again? ...more

February 18, 2009

A well-spoken and assertive Diana O'Neill spent nearly four hours arguing her innocence Friday before a jury found her not guilty of four child abuse charges. ...more

February 14, 2009

After three days of testimony from co-workers, parents of students in her class and experts, former Venice Elementary School teacher Diana O'Neill took the witness stand today in her own defense. ...more

February 13, 2009

No one involved with the court case against Diana O'Neill disagrees that the teacher hit her severely developmentally disabled students in the head with water bottles, boards and binders. ...more

February 13, 2009

The children in Diana O'Neill's special education class started their mornings like many other students. ...more

February 11, 2009

and throughout the nation - will participate in a unique mentoring effort. ...more

October 21, 2008

VENICE - Police arrested a Venice High School teacher's aide on Thursday after another school employee reported he slammed a 17-year-old autistic student's head into the wall. ...more

September 12, 2008

Charter schools are paid for with public tax money but operated by private individuals, organizations or other public entities. They're free from government regulations other than those involving testing, health and safety. ...more

August 1, 2008