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Billy Townsend

Writer and historian

Billy Townsend is a writer and independent Florida historian who served as an elected Polk County (FL) School Board member from 2016-2020. He was an award-winning reporter for the Lakeland Ledger and Tampa Tribune until 2008. Billy is long-time critic of the Florida Model of test-based education and champion of more humane and developmental alternatives. You can find his articles on his free Stubstack publication: “Public Enemy Number 1”

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State Takeovers Don’t Work. How About Radically Increasing Support for Communities and Kids Instead?

The evidence that state takeovers don’t work keeps mounting.

Charter Schools aren’t Public Schools. Here’s Why We Need to Change That.

Charter schools have had it both ways when it comes to the public/private divide.

I Never Thought I’d Become a Public School Activist. Then Extremists Took Over the School Board.

I Never Thought I’d Become a Public School Activist. Then Extremists Took Over the School Board.

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