Monthly Archives: June 2024

Fanatics Sportsbook Connecticut Promo Code: Bet And Get Up To $1K In Bonus Bets For June 21st, 2024 – Bookies.com

Posted: June 22, 2024 at 11:22 am

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$1,000 First Bet on Caesars

Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.

24 PLAYERS REDEEMED TODAY!

First Bet Safety Net Up To $1,000

Must be 21+ to participate. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, KY, LA, NJ, VA). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ). Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bets wager excluded from returns. New Customer only. T&Cs Apply.

$200 Bet Match For 5 Straight Days

Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-522-4700, CT (888) 789-7777, IA 1-800-BETS-OFF, MA (800)-327-5050, VA 1-888-532-3500

First Bet Reset Up To $250 in Bonus Bets

Must be a new verified Betway customer & present in AZ/NJ/PA. 21+. Opt-in may be req'd. Make your first min. deposit of $10+, place a wager up to $250 (with odds of 300 (1.33) or greater (i.e. -300, -150, +150, etc.)) and receive up to $250 as bonus bet funds if the wager loses. Wager must be settled within 7 days from new account opening Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ).

Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Loses Promo Code: BOOKIES

Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, DC, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

10% Cash Back On Every Bet Your First Week Up To $300

Must be 21+ to participate. Terms and conditions apply.

Bet $5, Get $150 In Bonus Bets Instantly + No Sweat NBA SGP Every Day Of The Playoffs

Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins

Must be 21+ to participate. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit http://www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit http://www.1800gambler.net (WV). GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).

Get $100 when you bet $20

Gambling Problem? For help Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 21+. PA & NJ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Visit BorgataOnline.com for T&Cs. New Customers Only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit/bonus bets unless otherwise provided in the applicable terms. Rewards subject to expiry.

Get Up To $100 Back On Your First Bet

Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC. Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, IN, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. In AZ call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH, TN, VA)

2nd Chance Bet Up To $250

Must be 21 to participate. T&C apply.

New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement

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Every online gambler deserves a safe and fair place to play. Our mission at Bookies.com is to create a safe online environment for players through free, impartial and independent reviews of the US's best online gambling companies so that you can play with confidence and security. All ratings and reviews are made independently of the operator by our team of gaming experts and with every company being fully US licensed they can be trusted to offer fair play. We accept compensation from the companies advertised on this page and this may affect the brand positioning. We endeavour to continuously update this list so we can bring you the most current sites and the best available offers but we cannot review every site in the market.

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Fanatics Sportsbook Connecticut Promo Code: Bet And Get Up To $1K In Bonus Bets For June 21st, 2024 - Bookies.com

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ESPN BET Promo Code 2024 – Up to $1,500 Bonus – Covers

Posted: at 11:22 am

Follow along with the latest ESPN BET updates and relevant news:

June 10, 2024:PENN and ESPN BET investors vote on sports betting and iGaming strategy amidst concerns about the operator's online betting strategy.

June 7, 2024: The Massachusetts Gaming Commission is investigating ESPN BET for ESPN's host Rece Davis' "risk-free investment" sports betting suggestion.

May 31, 2024:PENN shareholders question ESPN BET's future in the U.S. online sports betting space as the operator has failed to earn a single-digit national market share despite investing millions in marketing.

May 8, 2024:ESPN BET will host an alternative telecast of the PGA Championship after announcing a partnership earlier this week.

May 7, 2024: The PGA of America and PENN Entertainment partner, making ESPN BET the official sports betting sponsor of the PGA Championship through 2026.

May 2, 2024: PENN Entertainment announces $114.7 million loss in the first quarter of 2024, citing weather impacts on major events earlier in the year.

May 1. 2024: ESPN BET unveils its latest welcome bonus, offering new bettors a '$1,000 Bet Reset' promo until June 1.

April 24, 2024: ESPN BET opens the doors to its first brick-and-mortar sportsbook at the Hollywood Casino at Greektown in Detroit.

March 27, 2024: PENN Entertainment launches the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) with six other major sportsbooks.

March 11, 2024:ESPN BET officially goes live in North Carolina alongside the launch of legal online sports betting, offering new NC bettors a welcome bonus of $200 in bonus bets.

March 1, 2024:ESPN BET unveils its pre-launch offer in North Carolina $225 in bonus bets.

Feb. 27, 2024: North Carolina will start online sports betting sign-ups on Friday, and Covers' own Geoff Zochodne outlines what to expect from ESPN BET and other expected sportsbook operators.

Feb. 19, 2024: PENN Entertainment announces that they will begin rebranding its retail sportsbooks to 'ESPN BET' beginning in April.

Feb. 13, 2024: PENN Entertainment announces it is purchasing a mobile sports wagering license in New York from the interactive arm of Wynn Resorts. Ltd. Pending approval from the New York State Gaming Commission, ESPN BET could potentially launch this year.

Feb. 8, 2024: Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger announces that they will offer ESPN as a standalone streaming option in the fall of 2025 and will include ESPN BET 'integrations'.

Jan. 1, 2024: New sportsbook users gain access to a brand new ESPN BET promo. $1,000 was previously up for grabs when making a $1,000 deposit, but the operator shifts to a smaller, more beginner-friendly $100 in bonus bets to kickoff 2024.

Dec. 5, 2023: PENN Entertainment partners with Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina, opening the door to apply for a sports betting license in the state. Every applicant must partner with a sports team, PGA course, or arena.

Dec. 4, 2023: DraftKings CEO Jason Robins states that the launch of ESPN BET has been a positive force for sports betting as a whole.

Nov. 29, 2023: ESPN BET becomes the official sports betting partner of the NHL after PENN Entertainment reaches a partnership agreement.

Nov. 27, 2023: ESPN BET smashes mobile sportsbook download records, earning 1.2 million downloads since launching on Nov. 14, 2023.

Nov. 21, 2023: The Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council announces formal approval of ESPN BET's rebrand after launching last week.

Nov. 17, 2023: ESPN BET refunds users who bet on Joe Burrow in a promoted boost after the quarterback suffers a wrist injury.

Nov. 15, 2023:The ESPN Bet mobile app jumps to No. 1 'Top Free Apps' on the iOS Store following the sportsbook's launch.

Nov. 14, 2024:ESPN launches its online sportsbook ESPN BET in 17 U.S. states.

Nov. 10, 2023: The ESPN sports betting "integrated media strategy" will lean heavily on the lessons learned launching theScore Bet in Ontario.

Nov. 7, 2023: ESPN BET receives approval to launch in Massachusetts next week, but regulators still have questions about how media personalities will discuss wagering.

Nov. 2, 2023:It is announced that ESPN BET will launch on Nov. 14, 2023, in 17 states.

Oct. 26, 2023: ESPN will preview the ESPN BET launch at its Edge Conference in New York on Nov. 9, 2023.

Oct. 18, 2023: ESPN BET reveals its new logo in anticipation of a November launch.

Aug. 22, 2023: ESPN BET receives a temporary online sports betting license for Kentucky.

Aug. 8, 2023:ESPNannounces they will be launching an online sportsbook called 'ESPN BET.'

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ESPN BET Promo Code 2024 - Up to $1,500 Bonus - Covers

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MLB Sportsbook Promos: Claim Up to $5800 in Bonus Bets This Week – Crossing Broad

Posted: at 11:22 am

The stage is set for another big night of baseball. Fans in legal betting stats can lock in the latest and greatest MLB sportsbook promos to secure over $5,800 in bonus bets this week. Check out these exclusive sign-up offers from DraftKings, ESPN BET, Fanatics, BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, and FanDuel before tackling tonights MLB action.

Tuesday features a full slate of MLB games with all 30 teams. Each sportsbook has competitive odds on every game and limited-time promos on its mobile apps. Sign up to claim the welcome offer and dive into more money-making opportunities tonight.

Baseball fans have exceptional matchups on deck. After a big 9-2 win on Monday, the Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park for another showdown versus the Padres. In Cleveland, the Guardians will host the Mariners in a battle between division leaders. After that, the Yankees welcome the Orioles to the Bronx for a huge series between the top two teams in the American League. Only 1.5 games separate the first-place Yankees from Baltimore.

Later this evening, the Mets go for their seventh straight win in a rematch with the Rangers. New York is only one game out of the playoffs despite a 34-37 record. Finally, the Giants and Cubs square off at Wrigley Field after San Franciscos late-game comeback led to a 7-6 win on Monday night.

Start betting on MLB here with DraftKings Sportsbook. DK lets new customers wager as little as $5 on any MLB game to claim a $150 payout in bonus bets, no questions asked. The $150 bonus happens moments after the qualifying bet, giving users a solid bankroll to bet on tonights games.

DraftKings also has in-app offers for its customers, including a 20% YRFI/NRFI boost, a 33% home run boost, and 50% Same Game Parlay boosts for Orioles-Yankees and Giants-Cubs.

Join ESPN BET with the promo code BROADherefor a $1,000 First Bet Reset. Spend up to $1,000 on your first MLB bet and get it back in bonus bets after a loss. Meanwhile, bettors from PA, NJ, MI, and WV can apply the code CBCASINOherefor ESPN BETs $1K offer and two Hollywood Casino promos: 24-hour insurance and 50 free bonus spins.

ESPN BET has several odds boosts for tonights MLB. In addition, its One Dinger, Everyone Wins promo gives players who placed an eligible $20+ Parlay+ bet on Orioles-Yankees a $10 bonus after any home run from the game.

MLB fans can register for Fanatics Sportsbook hereto unlock a brand new offer. The site has a 10x$100 deal that gives players up to $1,000 in bonus bet matches. Wager up to $100 for ten consecutive days to max out the offer, plus sign upherefor an extra 250 free spins for Cash Eruption at Fanatics Casino (PA, NJ, MI, WV only).

Fanatics has a daily Power Hour with profit boosts for MLB action, as well as a Last Leg Letdown that pays $100 in FanCash after an eligible parlay loses by one leg.

Capitalize on a First Bet Offer from The King of Sportsbooks with the BetMGM bonus code BROAD1500here. New players can risk up to $1,500 on any MLB market, and BetMGM will refund a loss with bonus bets through one of the top PA sports betting options. A victory cancels the offer and returns every dollar of expected cash profit.

BetMGM offers a 33% odds boost for MLB tonight, plus a free Swing for the Fences game worth up to $50 in bonus bets.

Next, bet365 has two MLB sportsbook promos for prospective players. Use the code BROADXLMherebefore selecting one of two offers: a Bet $5, Get $150 deal that awards $150 in bonus bets after a $5 wager or a $1,000 First Bet Safety Net that covers a loss worth up to a grand with bonus bets.

The bet365 app contains more offers for new and existing bettors. Place $50+ in cumulative MLB wagers and get $25 in bonus bets no matter what, then win any MLB moneyline after a 5+ run lead with the Early Payout Offer.

First-time Caesars customers can enter the promo code BROAD1000herefor a $1,000 bet on the house. Caesars Sportsbook refunds a losing stake worth up to $1K in a one-time bonus bet. This gives bettors a well-deserved second chance to make money this week on MLB or another sport.

Caesars has a variety of odds boosts plus two in-app boost tokens. The first applies a 100% boost to any eligible MLB Same Game Parlay, while the second triggers two (2) 25% boosts on the Player to Hit a Home Run market.

Check out the Bet $5, Get $200 offer from FanDuel Sportsbookhere. Place as little as $5 on tonights MLB, and FanDuel will deliver $200 in bonus bets (plus all cash winnings) if your wager wins. Players from Ohio (here) and Massachusetts (here) receive a $300 bonus after a qualifying win.

Its another Dinger Tuesday on FanDuel. Bet $25+ on any batter to go yard, and FanDuel will pay a $5 bonus after every homer in that game (max. $25). Bettors can also apply a Boost Builder token to any MLB parlay that increases potential payouts up to 105%.

21+ and present in participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.

Fanatics Terms & Conditions: Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ, CO, IL, KY, MD, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV); (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelpline.org (MA), mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1800gambler.net (WV).

Bet365 Terms & Conditions: New Customers only. Bet $5 and get $150 in Bonus Bets. Sign up, deposit (minimum $10) to your account and place a qualifying bet of $5 to get $150 in Bonus Bets once your bet is settled with bet365. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. Bonus Bet wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. The bonus code BROADXLM can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way.

Caesars Terms & Conditions: Must be 21 or older and physically present in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY. New users only. Must register using eligible promo code. First bet after registration must qualify. Max. Bonus Bet: $1,000. Bonus Bet expires 14 days after receipt. Void where prohibited. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Know When To Stop Before You Start. Gambling Problem? CO, IL, KY, MD, MI, NJ, OH, TN, VA, WV, WY, KS (Affiliated with Kansas Crossing Casino), LA (Licensed through Horseshoe Bossier City and Harrahs New Orleans), ME (Licensed through the Mikmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, federally recognized tribes located in the State of Maine), NC (Licensed through Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise), PA (Affiliated with Harrahs Philadelphia): If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or MD: visit mdgamblinghelp.org or WV: visit 1800gambler.net; AZ: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; IN: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT; IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF. 2024, Caesars Entertainment Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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MLB Sportsbook Promos: Claim Up to $5800 in Bonus Bets This Week - Crossing Broad

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Fanatics Sportsbook Massachusetts Promo Code: Bet And Get Up To $1K In Bonuses For June 19th, 2024 – Bookies.com

Posted: at 11:22 am

On March 2023 Fanatics Massachusetts Sportsbook launched in time for March Madness, and by the looks of it, this mobile app has become one of the top Massachusetts sports betting apps in the state.

You can now use the Fanatics Massachusetts offers new players a Bet $200, Get $200 For 5 Days, to bet on moneylines, spread bets, over/under, player props, and live in-game betting for NFL and any other sports you want to bet on.

Thus, we are going to tell you everything that we know about the Fanatics Sportsbook Massachusetts launch.

Earlier this year, Fanatics Massachusetts Sportsbook Launched its mobile sports betting app. Since it's a new player in the industry, the delay in the approval process wasn't unexpected.

According to Bookies.coms Bill Speros, who had been covering the Massachusetts sports betting launch, there were several reasons why the Fanatics Sportsbook Massachusetts launch hit a snag back in January.

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First, MGC commissioners were concerned about the lack of a responsible gaming plan from Fanatics Massachusetts.

According to the company, it has 2 million names in its Massachusetts database, but the concern is that it hadn't adequately shown how it would separate those who are under 21 years old from those who are 21 years old (sports betting in Massachusetts will only be legal for those 21 and over).

When that was cleared Fanatics Massachusetts Sportsbook went live and became a big player in the state of Massachusetts.

It is easy to sign up for the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code. Just follow these simple steps:

If what you want is to refer a friend, you can find your fanatics refer-a-friend link by accessing your account and proceeding to the Refer a Friend

$200 Bet Match For 5 Straight Days

Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-522-4700, CT (888) 789-7777, IA 1-800-BETS-OFF, MA (800)-327-5050, VA 1-888-532-3500

There are betting odds available daily from the top sportsbooks for all of your favorite sports including the MLB, NHL, UFC, NBA, NFL, soccer, tennis, and much more. Here are my favorite best bets for tonight's games:

For Fridays best bets, we are going to the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, where we like the Edmonton Oilers -120 to win Game 6. The Oilers were down 0-3 but have stormed back to make this a series, and we like them to tie it up at 3-3 at home in Game 6. The odds are only -120, so take a shot on Edmonton to force a Game 7 with a big win as a short favorite. We also like the Atlanta Braves -120 in the MLB. The Braves are one of the best baseball teams and have turned it on as of late. With Chris Sale starting the game, go for them to get the win.

$200 Bet Match For 5 Straight Days

Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-522-4700, CT (888) 789-7777, IA 1-800-BETS-OFF, MA (800)-327-5050, VA 1-888-532-3500

Fanatics Massachusetts went live earlier this year, but before we need to talk about the history of the company before it even became a sportsbook.

Back in 1995, Alan and Mitchell Trager of Jacksonville founded Fanatics Inc. as a sports retail company, which later expanded into the online world. Then, in 2011, Michael Rubin and GSI Commerce bought Fanatics Inc. for $171 million in cash and $106 million in GSI Commerce common stock.

A year after that, Rubin bought Fanatics Inc. from eBay for $2.4 billion. Rubin decided to bring back the online Fanatics Inc. store, and since then, it has become by far the biggest sports merchandising company in North America. If you buy a sports jersey, its likely made by Fanatics Inc. However, Rubins vision doesnt stop at just a clothing company.

Rubin has been a staple of the sports industry for years. He used to be an exclusive for both the NBAs Philadelphia 76ers and the NHLs New Jersey Devils, so his name is fully entrenched in the North American sports scene.

However, he sold his stakes in those entities when he decided that he would be launching Fanatics Sportsbook so there was no conflict of interest. In addition to Rubin being part of the Fanatics team, he also hired former FanDuel CEO Matt King to help with the launch, which should give Fanatics a foot up on its competition.

In 2021, Rubin first announced his intentions to launch Fanatics Sportsbook, and he even brought in hip-hop recording star Jay-Z as the Fanatics vice chairman, which is a big deal.

Fanatics Sportsbook then applied for a license in New York but did not get it when sports betting in that state launched. Sometime after that, in May 2022, the Fanatics Sportsbook trademark was filed, showing that the sportsbook was on the way.

The company was approved and launched in both Ohio and in Maryland. Shortly after, Fanatics was approved in Massachusetts.

In Ohio, Fanatics Ohio has partnered with the NHLs Columbus Blue Jackets, while in Maryland, Fanatics Maryland has partnered with the NFLs Washington Commanders and its home stadium, FedEx Field, where it has plans for both a retail and online platform.

Once live, Fanatics Sportsbook became a contender of sports betting apps in Massachusetts.

$200 Bet Match For 5 Straight Days

Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-522-4700, CT (888) 789-7777, IA 1-800-BETS-OFF, MA (800)-327-5050, VA 1-888-532-3500

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Fanatics Sportsbook Massachusetts Promo Code: Bet And Get Up To $1K In Bonuses For June 19th, 2024 - Bookies.com

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Sportsbook Bonuses And Promos For Netherlands vs. France – Winners and Whiners

Posted: at 11:22 am

The premier soccer event of the summer continues in Germany on Friday as the European Soccer Tournament rolls on. Group D will be in action as the Netherlands will battle France at Leipzig Stadium in Leipzig, Germany. The Netherlands picked up an opening-round 2-1 win over Poland while France opened up with a 1-0 win over Austria. The two countries have combined to win three European Tournament titles. Take advantage of sportsbook bonuses totaling $3,700 to be a part of this exciting matchup on Friday!

First Bet Offer Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets

Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Addl terms. +21 | Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. | US promotional offers not available in Nevada, New York or Ontario. | Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Sports betting offers are not available this state.

Game time is set for 3:00 PM EST on Friday. Soccer fans, dont miss out on the opportunities to get in on the action with some fantastic soccer bettingodds and promos.

*Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Additional terms apply.

The current betting odds are:

*Odds are subject to change right up until game time.

These sportsbook promos offer a full list of option for all types of bettors including moneyline bets, spreads, goal totals, player props, and even live betting.

For those that prefer to make larger bets, BetMGM and Caesars provides the insurance to cover those wagers. For those that prefer to place smaller bets, FanDuel has bonus bet offers just to sign up as a first-time user. Finally, Bet365 offers up multiple options for first-time users to cover big bets or bonuses for small bets. First-time users simply need to find the sportsbook that fits their needs the best. This is a perfect time and perfect match to utilize one or more of these promos to take advantage of over $3700 worth of promo money!

If you are looking for help using betting promos forexpert pickson every major sport, check outWinners andWhinerseach day.

First Bet Offer Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets

Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Addl terms. +21 | Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. | US promotional offers not available in Nevada, New York or Ontario. | Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Sports betting offers are not available this state.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visitwww.mdgamblinghelp.org(MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visitwww.1800gambler.net(WV).

Mark has been a sports fanatic since childhood. He is also an avid follower of sports analytics and has used it in his own betting analysis for over two decades. Now we have Mark on our team! He holds degrees in marketing, broadcasting, and English and uses this vast array of assets to dissect and analyze game matchups. Mark will provide you with a wide variety of statistics to consider and a strong opinion in each matchup that he covers. Please follow him daily for an up-to-the-minute analysis of all the important games.

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Sportsbook Bonuses And Promos For Netherlands vs. France - Winners and Whiners

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Florida Republicans terrorized a teacher for her Black Lives Matter flag but now she’s prevailed – Salon

Posted: June 20, 2024 at 3:58 am

"Jesus himself never condemned slavery,"one Florida mansaid to defend the honor of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee during a March 2021 school board meeting in Jacksonville. "In fact, he said, slaves have an obligation to obey their master," the outraged white maninsisted.

A crowd had pounced to keep the students of Robert E. Lee High School, 70% of whom are Black, from changing the name to something less Confederacy-honoring.

"I was taught that the chiefs of the tribes in Africa sold their people into slavery," an angry white woman said as the white people behind her nodded vigorously. "So don't blame Robert E. Lee. Maybe you should be after your ancestors."

Alarmed by what she was hearing,Amy Donofrio decided to do something.She was a teacher at the school, located in Duval County, which has since been renamed Riverside High School. She knew how sentiments like the ones shared at the school board meeting made her students feel. "Students made it clear that they were dealing with a lot," Donofrio told Salon. "They were walking into our schools facing racism, frankly, from every corner."

Years before, Donofrio had helped her students start a group called EVACMovement. Once invited to speak at the White House with then-President Barack Obama, by 2021, students in the group were eager to strip their school of a name honoring a Confederate general who personally held over 200 people in slavery.

Jacksonville, Florida protest against changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School (Photo courtesy of Amy Donofrio)So Donofrio took photos and videos from the school board meeting, including another one of a man asking, "If this high school is having problems, how long has it been predominantly African-American?" And she expressed concerns to the administration that such comments hurt her students. She would soon be removed from her classroom, publicly targeted by the Republican state government under Gov. Ron DeSantis, eventually fired, and threatened with having her teaching license stripped entirely.

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But while Donofrio's life has been chaos in the years since the DeSantis administration made her a target in their "war on woke," she eventually prevailed. A Florida administrative judge just ruled in Donofrio's favor regarding the dispute that created the pretext to harass her: A Black Lives Matter flag she hung in her classroom.

Donofrio had been hanging the flag for some time before the school board meeting. "Especially as a white woman," she told Salon, it was important to let students "know that they're cared about." The flag, she said, was a simple way to make them "feel safe" so they could "get an education." Administrators had been complaining to her about it but had no policy to point to in order to justify taking it down. But after the school board meeting, the pressure on Donofrio intensified. Pointing to a new policy barring teachers from trying "to influence students to support or oppose any candidate, party or issue," the administration ordered the flag removed. When she refused, they took it down for her and pulled her out of the classroom, while they investigated whether she had violated school rules.

The situation quickly escalated. A petition in support of Donofrio circulated by students quickly amassed thousands of signatures and the Southern Poverty Law Center sued the district on her behalf. But the DeSantis administration was determined to make Donofrio the face of "woke" teachers their administration was stirring up fear and hatred towards. In May of 2021,Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran singled out Donofrio during a speech at Hillsdale College, which, as Kathryn Joyce has reported for Salon, is the epicenter of the Christian right's assault on public education.Complaining about "an entire classroom memorialized to Black Lives Matter," Corcoran falsely declared, "We made sure she was terminated." In truth, Donofrio still had her job, but was "assigned to paid, non-teaching duties," according to the school district's official statement. Before the summer was over, however the school board filled Corcoran's wish, firing Donofrio and settling her lawsuit out of court. But that was not the end of her woes. Within days of her firing, the state opened another investigation, this time into whether Donofrio's teacher's license should be revoked entirely.

Donofrio feels she was targeted in order to create "an environment of fear" for teachers across Florida. DeSantis was soon promoting a series of policies, such as the "don't say gay" lawand the "stop woke" act aimedat prohibiting discussions of racism and sexual diversity that Republicans claimed was inappropriate for public school students. Critics of these bills pointed out that the language about what is and isn't allowed was vague, which Donofrio argues was on purpose. "If somebody high up doesn't like you or disagrees with, you watch out," she said. "The repercussions can stretch into a lot of different parts of your life."

DeSantis, for his part, denied that the bills were meant to lead to widespread book banning, harassment of LGBTQ teachers or students, or the end of teaching about segregation or slavery in history classes. But that is exactly what happened in much of the state. Educational programs about the civil rights movement were canceled. Teachers were forced to lock up their entire classroom library. Books about slavery, the Holocaust, and even 9/11 were banned. Even the dictionary was banned in one school district. The bans and harassment spread to other states. A 2022 analysis from the Washington Post found that Donofrio was not alone: Over 160 teachers were driven out of their jobs by Republican-led attacks on public education.

All of these machinations helped DeSantis raise his national profile as a right-wing culture warrior but did not help him win the Republican presidential nomination. Despite spending $160 million to defeat Donald Trump, the Florida governor only got 21% of the Iowa caucus votes, and quit the race shortly thereafter. His "war on woke" turned out to be so impractical that he ended up signing another bill in Aprillimiting non-parents to one challenge per month.

Donofrio, meanwhile, was still fighting to keep her teaching license. Finally, she got a hearing before an administration judge in February and a decision in April. The judge ruled for Donofrio on the issue of the Black Lives Matter flag. Donofrio's "intent to affirm and support her students was clear, and she had a successful history of promoting the physical and emotional well-being of her minority students," the judge wrote. Instead, the judge noted "the School environment became hostile after administration removed the flag," because the principal "had to work hard, meeting with students and making extra efforts to assure students that he supported them and that their lives did indeed matter to him." In June, the final hearing was held, and the DeSantis government lost again: Donofrio's teaching license remains intact.

"I feel vindicated, but I also feel sad," Donofrio told Salon. Sad, she explained, because "a lot of teachers have been leaving Florida and quitting schools in Florida because of all of this."

"I think our kids here are worth fighting for," she added, noting that ultimately, teachers alone cannot solve this problem. "We can't just encourage teachers to stand up and stand with our kids without giving them the resources to do it and survive."

Donofrio isn't sure what's next for her. She hasn't gotten her job back at the now-Riverside High School. Still, she said, she's feeling "hopeful" after this legal victory. "I also want teachers to look at the case," she said, "and realize if you stand up for what's right, you can win too. It is possible."

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Jacksonville teacher allowed to keep license after Florida targeted her for flying Black Lives Matter flag – The Tributary

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Amy Donofrio [left] awaits the Education Practices Commissions decision. [Nandhini Srinivasan / The Tributary]

A former Duval County teacher won her fight Thursday to keep her teaching license after the state targeted her for displaying a Black Lives Matter flag in a case that drew national attention.

Amy Donofrio, a former high school teacher, successfully argued the state had no right to go after her for the flag, despite Gov. Ron DeSantis administration targeting her as a public example of its war against what it has said is liberal influence in public schools.

An independent panel unanimously voted to reject any discipline related to the flag and instead accept a written reprimand not the probation and fine sought by the state of Donofrio.

As the district was considering changing the name of Robert E. Lee High School, students brought facemasks to her classroom that said, Robert E. Lee was a gang member. The panel issued the reprimand because of those masks but rejected the states attempt to discipline her for displaying the Black Lives Matter flag.

Donofrio celebrated her success in beating the state, but she and her lawyer said they may still appeal the written reprimand.

Donofrios case marks a failure for the DeSantis administrations efforts to punish teachers it has claimed were violating state standards by allegedly pushing liberal ideology in classrooms. Instead, an administrative judge found Donofrio had not compromised her students with the flag or masks.

The Florida Department of Education did not respond to repeated calls and emails with questions on whether the state would change any policies due to this case.

Donofrio woke up Thursday to notifications that someone had, again, left threats on her Facebook page, the latest in what she said has become standard for her in the three years ever since the state called her out for flying the Black Lives Matter flag.

As she drove that morning to Tampa, where the Education Practices Commission would decide to accept an administrative judges findings that she shouldnt have her license suspended, she recalled what brought her to Jacksonville in the first place.

I always wanted to be a teacher, nothing else, she told a reporter as she drove. And I did for 13 years what I loved to do what I felt like I was born to do.

She had taught at what was then called Robert E. Lee High School for nearly a decade. As a teacher, she became an advocate for her students, advising a class she called the EVAC Movement. In that role, she earned local and national plaudits from Republicans and Democrats alike for her work against gang violence and for racial justice.

READ: Court hearings set stage as Florida pursues Jacksonville teachers license over Black Lives Matter flag

That changed after the 2020 protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. In the year after Floyds murder, long after shed already begun displaying a Black Lives Matter flag, the district sent a newly drafted memo forbidding employees from displaying flags that supported social movements. The next school day, the schools principal told her to remove the flag or it will be removed for you.

The next day, the district removed her teaching responsibilities and reassigned her to work in a warehouse.

An administrative judge found the principal had given her the option of removing the flag or allowing someone else to remove it.

The state offered no proof, the judge wrote, that Donofrios display of the Black Lives Matter flag, or her refusal to remove it, failed to protect her students from conditions harmful to learning, or their mental or physical health.

DeSantis education commissioner at the time, Richard Corcoran, bragged publicly about Donofrios removal from the classroom saying he had helped orchestrate the districts discipline as part of the states effort to police teachers.

Ive censored or fired or terminated numerous teachers, Corcoran said before telling the story of having Donofrio removed from her classroom.

Donofrio sued the district and settled later that year when the district didnt renew her teaching contract.

But then the Florida Department of Education came after her teachers license, creating a high-profile showdown between DeSantis new conservative standards for teachers, the same standards he would highlight in his unsuccessful presidential run.

Politicians are trying to run up their poll numbers through these completely warrantless and baseless attacks on teachers, said Mark Richard, Donofrios lawyer.

By allowing a Black Lives Matter flag and facemasks that criticized the legacy of Robert E. Lee, the DOE alleged that Donofrio had not made enough effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning and/or to the students mental and/or physical health and/or safety. The department also said she had failed to take reasonable precautions to distinguish between her personal views and those of the district.

For three years Donofrio fought the state. Even though she no longer taught at the school district, she believed it was wrong for the state to remove her license and her ability to teach again in the future.

Of course, I would love to teach again, she said. Teachers across the state, she said, are afraid of the Florida Department of Education. Theyre afraid of Gov. DeSantis, to be on his bad side.

At a Duval County courthouse last year, Donofrio and the state put on witnesses and presented their arguments for two days before an administrative judge.

While the judge agreed with Donofrio that the Black Lives Matter flag didnt warrant any discipline, the judge wrote that a written reprimand was appropriate for the facemasks because Donofrio did not do enough to distinguish between her views and the districts views on Robert E. Lee.

The state had requested approval to put her teaching license on probation and issue a fine against her.

I felt like a weight that Ive been carrying for three years was at least partially lifted off of me, Donofrio said after the panel in Tampa accepted the judges recommendations. I felt a sense of some freedom, for the first time in a long time.

However, Donofrio said she may appeal the judges decision for a reprimand because she doesnt want the state to have a precedent that OKs any discipline for other teachers similarly caught in DeSantis crosshairs.

Essentially, the reprimand tells Donofrio that moving forward, if she has an opinion that differs from the districts position, she must make that clear to students, said Mark Richard, her lawyer. We think that was a mistake under the law, and well be considering appealing just that part he added.

Still, he said, on a legal front, this ruling once again affirms that a teacher can teach honestly, that a teacher should not be the victim of these political cultural wars.

Donofrio said ever since DeSantis education commissioner publicized her case, she has been the target of harassment and threats. After one threat, she said, she changed the locks to her home.

The past three years have been by far the hardest years of my life, the years where I have questioned things the most in my whole life, she said. Having her ability to teach taken away from her on top of the harassment, she said, shook her identity. Its shaken the way Ive seen the world.

In addition to going after individual teachers like Donofrio, DeSantis has prioritized a series of laws that have restricted what teachers are allowed to talk about in the classroom.

The STOP WOKE Act in 2022 barred teaching critical race theory and teaching that says people are oppressed based on their race. Another law banned teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity for grades eight and below, and it prohibited teaching that wasnt age-appropriate for high schoolers.

According to the American Library Association, nearly 2,700 books were targeted for restriction or removal in Florida schools and public libraries last year.

While Donofrio has retained her license to teach, it is unclear whether she will be able to do so in Duval County Public Schools. The district did not respond to requests for comment.

Due to an editors error, a prior version of the article incorrectly stated that the school demanded Amy Donofrio remove a Black Lives Matter flag without specifying that she was given the option to remove it herself or allow someone else to do so. The article also inaccurately said that the school demanded she remove facemasks.

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Why Juneteenth didn’t actually end slavery in Texas – The Washington Post

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In 1903, a Black man walked into an office in a small town in Texas, seeking any news about whether slavery had ended.

The earnest inquiry from the man, who had been forced to labor without pay, came more than 38 years after Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger landed on Galveston Island, Tex., with more than 2,000 federal soldiers to deliver the belated news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas. Word of the end of bondage for the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state arrived on June 19, 1865 two years after President Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation.

Despite the clear instructions in General Order No. 3 and the announcement that day by Grangers men that the people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free, not every enslaved Black person in Texas was freed with that proclamation.

Enslavers across the state resisted the generals order, hiding the news from enslaved Black people. Many Black people were forced to continue to labor under the oppression of ruthless enslavers and unscrupulous plantation owners.

In 2021, President Biden signed a bill to recognize Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Celebrations across the region and the country Wednesday will honor the day widely remembered for abolishing slavery in Texas.

But the announcement on June 19, 1865, did not end slavery in Texas. The barbaric institution continued in other forms and by other names, according to historians.

There was almost universal agreement from statements of enslaved people that many Texas slaveowners held off making the announcement, said historian C.R. Gibbs. They wanted another crop.

Many Black Texans didnt receive the news until 1866. Slaveowners resorted to tricks. They delayed. They postponed. This was money, said Gibbs, author of Black, Copper & Bright: The District of Columbias Black Civil War Regiment. They wanted to continue to get every last drop of sweat from slavery.

Even after Grangers order, Black people remained in such a delicate situation in Texas, Gibbs said. You have the collapse of the Confederate government. And roving bands of men who wanted to turn the clock back. A Union officer once said, Given a choice between hell and Texas, I would live in hell and rent out Texas. It was just that bad in Texas.

During the Civil War, Texas was a refuge for enslavers evading emancipation. Slaveowners in Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana ran their Negroes from Arkansas, Louisiana and other parts of the states into Texas because the U.S. Army had not reached Texas, said W. Marvin Dulaney, a retired University of Texas-Arlington historian and president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

After Grangers order, the Union Army literally had to march across Texas to enforce the order and free enslaved Black people. In some cases, enslavers killed enslaved Black people rather than allow them their freedom.

Texans were so resentful that African Americans would become free, they literally carried out a pogrom, Dulaney said, citing a speech by Barry A. Crouch, a professor of history at Gallaudet University. They killed as many as 2,500. They were just murdered outright across the state.

Violence increased against African Americans between 1865 and 1868, Dulaney said. In some cases, enslaved Black people in Texas were run down by bloodhounds or shot rather than be released from bondage. It takes almost over a year for the Union Army to literally go across the state and free African Americans from slavery, Dulaney said.

Slavery formally ended in the United States on Dec. 6, 1865, with the ratification of the 13th Amendment, which stated, Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.

That exception clause created a loophole, permitting slavery to continue in another form and allowing officials in the South to perpetuate slavery conditions, including forced prison labor and convict leasing.

Grangers Juneteenth order contained a similar caveat. It declared that all slaves are free but that the relationship between former masters and slaves should become that between employer and hired labor. It continued, The freedmen are advised to remain at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts; and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.

That last line, historians say, set the stage for the continuation of slavery through convict leasing and Black code laws that would restrict the freedom of Black people.

Granger was warning them against idleness, Dulaney said. That order would lead to creation of vagrancy laws and Black codes that would be wielded against Black people, forcing many into forced labor without pay.

The sharecropping system and laws prohibiting Black people from hunting and fishing also prevented Black people from feeding themselves and required them to work for White people.

You had to sign a work contract at the beginning of each year or you could be rented out to a plantation, Dulaney said. In many cases, it was like being sold. The owners would have control over you. It was like being a slave.

Some enslavers resisted the emancipation order by fleeing taking their enslaved people south into Cuba and Brazil, where slavery had not been outlawed. The kidnapping of Black people out of the country struck fear in those who were still in precarious situations in the control of their former enslavers without protection from Union troops.

Frederick Douglasss brother Perry Downs, who was enslaved in Texas, recounted hearing his enslaver say he would run his property out of Texas.

No one knows how many enslaved Black people were driven farther south by enslavers to avoid freeing them. There were unnamed numbers of Black people taken out of the United States to places where there was still slavery, Gibbs said.

Slavery was not abolished in Cuba until 1886. Brazil became the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery in 1888.

To this day, descendants of Confederates who drove enslaved Black people into Brazil celebrate with festivals in the cities of Americana and Santa Brbara dOeste, celebrating the Confederate States of America with Confederate flag displays and dances.

In the United States, as communities prepare for Juneteenth celebrations, historians say, revelers should also pause in somber acknowledgment that the hardship of involuntary labor and racial terror against Black people continued long after Granger stood on the courthouse steps in Galveston reading the famous order for long-awaited freedom.

Juneteenth should be celebrated to recognize the symbolic emancipation of African Americans from slavery in Texas, Dulaney said. Lets celebrate it. But also realize it took much longer and much more than an order from a Union army general to end slavery in this country.

A version of this story was originally published on June 19, 2022.

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Man charged with planning mass shooting in Atlanta to start race war – The Washington Post

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An Arizona man plotted to target Black people in a mass shooting this spring with the goal of inciting a race war before the 2024 election, a federal grand jury charged this week.

Mark Prieto, 58, of Prescott, Ariz., made plans to carry out the attack in Atlanta, hoping to target African Americans and other non-White people, according to the indictment. From January to May, he allegedly discussed the idea with people who he believed to share his racist beliefs but who turned out to be an FBI source and an FBI undercover agent.

Prieto made the plans with them during meetups at gun shows across Arizona, fixating on the racist messages he wanted to send and the desire to fight back against Black, Jewish and Muslim people, according to the criminal complaint.

He wanted it clear that the attack was racially motivated, FBI Special Agent Ryan Harp wrote in the complaint. Prieto allegedly said he planned to leave Confederate flags at the shooting venue and to shout phrases including Black lives dont matter, White lives matter.

The concert he wanted to target was not identified by name in the court documents. Its dates and location align with an appearance by the artist Bad Bunny at Atlantas State Farm Arena. Prieto sought to target a rap concert because he believed Black people would be there, the complaint says.

Prieto was charged with firearms trafficking and related counts after allegedly selling two rifles in February and March to the undercover agent. He was jailed in Arizona and has no attorney listed in that case. An attorney in New Mexico, where Prieto was arrested, did not return a call from The Washington Post on Thursday.

In recent years, factors including extremism online, mistrust of government and the growing influence of Christian nationalism including ideas promoted by some conservative elected officials and candidates have had an influence on U.S. politics. The country has seen racially motivated mass shootings in El Paso; Charleston, S.C.; Buffalo; and elsewhere.

The rise in extremism has deep historical roots in the United States, said Alvin Tillery Jr., director of the Center for the Study of Democracy and Diversity at Northwestern University. After the Civil Rights Act was passed, demonstrations of white supremacy became more reserved and now were in a more open phase again, he said.

The belief in a need to stop the theft of this country by liberal or non-White people has led to cases of political violence, said Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University.

This case is symptomatic of the state of political violence and extremism in the United States today, Lewis said. The idea of committing an act of mass violence with the hopes that it will trigger a cascade of violence is an increasingly common narrative within a lot of these far-right neo-Nazi spaces.

According to the indictment, Prieto said his attack needed to happen before Novembers presidential election. He allegedly spoke about a desire to incite a race war and his belief that the government would impose martial law after the election.

In his conversations with the FBI source and undercover agent, Prieto allegedly strategized about what type of gun to use, what to wear, how to escape, how to broadcast messages during the attack and other logistics. He allegedly sold an AR-15 rifle to the undercover agent and told him to use it in the attack.

In early May, Prieto allegedly said he was going to travel to Atlanta to do reconnaissance work. He decided he may not carry out the attack at the concert and instead talked about attacking a mosque later in the summer, according to the indictment.

On May 14, law enforcement officers stopped Prieto as he drove through New Mexico. He said he was going to visit his mother in Florida and allegedly acknowledged he had discussed carrying out an attack in Atlanta but said he did not intend to do so, according to the complaint.

A trial date had not been set as of Friday.

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Florida teacher’s license could be revoked after she supported Black Lives Matter and the changing of school’s name – kwwl.com

Posted: at 3:58 am

(CNN) Amy Donofrio was a beloved and highly regarded high school teacher in Jacksonville, Florida, where for yearsshesought to empower students and advocate for racial justice.

Outside the room where she taught English to mostly Black students at the former Robert E. Lee High School she had placed a sign that read, Hate Has No Home Here, according to an April order by an administrative law judge who recommended Donofrio receive a written reprimand after state officials accused the teacher of bringing her personal views into the classroom.

Ms. Donofrio was a pillar for us, former student Diamond Wallace, 24, told CNN this week. She acted as a rock for us and she was more like a mom, like a second mom to all of us students.

At the start of the 2020 school year,in the aftermath ofGeorge Floyds murderat the hands ofpolice in Minneapolis, Donofrio,who is White, put up a large Black Lives Matter banner outside her classroom.She had displayeda BLM sign and t-shirt in her classroom as early as 2018, according tofindings inthe administrative judgesrecommendation.

Administratorsasked her to remove it,and expressed concern the display might violate school districtpolicy. Donofrio refused. She said she believed the policy did not apply to the banner.On March 23, 2021, a school administrator removed the banner about five months after she was first asked to bring it down. A day later Donofrio was reassigned to a work at a district warehouse.

School officials had also voiced concerns that Donofriodisplayed face masks in her classroom that read,Robert E. Lee was a gang member which they considered to be an expression of her personal view. At the time the school district was in the process of renaming six schools named for Confederate generals.Donofrio denied the masks which were common during the pandemic were on display. She said the logo I am not a gang member was a phrase students use as part of their advocacy of racial justice, according to the administrative judges findings.

At a Thursday hearing, Floridas Education Practices Commission is expected to decide if Donofrio will be sanctioned fordisplaying the Robert E. Lee masks,as well as wearing one herselfat a community meeting, in support of changing the once-segregated schools name.

The hearing was prompted by administrative law judge Suzanne Van Wyks April recommendation that Donofrio receive a written reprimand forwearing and displaying the Robert E. Lee masks which she said violatedthe school policy that teachers remain neutral on politically charged issuessuch as the school renaming and mask-wearing.

VanWyks order noted in part that the offense was not severe and there was no danger or harm to the public or students. The judge determined there was no evidence that Donofriofailed to distinguish between her personal views and those of the School, or District when she displayed the Black Lives Matter banner or that it went against district policy, according to her findings.

The five-person panel of the Education Practices Commission a member of law enforcement, a parent and three teachers will have the final say and could revoke her teaching license. The quasi-judicial state agency imposes discipline on teachers and school administrators.

Im not doing the thing that I was born to do, that I loved more than anything and Im having to fight to get it back, Donofrio, who taught at the school for nine years but has not been allowed back in a Florida classroom since 2021, told CNN.

She added, School is supposed to be a safe place for students. Its about them.

School administrators didnt respond to CNNs request for comment ahead of the hearing.

Donofrios future as a teacher will be decidedat a time when Floridas classrooms have become front lines in Gov. Ron DeSantis culture wars, which have taken aim atevery aspect of education fromformal classroominstruction on sexual orientation and gender identity to whatpublicschools teach about racism and American history to what books students can read and whatbathrooms they can use.

Our school system should be about educating kids not indoctrinating kids,DeSantis told reporters in May 2023.

In 2021, the BLM bannerhanging overDonofriosclassroom door, as well as her outspokenness on racial justice,becamea political flash point across the state. Her advocacy of racial justice wasbrought up in discussionsabout whether the school should abandon its Confederate namesake. The school was renamed Riverside High School inJune2021.

Days before the banner was taken down, the district published a memo that stated employees are not permitted to display flags, banners or other signage representing a particular social cause or movement in a manner that may be interpreted as District speech, and identified Black Lives Matter as an expression of support for a social justice movement, according to the administrative judgesrecommendedorder.

Floridas former education commissionercalled it an example of indoctrination and critical race theory in schools even though the discipline was not part of Donofrios curriculum.

There was an entire classroom memorialized to Black Lives Matter, the former commissioner, Richard Corcoran, told reporters at the time. We made sure she was terminated.

Donofrio was not fired even as she defied multiple requests from school officials to take down the flag. She also challenged the district on its treatment of Black students and staff.

Her students responded by collecting nearly 18,000 signatures on a public petition calling for her return.

I wasnt removed for anything having to do with my teaching, Donofrio said. No one has ever been able to say anything.Nor of my test scores, right, reflected anything but that Im a passionate, quality teacher.

Donofrio eventually sued Duval County Public Schools and its regional high school superintendent in federal court, alleging that the district retaliated against her for her protected speech, her complaints about discrimination, and, more broadly, her support of Black students lives, according to a complaintfiled in April 2021. The school board paid $300,000 to settle the lawsuit in 2021, according to CNN affiliate WJXT.

I really thought that things were kind of moving forward and then suddenly, we turned human compassion into something thats controversial, Donofrio said.

Donofrios outspokenness on racial justice was not new. Even before she put out the Black Lives Matter flag, she had led a course for several years to empower Black students through professional development, college preparation and civic engagement.

For her to be able to make teenagers feel comfortable enough to come in her classroom and express the trauma that they have gone through voluntarily, thats a gift, said Wallaces mother, Renita Turner.

Donofrio and her studentsearned national attention, and the course eventually became the organization known as theEVAC Movement.Students traveled to the White House in 2016 and met with congressional leaders. Then-President Barack Obama met with them when he visited Jacksonville.

It is honestly the most beautiful thing I have ever been a part of, Donofrio recalled this week,referring to the EVAC movementand the attention it garnered for her students.

Teachers have gathered to swing back in the name of teaching honest history, teaching honestly to their students, said Donofrios lawyer, Mark Richard. We do not want to be caught in these culture wars.

Donofrio added, My students matter, teachers who care about students matter I have no doubt that with or without me, theyre going to change the world.

CNNs Ray Sanchez and Harmeet Kaur contributed to this report.

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