It’s now 8 years retired …
38 teaching our precious children…
I am still holding onto hope for their future…
#Floridateacher
#WearOrange
#GunReformNow
Memories…
Category: Reflections
Could Ron DeSantis’ controversial education policies resonate nationwide?
By: Stephanie Susskind
Posted at 5:01 PM, May 25, 2023 and last updated 2023-05-25 17:01:56-04
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. โ
Retired almost nine years from my thirty-eight year, Florida teaching career…
From my own personal experience here in Florida; We must be extremely concerned… Governor Ron DeSantis most definitely is not a unifier…He promotes such a polarizing agenda only for his benefit…He is an ill equipped governor…
He does not care about all the dangerous repercussions on our precious children …
We must be extremely aware and not allow him to become our next president!!
With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis officially in the race for president, WPTV is taking a deeper look at his education policies โ some of which have been his most controversial โ to see how they would stack up nationally.
Restricting discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity and targeting critical race theory are just some of what DeSantis would call his victories over the past few years.
But not everyone would agree…
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education
“We’ve had a few decades now of fundamental changes in education in Florida, but no one has moved as hard or as fast as Ron DeSantis,” WPTV political analyst Brian Crowley said.
Crowley said the two-term Republican governor is known across the country for his aggressive approach to education reform…
“Ron DeSantis made it clear that if he becomes president, he plans to bring these reforms nationwide,” Crowley said. “Use the power of the federal dollar, federal grants, and even accreditation of colleges as a way of enforcing his agenda for how he wants to make schools more conservative and, in his view, back to basic learning.”
Some of DeSantis’ decisions have been celebrated across party lines, like eliminating Common Core standards…
But the culture wars have caused a divide.
“When you vilify teachers and staff, when you limit their ability to do what they know is best for students, they’re not going to stay,” said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association.
Spar said much of the contentious legislation in Florida is leading to a critical teacher shortage.
But Moms For Liberty member Jennifer Pippin supports the governor’s moves.
“This is great for education. It’s great for parental rights,” Pippin said. “I absolutely think he will take his policies and the things he’s been advocating for nationwide.”
But will it work?
The non-profit free speech organization PEN America researched what it called “educational gag orders” in August of 2022, looking at legislative efforts to restrict teaching certain topics.
The study showed 36 different states introduced 137 of these bills in 2022. But only six states passed them….
“There’s some really huge changes underway, and I think in some of those states that are very cautious about those changes, Ron DeSantis is going to have to be very careful if he wins the nomination to bring those people to his side,” Crowley said.
And decide what direction they want for our nation’s schools.
“We’re suddenly hearing Donald Trump talk a little bit more about the anti-woke issues and other conservative issues that were not big on his agenda when he first ran, or when he ran in 2020,” Crowley said. “But he understands this is a hot button issue among hardcore conservatives.”
Summer 2023…A Time For Reflection
Back when I was getting ready for retirement… summer of 2014, Florida was heading in crisis… Reflecting back then….
My first thought, this year especially, is acknowledging how exhausted I am; All the extra demands of testing and keeping up the pace of a more challenging curriculumโฆWhile striving to keep the children motivated and engagedโฆ
I do also worry how my children spend their summerโs free timeโฆ
Throughout the school year, I spent my teaching time encouraging them the โlove of readingโ; encouraging parents to take their child to the public libraryโฆAnd now with this extra time, I so do hope my parents โifโ they have the time in their challenging livesโฆ to take their child to the public libraryโฆ to become the owner of their personal library card, that will open up their โWorldโ to all the joys of the Public Library; Summer Programs..MoviesโฆReading BooksโฆAnd free Computer time!
There’s definitely a loss of our precious children’s innocence…
How these last nine years have definitely manifested into that crisis…Due to the authoritarian government lead by our governor, Ron DeSantis…
Teacher shortages due to lack of pay and authoritarian policies
Book Bans
Lack of inclusion
Funding our public schools…with critical mental health and free meal resources…
Gun safety reform…
And this is what our Florida’s teachers are up against…
This summer must be that time for reflection…And begin this critical moment for change…Our public schools must be strong and vital…To survive and thrive!!
“May” My Teacher Memories…
#Floridateacher
Memories..
A child can teach an adult three things:
To be happy for no reason
To always be curious
To fight tirelessly for something…
โค๏ธ- Paulo Coelho
heartmath.org
#TEACHers
#TeacherAppreciationWeek
๐๐ช๐ซโจ๐ฆ๐๐๐
Mother’s Day…
Teacher Appreciation…
The journey…
Our precious children…
#memories
#MothersDay
#TeacherAppreciationWeek
๐๐ช๐ซโจ๐๐๐๐๐
Our Precious Children are Watching….
Children are careful watchers, observers of what is happening all around… They see the Truth immediately…
(โ โโ โขโ แดโ โขโ โโ )โ โค-Osho-
Our precious children are watching and dealing with all the political divisiveness that is contributing to their physical and emotional well-being…
Coming out of a Pandemic…Children are still being singled out… banning of books, inclusivity and the need for gun reform…
Our children must be a priority…They may be relying on social media too much… rather than healthy social interaction…
Parents, teachers, schools must be united and involved… working together…It takes a village…
Political parties must unite in this divisive agenda that is contributing to the physical and emotional instability of our precious children…
This can not be fixed by another ban… “TikTok”…And passing in the House of Representatives the Republican agenda “Parents Bill of Rights”…
The Eyes of our Precious Children…
If we all could see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything….
Let's bring that magic back...
Today’s times for our precious children are so challenging…Here in Florida, the divisiveness of our political climate because of Governor Ron DeSantis…
Retired now eight years, I feel my passion for our children more than ever…
I was doing my weekly shopping at my go to store “Walmart”…
A happening store…Where in my teacher past, Walmart and Dollar Tree helped furnish my school treats and prizes...
Waiting in a very long line… Because Walmart, now does not hire enough cashiers, only for more profits…The sign of these times…
The young cashier was doing all he could do, doing his job… Admitting to me, he now makes $16 an hour…I told him… He should be making $20!!!
While the very long wait and our frustration, I did have a blessed opportunity to talk with the lovely black woman behind me, also wearing a mask…
I was pleasantly surprised to find out she was a teacher for over forty years!! Teaching in a small community here in Flagler County…She had taught first grade, like myself, for many years, and was presently the school librarian… teaching four days a week…
I was surprised to learn that being a Republican leaning district, she reticently did reveal that the current divisive political policies have not affected her library… We did not elaborate…
However…she did share, Our precious children, are acting out more…They are dealing with so much…
Let's bring that magic back...
Dr. Seuss Day March 3…
My daughter loved learning to read…by reading “Dr. Seuss…
You’re never too old…
Too wacky, too wild…
To pick up a book and read to a child…
-Dr. Seuss
#DrSeussDay
#ReadingIsFun ๐๐ช๐ซโจ๐๐
Once Upon a Time…Our Precious Children…
#floridateacher๐๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ Unconscionable…
Our precious children…
WITH FREEDOM…
BOOKS, FLOWERS, AND THE MOON,
WHO COULD NOT BE HAPPY?
Once upon a time…
Our precious children…
Jury Duty…Could Have Been one of my Students
I was recently summoned to serve on jury duty here in my community, Flagler County…I felt it would be my responsibility as a citizen and a privilege…
Never visiting our court house, Arriving at around 8:00 AM…I was screened by the officers on duty, who were all to be welcoming and appreciative…
The judge from the Seventh Circuit met us in a preliminary room where he spent a great deal of time going over our schedule and responsibilities… He said we may be there for 2 to 3 days…He was extremely knowledgeable and appreciative that we were there to serve…
There were about 25 of us, about 17 white men, and 8 female, one of whom was the only black… several Hispanic, one Asian…
We were then escorted to the Hearing room where all attorneys were present…A white, female prosecutor; and at the defense table 2 males, one of whom was black… Learning, one was the public defender and the other was the defendant, a young black male…
What struck me so, not having any previous knowledge about this case…Since both males were wearing suits, I assumed, at first, the black male was another attorney...
How wrong I was…He was the defendant…My impression was, he definitely could have been one of my students…What went wrong in his life that led him to this place in his life?
I was so relieved that I was not chosen to be part of this jury…All 7 were white, with one being a female…
My heart breaks for our children…
Jury did find him guilty of the charges…
He is in for life…for his orevious crime and there is an appeal pending..This current crime will Just add more time to a life sentence for his crimes…Where there was no loss of life…
Already Serving Life, Carlos DuPree Is Convicted on Charges of Assaulting Jail Deputy
#BlackHistoryMonth…2023
@NatlHeadStart
#BlackHistoryMonthโฏโฏโฏ
During this “era”
Inspiring my becoming an elementary school teacher in 1972
Specializing in early childhood education…
Beginning at a federally funded school… teaching migrants…
Then…Even having the opportunity to lead a Headstart Parenting Group in1974…
And much of my 38 year teaching career.. teaching children of diversity through Federal Funded Programs… ๐๐ซ๐๐ซ๐
Janis Sexton...Teacher...Advocate 