Teachers of today… especially here in Florida are struggling with such a divisive political climate…
From my own reflection, just eight years ago… before retirement…Teaching was quite challenging, yet…I believed in hope for a better day for our precious children…
Our classroom was that loving, safe place…My class was that beautiful representation of diversity… Learning was that essential component to success..
And moreover, my children wanted to learn … It was my job to provide a developmentally, relevant curriculum…
Parents were essential…We were a team…Our school wanted our parents to be involved… Programs and volunteering were a part of the day…We so appreciated our parents…
Our governor, Ron DeSantis describes Florida as the “education state”…We definitely are not…Our schools are in crisis…
He will be putting more money in our schools, however because of his book bans, lack of inclusion and gun reform…We have a shortage of teachers…Our precious children are scared to come to school..
DeSantis called Florida’s budget the “capstone” of a highly successful legislative session as he signed the appropriations into law.
JOSH MILLER June 15, 2023 . 2:00 PM
FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s “Framework for Freedom” budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year at a news conference in Fort Pierce.
“We’ve done more in the last six to eight months since the election than any – I think – state has done in our lifetime to move the ball forward and be bold and take on these issues, and that’s one of the reasons why people, you know, keep flooding down here,” DeSantis said, referring to people leaving other states to move to Florida…
But he also line-item vetoed more than half a billion in spending. The budget passed by the Legislature was $117 billion. In comparison, the original proposed budget by DeSantis was $114.8 billion.
On tax relief, DeSantis reminded Floridians of the “Freedom Summer” sales tax holiday that began in May. He also emphasized sales tax exemptions on baby and toddler items which start July 1, toll rebates and two hurricane-preparedness sales tax holidays that he says will save Floridians $144 million…
“We also in the budget include $130 million for targeted pay increases for people in state law enforcement and public safety agencies,” DeSantis said. “Different parts of the country have slashed police spending, attacked law enforcement – we’ve consistently in Florida stood by people in law enforcement, not only with good policy but also with good compensation.”
Lawmakers set K-12 funding at a record $26.8 billion, allocated $635 million toward workforce education programs and provided $1.1 billion in raises for teachers – money DeSantis said he didn’t want “going to bureaucracy or to unions.”
Mitigation response and recovery efforts total $2.3 billion in the budget, which includes funding to continue to cover costs associated with Hurricane Ian. But the governor also said the state had set aside $500 million for the state’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund to allow the state to respond quickly and cut through red tape as he did last year.
See the final veto list and the Governor’s transmittal letter below:
After holding the state budget hostage for weeks and failing to immediately disclose line-item vetoes, the governor finally took a break from running for president to do his actual job.
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. —
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 protect our precious children… and Vote!!
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 — some of which have been his most controversial — 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.”
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 curriculum…While striving to keep the children motivated and engaged…
I do also worry how my children spend their summer’s free time…
Throughout the school year, I spent my teaching time encouraging them the “love of reading”; encouraging parents to take their child to the public library…And now with this extra time, I so do hope my parents “if” they have the time in their challenging lives… to take their child to the public library… to become the owner of their personal library card, that will open up their “World” to all the joys of the Public Library; Summer Programs..Movies…Reading Books…And 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…
Florida students and teachers will no longer have to “declare” their pronouns in school or be forced to use pronouns not based on biological sex.
There is definitely a loss of innocence… Because: Your Divisive Political Policies Teacher shortages Book Bans Lack of inclusion Funding our public schools…with critical mental health and free meal resources… Gun safety reform… https://t.co/t1JY639J6t
"I showed it because of its earth elements…It shows how the Earth really is alive. It has a heart in this movie."
— Jenna Barbee, a Florida teacher under investigation for showing Disney's 'Strange World' with a biracial, gay character, defends her choice to show the PG film pic.twitter.com/U7XIZfkqpx
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!!
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 happeningstore…Wherein 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…
Janis Sexton...Teacher...Advocate 