Category Education
Guest Column: The liberal case for school choice
Editors Note: At the Florida Squeeze, we have been steadfast in our opposition to school “choice” schemes and remain so today. We however, are interested in fostering a debate on numerous issues this one included. Empowerment of Florida’s minority community and fighting for economic and social justice is what motivates much of what we do […]
School “choice” supporters playing in Special Election Democratic primary
School “choice” supporters this week dumped a hard-hitting negative mail piece against Rep. Reggie Fullwood. The Jacksonville-based State Rep. is locked in a battle for reelection against a more conservative Democrat who is being backed by school voucher groups and covertly by the remaining elements of the small dissident faction in the House Democratic Caucus. […]
School voucher advocates stand to benefit from Taylor/Rouson faction run
Last session House Democrats demonstrated remarkable cohesion on school “choice” issues. Under the leadership of Minority Leader Perry Thurston and incoming leader Mark Pafford, the caucus coalesced behind a position opposing the unprecedented expansion of taxpayer money being siphoned to private schools. This came just a few short years after 24 House Democrats broke ranks […]
Politico Magazine: The Plot Against Public Education
The incomparable Bob Herbert penned this must read piece on school “choice” on Monday in Politico. It is recommended reading for all.
DPCF Calls Democratic Gubernatorial Primary “A Referendum on Jeb Bush’s Education Policies”
The Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida (DPCF) has compared the Democratic candidates for Governor specifically on Education issues. Highlights of the report include: DPCF’s K-12 education platform, which includes opposition to Bush privatization efforts — corporate tax scholarships (vouchers), high-stakes testing, school grades, merit pay and Common Core State Standards Rich’s long-time support of early […]
Jeb Bush Foundation Report Card Released
Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future has released its annual report card for members of the Legislature. As we have editorialized strongly time and again against school “choice” schemes, this rating is an important barometer from where we sit. While the Democrats in the House did quite well from our vantage point, the Senate was […]
Monday Musings – DCCC mess, Kelli Stargel’s maternalistic nonsense, RPOF failure to steward our Springs, Lenny Curry, Vouchers
Editors’ Note: This week we begin a new column, Monday Musings where our writers sound off on various topics related to the state of Florida. It is difficult in words to fully describe the mess the DCCC has made in Congressional District 13. Beginning with a campaign that flushed a double-digit lead down the […]
Senate Democrats cave on voucher expansion
Fifteen years almost to day since the Florida Senate passed the Jeb Bush pet project A+ plan that brought public funding of private schools into our state, the Senate today passed the largest expansion of vouchers in the state’s history. Unlike the Florida House, where Democrats stuck together despite an aggressive lobbying effort by voucher […]
SINE DIE: The GOP’s Choice (UPDATED 11:15 AM ET)
Despite a national mood that favors the Republicans, Florida’s GOP faces a potential final day in complete control of the legislature today. This is a final opportunity potentially for the Jeb Bush backed education “reformers” to have a clean bite of the apple after beginning the destruction of Florida’s Public School system in Bush’s first […]
Senate Democrats need to hold the line on vouchers
As we’ve discussed throughout this legislative session, House Democrats have heroically held the line in defense of public education. Three weeks ago, when the House passed its version of a dangerous school vouchers bill not a single Democrat in the lower chamber voted for it. As that bill made its way through the committee process, […]
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