Here's the scoop from the Orlando Sentinel:
The Florida Education Association is threatening a lawsuit to shut down the state's scholarship program for low-income kids. Under this program, businesses can donate to nonprofit scholarship organizations, and then claim a tax credit up to a certain limit. The scholarship money brings the option of private schooling within reach of families that couldn't otherwise afford it.
Why this talk of a lawsuit now, after the scholarships have been operating for seven years? The union worries that the program might offer educational choice to too many poor children.
The Legislature is considering raising the cap on the amount that businesses can donate toward scholarships, and the public-school-employee union is seeing red. Ron Meyer, lead counsel for the FEA, told the media recently that if the program were to triple in size over the next five years, "they may go to court" to kill it.
Meyer doesn't cite the best interests of children or families in this decision. The union's concern is simply that the program might grow too large. But the only way the program can grow is if poor parents want it to. The Legislature can raise the cap on donations, but the law requires all funds be assigned to recipient students in the same year they're given. And scholarship organizations cannot carry over more than a quarter of total donations from one year to the next. So unless demand triples in the next five years, the program couldn't triple.
More details here.
7 Comments
Nancy M | April 14, 2008, 2:18pm | #
As a former Hillsborough county and Bradford county secondary teacher for a decade (and a union rep for the former), I can tell you about the only thing that is discussed at union meetings is teacher salaries, teacher days off and other teacher issues. Children seldom are mentioned. I am a former liberal and one who used to support every tax increase for education, but after working for one principal that used his head and sheer determination to make positive changes (he brought our high school from dead last...#14...to #2 in one year), I no longer support any tax increases for education until schools are reformed from the inside out! My own children were removed from public school and placed in private Catholic school until we found some wonderful magnet programs here in Alachua county, FL. If we did not have the "choice" of these magnet programs, our children would be back in private schools. It's sad that poor children must suffer because teacher union representatives want to keep their salaries. And what's worse is that the democratic party supports the teacher unions regardless of the impact their failed policies have on our children nationwide...
Sheldon Cantor | April 16, 2008, 12:45pm | #
Kudos for Nancy M. Just one thing to add. It is not the Democratic Party that supports teacher unions. It is the teacher unions that pour millions of dollars into the coffers of the Democratic Party. Therefore, the Party does all it can to reserve the monopoly of public school teacher unions at the expense of children, their parents, and this nation.
Keith | April 17, 2008, 5:52pm | #
But of course! That's what they're scared of: demand will triple ... and beyond. In fact, I'd highly doubt that demand isn't already beyond the current level of donations.
Fredrick L. Ward | April 17, 2008, 7:28pm | #
This is just the tip of the iceberg in how bad our "government" schools are. Teachers can't wait until they reach a point they can get into admin. instead of dealing with kids. Pay raise, Pay raise is all the public hears and believe me, not one individual running for political office is ever going to say, "schools and teacher don't need any more money!! Teachers need to be paid based on merit and not education alone. If the kids are failing, boot the teacher out, plain and simple.
Sal Pal | April 19, 2008, 2:41am | #
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Sal Pal | April 19, 2008, 2:44am | #
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Lisa | April 20, 2008, 5:09pm | #
This is just idiotic! Is is sad that our society breaks out education in terms of rich and poor. If teachers are so concerned with pay...DO NOT BECOME A TEACHER! Stop teaching, obtain another job paying more money.