Lawsuit Seeks to Limit Choice and Opportunity

Special Interests, Unions, and Lobbyists Want Total Control over Florida's Students, Taxpayers, and Families.... 

Several leading (self-anointed) state education advocacy associations, led by the statewide teacher’s union, have filed a lawsuit Thursday assaulting school choice for some Florida families.  This lawsuit seeks to end the nation’s largest tax-credit scholarship program, a program that serves nearly 70,000 students statewide and 944 in Escambia County alone.   This wildly popular program serves primarily poor minority students and all taxpayers benefit- as the cost per pupil in this program runs about 50% of the cost per pupil in the traditional public school systems.

Accountability is built-in.  Student progress is measured, and the gains made by students in this program roughly equate to the progress the students in traditional public schools achieve year over year.  Opponents counter that the system isn’t fair because students in this scholarship program “don’t take all the exact same tests and FCATs-like public school students must.” 

So, to follow that logic of these tax-credit scholarship critics, because traditional public schools waste so much time over-testing and drilling students on how to take tests-we should foist this same nonsensical practice on tax-credit scholarship schools?  That is ridiculous.  We need to test less across the board-we all know this!

The plaintiffs in this lawsuit want this program killed so they can monopolize education and leave parents NO choices; they think it’s all their money and “We know what’s best for your kid” is their mentality.  But I think we deserve a greater voice in how our tax dollars are spent educating our own children-don’t you?

The plaintiffs state that they worry about the amount of taxpayer money “diverted” from local districts by this tax-credit scholarship that primarily benefits underprivileged minority youth.  But what really worries these special interest groups is the loss of the money “diverted” to their own coffers -via dues memberships fueled by taxpayer funded employees- if this scholarship program grows!

 The plaintiffs espouse the naive belief that money is the panacea to improve school performance and this scholarship program robs Florida of additional money for schools. But they know full well that throwing more taxpayer money at schools doesn't make such schools better.  Look no further than poor quality DC

Florida Political Leadership Speaks Out Against FEA, FSBA Lawsuit

Statement from Senate President Don Gaetz

“The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program is a national model of school choice.  Through this historic initiative, Florida businesses have voluntarily dedicated a portion of their corporate tax payments to help children in poverty, minority children and children with unique needs have access to schools and services otherwise available only to families with the means to pay for private school tuition.
 
“One of the hallmarks of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program has been the strong bipartisan support it has enjoyed in the Florida Legislature and among Florida families.  Opening the doors of educational opportunity to children benefitting from these scholarships has united Republicans and Democrats for more than a decade.   For the 2013-14 academic school year, 59,822 children in 64 counties have received the advantages of these scholarships. The program enrollment has more than doubled in the past five years. 
 
“The lawsuit filed against this scholarship program by the Florida School Boards Association and others is ironically ill-timed and hypocritical.
 
“It is particularly ill-timed because the 2014 Legislature both improved the scholarship program and enacted strong academic and financial accountability measures.  These measures ensure that students, their families and the public will know how children receiving the scholarships are performing compared to like students in traditional public schools.  The law, which this litigation now seeks to overturn, also requires the Auditor General to perform detailed financial examinations of any scholarship funding organization administering the program in order to ensure good stewardship of taxpayer dollars.  This lawsuit, if successful, would destroy this thriving school choice initiative at the very time it has taken on robust accountability requirements.
 
“The lawsuit is hypocritical.  When Florida Tax Credit Scholarships were available only to the very poor, who disproportionately are minority families, and other students with unique needs, the School Boards Association didn’t challenge their constitutionality.  These students often bring more challenges to the classroom and require extra help, more individualized instruction and additional resources.  It is only now, when the eligibility for scholarships has been expanded and when less-impoverished students can participate that the School Board Association has discovered its constitutional indignation. 

“As a member of the Senate, I have been a prime sponsor of the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, as it has developed over the years.  Now, I serve notice that, along with Speaker Weatherford and incoming leadership, I will vigorously defend the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and the benefits it brings to tens of thousands of Florida families who only want what we all want – a chance for our children to learn and succeed.”


Statement from House Speaker Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel):
“It is appalling that the Florida School Boards Association, unions and others would use their
power to try to block low-income parents from giving their children the education of their
choice. This is a tactic completely motivated by the worst kind of bureaucratic politics that
places the fears of an organization over the needs of children. We will vigorously defend this
program because we know that it helps our most vulnerable children rise out of difficult
circumstances and achieve true success.”

Statement from Senate President-Designate Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando):
“Since 2001, The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program has provided Florida students with
additional options to achieve academic success. Close to 60,000 students and their families who
may not otherwise have the resources are now taking advantage of the opportunity provided by
this program. Without using state education funding, this program allows parents to have control
over their child’s educational experience.”“The decision to file this lawsuit is a self-serving attempt to obstruct Florida families’ ability to access choice. These groups claim to represent Florida students, but I’m confident their actions do not represent many of their members who are working hard to provide their constituents with educational options. I look forward to working with those members next session to ensure every
Florida parent is empowered to pick the school that best fits their child’s learning needs.”

Statement from House Speaker-Designate Steve Crisafulli (R-Merritt Island):
“I am shocked that the Florida School Boards Association, unions and others would challenge a
parent’s ability to choose the right school for their child. The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship
Program has given tens of thousands of Florida’s low-income children access to schools that best
meet their needs. This popular program has proven important in preparing many of the poorest
and most disadvantaged of our children for success. I hope they will reconsider their actions and
put the needs of children first.”

War on School Choice Part IV: Lawsuit to be Filed Seeking the Dismantling of Opportunity Scholarships in Florida

FSBA Lawsuit plays large part in stunning defeat of current FSBA president and FSBA president-elect in Last Night’s primary elections…

As I have previously written here, here, and here—it appears as if school choice is under a concerted attack not only here in Florida -but also all over America. 

School choice is the future of public education, though, and I strongly support it as do most concerned parents and a small number of elected board members here in Florida.

Now comes word that the leading state advocacy associations, led by the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA),  are planning an expensive and protractedlawsuit to attempt to kill the opportunity scholarships for state students who are disabled and/or poverty stricken. 

What a foolish thing to do.

These programs are wildly popular and the students, primarily poor minority students of color, benefit greatly from such programs.

And all taxpayers benefit, as the cost per pupil in these programs runs about 50% of the cost per pupil in the traditional public school systems.

But the guardians of the status-quo want this program killed; they want the FTEs and the money that follows the students….

So many parents are reacting, sending emails like this one and this one-that policy-makers better pay heed.  I answered the emails I received and I told the parents I support school choice!

A backlash is forming statewide, with some sitting board members around the state calling upon the FSBA to stop this lawsuit they plan to file tomorrow.

Incumbent FSBA President defeated

And In an amazingly stunning rebuke to the FSBA in last night’s primary election, both the sitting president and president-elect of the FSBA, Karen Disney-Brombach and Diane Smith, were  voted out of office.

  This is an absolutely astonishing occurrence, something that should send the following clear message to all sitting school board members and administrators statewide---- and especially the leadership at FSBA: 

1.) Put children, parents, and taxpayers first, and

2.) Listen to your constituency-- NOT the lobbyists and special interests!

--otherwise you, too, might be ousted in the next election.

Insight into One Person's Motivation for Demanding he Bring the Invocation.....

A Pensacola resident, pictured above with his back turned to the dais and the speaker at last month's school board meeting, has stated 

"the longer I am delayed, the more obscure I'll make my prayer when they finally allow it. Right now they are Pagan-level cooperation. More rejection and delays and I'll go to FSM. If they keep obstructing, I go Satanic."

Really?  He'll go Satanic?  It sounds like a demand wrapped inside a threat.

My idea posted on this blog for accommodating Christians and other religions at our monthly board meetings drew a huge online attack-directed at me.  It really spun up 12-15 non- Christians around the country as they responded to another blog post (utilizing pseudonyms) that was full of inaccuracies, out-of-context quotations, and other propaganda anddisinformation.

 The individual who created this situation is also the guy who came to our last board meeting and  turned his back on the board and speaker during the invocation.   What a swell guy!  But, I’m not sure what he’s all spun up over, I mean,  according to him-one of my counterparts on the school board already offered him the opportunity to bring an invocation—but he summarily declined.

Apparently, he wants to be accommodated on HIS terms only…

This individual was upset with me because I would not acquiesce to his DEMAND that I allow him to skip the line, putting him in the slot to speak ahead of 300,000 other Escambia County Residents, to give the August invocation as my invited guest.  He was rude about it, mis-characterizing a phone conversation we had, and emailing other board members his inaccurate and badly flawed view of our phone conversation.

At least one board member, apparently, has seen this guy's email and is under the naive, mistaken belief that his words are my words.  They're not, and I'll correct this board member at the next workshop.  I thought I made myself clear at the last workshop but perhaps this one board member did not hear what I said.

But I digress... 

Make no mistake:  This guy pictured and quoted above, David Suhor, wants to make a splash in the news, make a name for himself, and come to our meeting and do something outrageous-that's my opinion based upon his actions and statements lately.  His comments from an online blog post, attacking me, are telling of his intent and those of his cronies.  I’ll re-state this emphatically-I’m not participating in someone’s prank.  Check out what the real intention is, what many of us have suspected, based upon David’s (and others’) comments on this subject, below, from “The Friendly Atheist”:

David Suhor (posting under the pseudonym an apple biter) Stated:

“The one SB member who gave me the OK is backing off, saying she may have to give that date to a new SB member after the election. The others are not responding to multiple requests from Humanists and atheists seeking an equal opportunity to pray. They say they are waiting for legal advice and planning a workshop to figure it out. Meanwhile, I have no doubt they are lining up Xtians (and maybe one Jew) so they can say their spots are all full until forever. This is a common tactic: Unwanted prayer-givers are asking for inclusion. Instead of saying no, they SEEK OUT others of their own faith and ask them to give their next invocation/s. That way, they can say their date books are filled for YEARS. My reply: the longer I am delayed, the more obscure I'll make my prayer when they finally allow it. Right now they are Pagan-level cooperation. More rejection and delays and I'll go to FSM. If they keep obstructing, I go Satanic. As an Agnostic Pagan Pantheist, I claim the right to invoke any god/s I want”

RfromNY stated:

“I suggest someone pretend to be Xtian, get on the schedule, then get up there with a prayer rug and bend toward Mecca, or pray to Satan, or whatever. I don't care if it's lying, they've given us no choice.”

Paul stated:

“I wish I could go and give a prayer to Odin, performing all the hammer rituals and everything”

Andrea A stated:

“someone please dress up as a "Witch Doctor" and go to their next meeting”

To which rascal barqucat replied:

“It is Florida, so it probably wouldn't be too hard to find a "Witch Doctor" or at least a sympathetic Santeria priest or a southern conjure-woman root-doctor”

In addition to these outrageous posts, many of these allegedly very tolerant, progressive, and open-minded individuals have hurled obscenities at me from all directions, calling me such lovely names as

“A F*%&ing  A$& H#&le!”  and a  “Piece of S#$T!”  and others I won’t mention here...

 Yeah, these swell, ultra-polite  guys have only the best of intentions with their requests to deliver the invocation at the school board meetings. 

…..Not so far as I can tell from the way they conduct themselves!

Handling Invocations at School Board Meetings: An Inclusive, Win-Win Solution?

So we have some really persistent individuals that really want to bring the invocation to our School Board meetings. They point to a recent Supreme Court case as their ammunition, supporting their cause and their right to bring non-Christian prayer to the meeting. Forget the fact that more than 80% of Americans are Christian. Forget the fact that in Escambia County Florida that percentage is much higher. Forget the fact that in our School Board meetings, it is more than likely nearly 100% of the attendees identifying as Christian. No matter, we’re told we must be inclusive. One of these persistent individuals came to the last meeting. (That’s him in the picture above turning his back on my guest who was in the process of bringing a very respectful opening invocation.)

 I’ve had several email requests and phone calls from various individuals that want me to select them to bring the invocation to the meeting on my behalf, as my guest. I had one super, hyper-persistent person who demanded I allow him to bring a Wiccan/pagan greeting. I told him No. (Under our current protocol, the selection of individuals for bringing the invocation rotates among the board every five months, corresponding with five board members.)

 At last Tuesday’s meeting, a speaker at public forum indicated that he was invited to bring the invocation by another board member, at an upcoming meeting. I have no idea what this person will say at his rendition of an invocation. I have no doubt he will be polite, but do I have to listen to someone politely refute my religious beliefs before a meeting of a board that is 100% Christian? What if this person wants to deliver a satanic prayer? Should the overwhelming majority of the attendees at these meetings really be subjected to this?

I say no.

 I am bringing an idea to the next workshop to allow us as a board to be inclusive, while at the same

time allowing attendees at our meetings, and members of the board, to “opt-out” of being proselytized to or disparaged by someone who believes Christianity is a made-up religion..I do not want to be subjected to their version of a prayer. I don’t want to be and I will not be a part of someone’s prank. I mean, what if a witch doctor wants to deliver a message? Will we really let that happen? I don’t want to hear that rubbish, and I’d suspect I’m not the only one who doesn’t want to hear it, either. Here’s my plan: When a board

Cameras in the Classroom

Several districts  have recently deployed cameras in the classroom, as a part of a Bill and Melinda Gates foundation initiative, as have districts throughout the United Kingdom.

Understanding this would be a sensitive subject locally, I can’t help but wonder if having classroom cameras in a small number of schools locally as a test wouldn't be a bad idea?  

I can think of numerous benefits:

1.  1      Security—we have several schools that have had multiple burglaries.  Having cameras could help catch the perpetrators.

2.  2      Physical security—we have a number of schools where teachers have been assaulted by students.  Cameras in the classroom could curtail this problem, and if not an aid in curtailing this horrible phenomenon, at a minimum it would greatly in the prosecution of the perpetrators-making teachers safer.

3.   3     We have been accused of meting out discipline in a disparate manner at some schools; classroom cameras could capture deviant behavior at issue and bolster the case for the discipline of students that violate the codes of conduct.

4.   4   Teaching practices could be observed remotely.  The tape could be provided to the instructor with suggested improvements

5.   5  Productivity could be enhanced (fewer instances of texting, leaving the class unattended, talking on the cell phones, etc.)

Now, I’m certain such an idea would require bargaining, and this is something that would have to be discussed by the board.  But seeing how effective the video-taping on busses has been in enhancing student safety and employee productivity-I can’t see how those same benefits (and then some) would not materialize for the classrooms as well.

How Do Other Governmental Bodies Handle The Pre-Meeting Invocation?

                             What Happens If the Witch Doctor Demands to Be Heard??

A fierce debate is brewing over how governmental agencies can be more “inclusive” during invocations, allowing for those of other faiths to be allowed an opportunity to deliver their version of an invocation.  In some cities, Atheists, Wiccans, and other groups are demanding they be given a chance to give the opening invocations. Some municipalities are bowing to such demands.

One group of Atheists in Brevard County was told “no” by the chairman of that board, and that board’s lawyer. 

Now, that Atheist group is considering a lawsuit against Brevard County.

\Some cities have come up with detailed rules and procedures to limit and strictly define who can deliver the invocations.  Several cities have used this type of a template for their policy.

Some locally want to be able to barge right in and insert themselves into the rotation, crying discrimination if they are not IMMEDIATELY selected.  That tactic won’t work with me-I don’t know if it will with my counterparts….we’ll see in the next few months I suppose.

 I’m not one who discriminates, and I won’t here either. However, I think we need to think long and hard about making any radical changes to our current practice.  While I do not think anyone I select would intentionally make a mockery of this solemn point in a meeting, who knows what someone with a massive "axe to grind" on this issue might do to make a splash in the media “spiking the football” in the face of the majority of meeting attendees who are overwhelmingly Christian? 

I mean, should the majority of persons in attendance at one of our meetings really have to listen to a satanic verse?  What if a “Witch Doctor” comes to the podium with a full-on costume, chicken-feet, a voodoo doll and other associated  over-the-top regalia?  It could easily get out of hand, so far as I can tell....(I wonder what our local media would say about this?)

And I won’t stay and listen if someone tries to be disrespectful like that.  I’ll leave the room and come back after, or wear BOSE noise cancelling headphones.  Or I'll turn around and raise my fist in the air like the '68 Olympians did(uh, I'm being sarcastic-I wouldn't really do that...)...... I won’t be part of someone's prank.