Shortchanging Education In Florida

[Judi Lynn]

Shortchanging Education In Florida

Published: Oct 9, 2003

This year, state community colleges were forced to turn away about 35,000 students. The reason? Legislative budget cuts.
Community colleges are intended to accept all high school graduates seeking a higher education. The goal is to ensure that any motivated student can obtain an advanced degree and improved job opportunities. But the community colleges' budgets were cut 11 percent.

State universities were equally pinched, having to dramatically cut class offerings and consider enrollment caps.

State universities already had to educate 22,000 unfunded students over the past two years. Next year, because of the Legislature's budget restraints, there will be that many more.

Adding to the universities' miseries is a chaotic and highly political restructuring of the university system adopted by Gov. Jeb Bush and the Legislature that already is frightening off top academics. (snip/...)

http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGAZ7J6YJLD.html

[ClintonTyree]

1. I've lived...........

In Florida for less than a year, and it's painfully clear that education is, how shall I say this, not exactly valued here. Per capita, I believe that Florida has more ignorant people than any other state. The sadness lies in the fact that they seem to LIKE it that way.
Residents of Florida value their guns, boats and pick-up trucks far more than an education. I'm seriously considering moving AGAIN, because the cultural vacuum is grating against my very being.
But they LOVE their Jebbie! They love the little weasel that openly mocks progressive thinkers in the state. I suppose that's their plan. Let's keep them stupid and do all of their thinking for them, they're easier to control that way.
In a nutshell, this state sucks. If Dumbya wins in 2004, I'm out of here. There has to be a country somewhere where fascism, intolerence, ignorance and hate aren't the norm. It'll have to have nice weather though, I hate snow and ice. That's the only thing Florida has going for it, although the summers are unbearably hot.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. The state does not care about public education...

...but I do know that college students spend a lot of time working during the same semester that they're carrying heavy loads at school. I really don't know how they do it. I don't ever see a Bush being subjected to the same burden.

[teryang]

2. John Ellis Bush did away with grade twelve

...in high school to avoid the consequences of the classroom size amendment passed by an overwhelming majority of Floridians. It is obvious that he is an anti education elitist. The neo cons are taking America down to 17th Century standards.

It was a part of his self admitted "devious plan" which spring from bushes like a limitless torrent.

[KayLaw]

3. I live in FL

My son is in middle school and has autism. His class lost funding for two teacher's assistants this year but disabled children are eligle for vouchers that, essentially, pay parents to keep their kids at home. The stretched-to-the-limit teachers do the best they can, but I know of more and more parents who are just giving up and home schooling. I heard of another such case yesterday and thought, ah, that's that's how they kill public education.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. And, yet, they keep getting voted in.

If not blackbox, then why?

[KayLaw]

6. BBV

That, plus lies. I have before me something sent during the McBide/Bush campaign that I receive ing the mail about two days before the election. It's from People for a Better Florida, with some Tallahassee PO box for an address. It's very glossy and features sad-looking people some who are elderly and one in a wheelchair. There's a picture of McBride in which he looks diabolical and claims he would raise taxes on anything and everything that moves in Florida and includes foods, medicing, daycare, doctors...you get the picture - something the governor isn't even able to do.
They say he wants peple to smoke themselves to death and ties him to Amendment 9 ( which passed anyway )and says it will cost families and average of $3,300. They don't mention that that figure is NOT per year, but over a period of a great many years, eight, as I recall.
The four-page glossy ends with this: CALL BILL TODAY AND ASK HIM WHY HE SUPPORTS WRITING THIS MASSIVE SPENDING PLAN INTO FLORIDA'S CONSTITUTION. Of course, McBride only supported this amendment, he didn't sponsor it, and it passed anyway.
So, I guess I'm saying it's all about money - money for this sort of thing which was probably paid for by Big Sugar or someone else who wanted to keep Jeb around - and the willingness to engage in dirty tricks.
Sorry so cynical.

[Noordam]

7. And Jebbie brought Lot, Stock and Barrel a private school company

with the State retirement systems funds.

Jeb is killing this state.

[salin]

10. A company that in seven or eight years only turned a profit 1 quarter

Edison has such a bad financial record that it was nearly delisted by NASDQ in January (2002? or 2003?); Edison schools have a very mixed track record - and thus never got the 'mass' number of schools that it business model assumed needed before it would be profitable. Edison has also been subject to SEC investigations over accounting processes such as counting money for teacher salaries (received from the districts or states) as "revenue". The investigations and troubles of staying 'listed' in the market is what has prompted the company to seek to be bought out (to go public to private). I believe I read that they sought 11 such avenues - and were turned away by ALL except the company that manages the public employee pension fund in Florida. The three person oversight group (including JEB! ) didn't object. According to JEB! that is not the role (have to trust business folks, afterall, even if it is investing public monies). So JEB! trusts businesses who use/spend/invests - and believes NO oversight is required - but puts draconian rules on public institutions.

[lovedems]

8. They are going to let public schools suffer to show that their ridiculous

voucher program is needed. Did anyone see the Nightline special regarding No Child Left Behind? Public schools and universities are suffering all over the country and who are the ones effected by it? Our children.

I agree, they want to keep everyone stupid or push their voucher program so more kids get a christian education. Either way, our kids are suffering.

[seasat]

9. You gotta love Jebbie's voucher system...

It has no accountability. We've got thre of these systems here. One for schools that fail under the FCAT, one for children with special educational needs, and one where companies get a tax credit by sending money to voucher charities. The students that get vouchers under the "failing schools" are still required to take the FCAT but Jebbie won't publish the results. We have no idea if these kids are doing okay or not. The schools for special educational needs have almost no oversight. In our cash strapped state, we've lost millions to crooks who set up fly by night operations and sucker in the 7 to 11 k special ed vouchers. In the tax credit program, we've had one company that lost 400 K of that money. That tax money could have gone to a public school instead of giving a break to some corporation to fund unregulated vouchers. These abuses are just the tip of the iceberg of what's been reported. Florida is regressing into a third world country under this idiot's reign. :argh: