Panel Discussion on Education priorities for the 2020 Florida Legislative Session

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 6:30 PM

A Panel Discussion on Education priorities for the 2020 Florida Legislative Session

How do we reverse more than 20 years of underfunding and School Privatization decisions by Florida lawmakers?
How do we locally create high quality, equitable public schools  for children and treat our teachers well?

For over 20 years, Florida public schools have been strangled by the Florida legislature’s systematic disinvestment in education funding while rapidly expanding school privatization and high stake testing. Per pupil spending has hardly budged over the past decade, while inflation has eaten away nearly 20% of its worth. We see the results of these decisions:

• Florida teachers fleeing with 3,500 current vacancies
• Florida ranked 46th in the nation in teacher pay
• Florida ranked 43rd in the nation in per pupil spending
• Florida ranked first in the nation for school privatization

In Sarasota and Manatee Counties, bad state policies have resulted in tight budgets; inadequate teacher pay and attacks on job security; increased teacher vacancies; test, not teach mentality and insufficient student supports, particularly at low-income schools.
Other states have formed the Red for Ed movement and increased education funding and slowed down school privatization. Can we do this in Florida? Join POPS, Manasota to discuss how we can work together to change legislative priorities and create schools that work for students and teachers locally and throughout the state.

Panelists include:

• Martha Karlovetz President, Suncoast NEA-Retired
• Pat Gardner President, Sarasota Classified/Teachers Association
• Carol Lerner Retired Educator Chair, POPS, Manasota
• Amanda Linton Current Teacher Florida State Senate Candidate (Dist. 21)
• Moderator: Robin Williams Retired Educator, POPS Manasota