… Cathy Boehme, a lobbyist who represents the Florida Education Association teachers union, described a slow rebound from the teacher shortage that was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, called the move childish and mean-spirited.
The state education association (FEA), the union that represents Florida teachers, said openings have never been so high.
Cathy Boehme, a lobbyist who represents the Florida Education Association teachers union, described a slow rebound from the teacher shortage that was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We really need to see a lot more movement in giving districts and unions the ability to negotiate fair raises for everyone who works in our schools,” said Andrew Spar, Florida Education Association president.
Veteran teacher and Brevard Federation of Teachers member Matt Yount explains that real raises are better than one-off bonuses. “If there’s an actual raise, no one really needs a bonus.”
(T)he Florida Education Association argued it will be one more burden on teachers. “We have a severe teacher shortage, and this bill does nothing to help recruit and train high quality teachers,” Michael Monroe of FEA said.
The Florida Education Association opposes the legislation, citing an existing teacher shortage and saying it does nothing to attract new teachers to the classroom.
“Effective and engaging teachers know how to facilitate sensitive and age-appropriate conversations without indoctrinating students or imposing their personal views,” said Michael Monroe, a lobbyist representing the Florida Education Association.
At a time when more should be done to hire and keep good schoolteachers, the Legislature seems fixated on making the work of educating the state’s 2.7 million public school students ever more onerous and pushing teachers into another line of work.
“This is a bill that’s directly aimed at taking away the freedom of individual teachers and staff who work in our schools, who sacrificed so much in our schools, kept our schools going during this pandemic,” (FEA President Andrew) Spar said. “This is to take away their freedom to come together and advocate.”
The Florida Education Association said there are 5,222 advertised non-instructional positions open across the state – not counting Miami-Dade County.
The Florida Education Association said it’s trying to figure out the schools that DeSantis is talking about.
(The FEA) said in statement posted on social media, “House Bill 7 serves only to undermine students’ education and further fray the fabric that holds us together as Americans.”
“Our teachers not only work with law enforcement on a regular basis and I think have close relationships with law enforcement, but a lot of educators are also married to law enforcement,” said (FEA President Andrew) Spar.
“The most important issue for the Legislature to address this session is the teacher and staff shortage,” Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, wrote in a statement.
WMNF Tampa
“I think we would worry about teachers being investigated, potentially disciplined for teaching what the curriculum demands we teach,” (FEA President Andrew) Spar told WMNF. Read at WMNF Tampa…
WFTV Orlando
The Florida Education Association said shortages of support staff in schools have reached critical levels. Read at WFTV Orlando…
News Service Florida
EDUCATION WEEK CELEBRATED: The Florida Education Association will hold a gathering to mark American Education Week. (5:30 p.m., Florida… Read at News Service Florida …
Florida Phoenix
“Issues are not really changes from what is currently in place,” said Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, a statewide union. “And it doesn’t make sense for us… Read at Florida Phoenix …
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Key takeawaysVoters overwhelmingly passed funding referenda, elected pro-education school board candidates and rejected Amendment 1 during this general election.Across party lines and demographics, voters supported public education and students.FEA remains…
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