Thousands of Floridians Rally for Public Education on January 13

The Take on Tallahassee Rally brought a sea of red-clad public education stakeholders and supporters to Florida’s capital city on Jan. 13. Demonstrators took their case straight to lawmakers’ doorstep, marching from the Civic Center to the Old Capitol to demand improved funding for students and schools, fair pay for all education employees, and an end to the misguided policies that have led to the over-testing of students and the loss of local control in our districts.

The FEA, which organized the rally, is calling for a “Decade of Progress” for our schools, starting with a $2.4 billion investment in public education this legislative session.

“Take on Tallahassee: A Rally for Public Education” drew preK-12 teachers and education staff professionals, higher education faculty, graduate assistants, students, parents, community activists, faith leaders and other public-education supporters from throughout the state. It is estimated that as many as 15,000 took part.

At the Old Capitol, 16 speakers addressed the crowd in a two-hour long program punctuated by audience chants such as “fund our future,” and “the people united will never be defeated.” Tallahassee’s Rickards High School Band provided music.

Along with Florida teachers, students and other education stakeholders, the program featured nationally known leaders including civil-rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. (For a full list of speakers, see the news release here.)

The rally received extensive media coverage before, during and after the event. From Jan. 6 through Jan. 14, Take on Tallahassee garnered nearly 500 media hits nationally and throughout Florida. News reports appeared in newspapers, on radio and television, and online. Several publications also cited the rally on their opinion pages.

Op-eds and Editorials

Teachers will “Take on Tallahassee” for more respect, boost to school funding, FEA President Fed Ingram, Miami Herald (01/10/2020)

Florida teachers fighting for public education: I stand with you, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, South Florida Sun Sentinel (01/13/2020)

Put Florida’s kids first for a change, with teachers a close second, Editorial, South Florida Sun Sentinel (01/10/2019)

‘Year of the teacher’ in Florida kicks off with threats to fire them, Editorial, Orlando Sentinel (01/13/2010)

National News Coverage

Nationally distributed reports included:

Florida teachers are flooding the state capital to demand billions of dollars in school funding, CNN (01/13/2020)

Florida Ed. Department Threatens to Fire Thousands of Teachers Rallying for Higher Pay, Education Week (01/13/2020)

Educators throng Florida Capitol to fight for more money, The Associated Press (01/13/2020)

Shouldn’t have to marry a sugar daddy’: Teachers, outraged over pay, rally in Florida capital, USA Today (01/13/2020)

Florida rises up for public education, AFT (01/14/2020)

Educators march in Tallahassee to demand investment in public schools, NEA (01/16/2020)

Florida News Coverage

In-state, the rally was covered by media outlets large and small. Here is a sampling of reports appearing Jan. 13 and over the next few days.