Educators and community members across the state came together on April 17 at their neighborhood public schools and held walk-ins to demonstrate their unyielding support for our students, educators and public schools.
Throughout the state, walk-ins:
- Took place at more than 500 neighborhood public schools
- Happened in 46 counties
- Were attended by more than 12,000 members and parents
- Visually demonstrated the power of our association and the strength of our voices
The walk-ins showed our students, our communities and our elected officials that Florida educators are standing up for our neighborhood public schools.
“Today we are showing solidarity with our students, our teachers. Walking and showing that we need support for our public schools, our children, our teachers, for everyone that’s involved in the school system,” said Kelly Thomas, a math teacher and Association of Bay County Educators (ABCE) member who has taught for nine years in Bay County. “Without the schools, the community is going to suffer.”
“We are hoping that [lawmakers] will see us. That they will see the students, the parents, the teachers together,” teacher Nancy Velardi said. “Everyone is getting a little fed up with how we’re cut to the bone.” Velardi is a member of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association.
“We’re not walking away from the children, we’re walking to them,” said Diane Mark, a first-grade teacher in Brevard County for 10 years . “We’re saying [Florida ranking 42nd in per-student spending and 46th in teacher pay] is not good enough,” added Mark, a Brevard Federation of Teachers member. “Our politicians can do better for our students and they need to do better.”
In some counties the walk-ins drew support from school or district administrators:
Standing with, and walking in with our wonderful, hard-working teachers this morning. #FundOurFutureFL pic.twitter.com/cnugTEshW4
— FlaglerSoup (@FlaglerSoup) April 17, 2019
“I have my red on in support of education funding,” said Michelle Heck, currently the principal of both Meigs Middle School and Choctawhatchee High School. “Both of my staff at both schools were encouraged to participate. I support my teachers at both campuses. It’s just a camaraderie in support to make sure that public education is funded.”
At the end of the busy day, FEA officers and staff went live on Facebook to thank members for their activism that caught the attention of news outlets and lawmakers across the state.
The walk-ins were covered by newspapers and television stations all over the state:
STATEWIDE
Florida Phoenix
It’s not a strike, it’s a “walk-in”: Educators to rally for traditional public schools
TAMPA BAY
Bay News 9, Tampa Bay
Teachers Have “Walk-In” For More Public Education Funding
WTVT-FOX 13, Tampa Bay
Advocates schedule ‘walk-ins’ to support increase in public school funding
WFLA-TV Channel 8, Tampa Bay
Bay area teachers participate in school ‘walk in’ for public school funding
WMNF-FM 88.5, Tampa Bay
Teachers and allies “Walk-In” to support Florida public schools
ORLANDO / LEESBURG
Orlando Sentinel
Orange teachers to join ‘walk in’ for Florida public schools
Leesburg Daily Commercial
Lake schools join statewide protest over education funding
WESH-TV Channel 2, Orlando
Teachers hold ‘walk-ins’ across Florida to protest education funding
WOFL-FOX 35, Orlando
Brevard teachers to hold walk to push for more funding
WOFL-FOX 35, Orlando
Florida teachers stage ‘walk-in’ protest to push more funding
WKMG and ClickOrlando.com
Florida teachers call for increase in education spending with statewide walk-in
JACKSONVILLE / ST. AUGUSTINE
WJXX ABC 25, Jacksonville
St. Johns County participating in statewide ‘walk-in’ to push increased funding need
WJXT News4JAX, Jacksonville
‘Walk-ins’ set for Wednesday at nearly 400 schools
St. Augustine Record
Local teachers make voices heard during walk-in to protest funding, pay
PANAMA CITY
Panama City News Herald
District staff joins statewide ‘walk in’ for education funding
DESTIN / FORT WALTON BEACH
Northwest Florida Daily News
Teachers hold ‘walk-in’ for more state funding
GAINESVILLE
WCJB ABC, Gainesville
Florida education supporters creates campaign to advocate for funding
DAYTONA / PALM COAST / MELBOURNE / VERO
FlaglerLive.com
Teacher and Support Personnel Unions Set to Stage ‘Walk-Ins’ at 8 Flagler Schools Wednesday
Florida Today (Melbourne)
Brevard teachers hold walk-in to bring attention to ‘funding crisis’ in Florida schools
FORT MYERS / NAPLES / SARASOTA / BRADENTON
Bradenton Herald
Southeast High educators ‘walk-in’ for increased funding
WFTX-FOX 4, Southwest Florida
Statewide walk-in protest to increase public school funding
Naples Daily News
Southwest Florida teachers to participate in ‘walk-in’ for school funding
WBBH-NBC2 Fort Myers
Southwest Florida teachers to participate in ‘walk-in’ for school funding
Fort Myers News-Press
South Fort Myers High educators ‘walk in’ for more state funding
Fort Myers News-Press
Lee, Collier educators join statewide ‘walk-in’ for more state funding
WINK-TV CBS, Fort Myers
Teachers ‘walk-in’ to make funding public education a priority
MIAMI / FORT LAUDERDALE
Miami Herald
Florida Keys teachers plan “walk-in” before school Wednesday
Florida Keys teachers plan “walk-in” before school Wednesday
OUT OF STATE
The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.
Orange teachers to join ‘walk in’ for Florida public schools
