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Outrageous Amendment Filed to Charter Bill SB 524

Posted on March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 by Sue Legg

from Pat Drago

Stargel’s amendment to SB 524 is terrible. Please oppose. It requires 10% of FTE in charter schools before a district that is a High Growth District is eligible for additional capital funds.

Meeting with the Black Caucus in Tallahassee

Posted on March 3, 2016March 3, 2016 by Sue Legg

Monday three of us from 5forChange met with the group of legislators known as the Black Caucus. We had been advised by our local representative, Clovis Watson, that we should talk to the broader black community. He believed they would be supportive of our message about the need to preserve diversity in our public schools. They were. We were able to explain the Citizens for Strong Schools lawsuit and why it mattered to each of us.

These are personal, emotional remarks from the heart by parents of children in our public schools. We represented diversity just by looking at us.

Tarcha Rentz spoke first. She is a former teacher who grew up in our community and received her Ph.D. in Special Ed. She held everyone’s attention. Here are her remarks:

Continue reading→

League President Speaks Out for 5forChange

Posted on March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 by Sue Legg

The Citizens for Strong Schools lawsuit comes to trial on March 14. It will be a five week trial for the soul of our public schools.

Southern Legal Counsel, a non-profit public interest firm, is prosecuting the suit against the State of Florida’s educational policies. The suit contents that the state does not meet Article IX of the Florida constitution: …it is the paramount duty of the state to provide: ...a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools…

You can help. A statewide support group, 5forChange, has been formed that is raising funds and awareness of the issues to be addressed in the suit.

Pam makes the Florida league’s position clear:

“The decades long attack on the Florida public school system by our State officials must be stopped. With support from parents, students and community members, our plea goes to the courts. 5forChange can mean BIG CHANGE for Florida’s educational future.”

Pamela Goodman

President, The League of Women Voters of Florida

Investing in What Works

Posted on March 1, 2016March 1, 2016 by Sue Legg

Many states are struggling with a fundamental choice in improving at risk schools. Do you help communities to band together to bring resources and talent to struggling schools or does the state take over these schools and ‘fix’ them by turning them over to charter management companies?