The National School Boards Association has given its Florida counterpart the thumbs up in its battle to keep Amendments 7 and 9 off the November ballot.

The group does not plan to file an amicus brief in the case, which goes before the state Supreme Court for a hearing on Sept. 8, because of the expedited filing schedule. But it is publicly endorsing the effort to stop the referendums, which opponents have argued mislead the public as to their true intent.

"If such proposals are brought before the electorate, the measures should clearly state their purpose and effect in plain language that allows the citizens to make informed choices about the future education of their community's children," NSBA executive director Anne L. Bryant wrote in a letter
to the FSBA.

The organization's general counsel, Francisco M. Negron Jr., agreed in a news release statement:  "Although the merits of the ballot initiatives themselves are not before the court, we urge the Florida Supreme Court to consider the huge impact these measures could have on public education in the state and whether TBRC's proposals are the appropriate way to bring such fundamental change."