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Teacher unions challenge DeSantis agenda, say it will gut contracts

A roundup of Florida education news from around the state
 
Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association president Nancy Velardi, left, signs a contract agreement at the end of 2022 negotiations. Velardi is among several teacher union leaders advocating against legislative proposals they say could hurt teachers' collective bargaining rights.
Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association president Nancy Velardi, left, signs a contract agreement at the end of 2022 negotiations. Velardi is among several teacher union leaders advocating against legislative proposals they say could hurt teachers' collective bargaining rights. [ JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK | Times ]
Published March 7, 2023

The big story: Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken steps to separate teachers from teachers unions, an effort that Florida Republican lawmakers have supported with a new round of legislation.

On one hand, they are moving to limit unions’ reach into the schools, part of a years-long push to undermine the groups that have consistently bashed much of the GOP education agenda. On the other, they’re pushing what they call a “Teachers’ Bill of Rights” aimed at creating new paths to certification and assuring that educators have authority to control their classrooms.

The lawmakers say the measures should help resolve Florida’s teacher shortage crisis. Union leaders suggest that the lawmakers are attempting to undermine constitutionally protected collective bargaining, which could in the long run hurt teachers.

One of the bills sailed through the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee on Monday. Another is slated to be heard by the Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee at 4 p.m. today.

The Education PreK-12 Committee also advanced a measure that would give the governor the authority to appoint a majority of the FHSAA board of directors, the News Service of Florida reports. It further gave the nod to four other bills, the Capitolist reports.

Today in Tallahassee ... The Legislature formally convenes its 60-day session with a joint session at 11 a.m. Also meeting are the House Postsecondary Education and Workforce subcommittee at 12:45 p.m. and the Senate Education Postsecondary Committee at 4 p.m. Each will take up bills relating to university and college agreements with foreign entities (HB 679 / SB 846).

Hot topics

Vouchers: Florida parents have differing views about the value of legislation to expand vouchers and create education savings accounts, WUSF reports. Some like the expanded choice options, while some see danger in pulling money and students away from public schools.

UF expansion: The City of Jacksonville agreed to support a University of Florida graduate-level campus, including $50 million of financing, the Florida Times-Union reports. • Meanwhile, a UF campus in downtown West Palm Beach remains on hold, WLRN reports.

Superintendents: Forty of Florida’s 67 school districts have had superintendent turnover in the past three years, WFTS reports. More changes are coming at the end of the year. • Escambia County superintendent Tim Smith is defending his record as some in the community push for a return to an elected superintendent, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

Social emotional learning: The Sarasota County School Board is poised to cancel state-required character education programs amid parent complaints that they include social-emotional learning, which some state officials lately have demeaned, the Herald-Tribune reports.

Security: The Palm Beach County school district sees a growing need for Spanish-speaking officers, WPTV reports.

LGBTQ student rights: Many LGBTQ students say Florida’s laws on gender instruction have left them nervous to talk to teachers, for fear what they say might get back to their parents, Spectrum 13 reports.

Equity programs: Hernando County School Board members sparred over the value of programs designed to identify more low-income students and students of color for advanced courses, Suncoast News reports.

Diversity: Four protesters attending a University of South Florida rally against Gov. Ron DeSantis’s push against diversity programs were arrested after a physical altercation with police. • Several of the diversity initiatives that DeSantis and Republican lawmakers have demonized lately exist in state law, placed there by past Republican majorities, the USA Today Florida Network reports.

Classroom displays: A state lawmaker has proposed legislation to restrict the type of flags that schools and other government entities may display, Florida Standard reports. The Miami-Dade County school district recently considered a similar policy, as a way to stop the use of Pride, Black Lives Matter and other flags and banners some said promoted a political agenda.

Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.

Before you go ... You’d never guess that Manchester United has the better record this year.

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