SB6 Update

I am delighted and relieved that Florida SB6 was vetoed. There was not one of my classmates who was for the bill, nor any teacher or anyone who knows anything about how education really works who supported it. The reaction to SB6 was overwhelmingly negative. If you are not in Florida, this legislation would not have directly affected you, however bad legislation anywhere is a threat to everyone. I found it ironic and somewhat disconcerting that a veto was necessary to uphold the overwhelming will of the people. But, I am happy with the outcome nonetheless.

A friend pointed me to a letter (FaceBook link) from Gov. Crist explaining his decision. I think it's a good read and does actually highlight some of the problems with the bill, though the Governor was far nicer than I would have been.

This is not a political blog, although local and global politics will certainly find its way here from time to time. That said there will be more, probably less politically-charged posts coming up. The semester is ending and new updates are on the way for summer. Remember to let me know what you think in the comments. I always like to hear from you, even if it's just those three of you who actually tune-in to Gamoe.net. ;-)

Senate Bill 6 / House Bill 7189 Letter

Below is an open letter to Florida legislators on Senate Bill 6 / House Bill 7189. I've personally e-Mailed this to all of them, but I would like to share this openly nonetheless. This is a disastrous bill for Florida's public educational system. In a perfect world, this bill would not sound as bad. I mean, paying teachers (or anybody) based on performance sounds great. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details. It always is. What gets to determine performance? Some as yet undeveloped tests, based largely on student performance, again based on another flawed test.

This bill is all about power. Jeb Bush and his friends are up to something. He's just a chip off the old block. And I am sad to say that the Republican party has lost any semblance of principle they had. There are a few principled Republicans who have promised to vote against the bill, but they risk much, as it is a politically dangerous position, and most Republicans are simply going with the party line and voting for this destructive bill.

Here is my letter:

I would like to share my concerns about Senate Bill 6 / House Bill 7189 with you. I am a future educator, currently taking my English BA with a minor in Education, and it is my hope to pursue my passion and become an English high school teacher after my graduation. I feel that teachers (and education in general) are rather undervalued in our society, and are not as well-paid as they should be.

If you ask just about any teacher, who most probably has to stay after class to grade papers and develop lesson plans and often must buy school supplies out of pocket because the school simply will not supply them, they will tell you they do it because it is their passion, and following your passion is a great way to make a living.

However, we *do* need to make a living, and I feel that this bill will result in the significant reduction of pay and benefits to already low-paid teachers. With so many forces against teachers already, putting the pressure squarely on us and basing teacher competence on class performance is a very flawed proposition.

Not considering advanced degrees in salary will mean fewer teachers will have the incentive or means to pursue said degrees, which enhance the education level of our teachers. Consequently, these combined factors will drive good, already established teachers out of the school system, while would-be Florida teachers will either enter other, better paying fields or leave the state altogether. The good teachers will leave, and the quality of Florida education will suffer for it.

Frankly, this is the position I am in. If this bill passes, I will may decide to go into another field or leave altogether to another state which does not penalize teachers for following their passions and realizes the need for quality teachers. With no reasonable job security even if I do my job well, there is little incentive for me to stay.

I respectfully ask that you please vote NO on Senate Bill 6 / House Bill 7189, for my sake, for the sake of education and for the sake of Florida.

The bill will probably get voted on today or tomorrow, so there isn't much time. If you're in Florida, call and e-Mail now, especially these legislators:

Rep. Esteban Bovo
esteban.bovo@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 487-2197

Rep. Juan Carlos “J.C.” Planas
jc.planas@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-3616

Rep. Juan C. Zapata
juan.zapata@myfloridahouse.gov
(850) 488-9550