In the Sun Sentinel the headline read, JeB Bush blasts public schools. In the article he was quoted saying both, An ideal system, “wouldn’t start with more than 13,000 government-run, unionized, politicized monopolies, who trap good teachers, administrators and struggling students in a system that nobody can escape.” and “Working with the Florida Legislature, we implemented a suite of bold reforms, Florida went from a national failure to a top-10 state in education.” I don't know what to be more appalled by, his hyperbole or rhetoric.
Who is the enemy he is pointing to, is it the government or unions? Are all 13,000 monopolies trapping good teachers, administrators and struggling students? Isn't there one doing well, even the ones in Florida the state he later goes on to praise does that mean the unions here are okay? Are none of the good teachers in the unions? If things are so bad why do parent organizations usually agree with the unions and finally if there are 13,000 of something doesn't that kind of negate the word monopoly?
Then it would be disingenuous of me to say there hasn't been improvement in Florida's test scores, though many people I know think years ago when we weren't slaves to tests and teachers were treated as valued members of society rather than being constantly vilified things were better. Here is the thing though other states that didn't enact Bush's reforms have seen improvements too and me saying Bush's reforms have held us back from reaching our potential has as much validity of Bush taking credit.
Also what about the citizen driven class size amendment, that the legislature has constantly under funded and tried to gut. Haven't most of our improvements coincided with that? Couldn't we say that has caused our improvement. Former Florida Education commissioner Gerard Robinson thought it was at least partially responsible but maybe that is why he is a former education commissioner.
We do need serious people to come up with serious solutions and unfortunately all Bush brings to the table is hyperbole and rhetoric.
to read more click the link: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/politics-blog/sfl-jeb-bush-blasts-public-school-monopolies-20141120-post.html
Who is the enemy he is pointing to, is it the government or unions? Are all 13,000 monopolies trapping good teachers, administrators and struggling students? Isn't there one doing well, even the ones in Florida the state he later goes on to praise does that mean the unions here are okay? Are none of the good teachers in the unions? If things are so bad why do parent organizations usually agree with the unions and finally if there are 13,000 of something doesn't that kind of negate the word monopoly?
Then it would be disingenuous of me to say there hasn't been improvement in Florida's test scores, though many people I know think years ago when we weren't slaves to tests and teachers were treated as valued members of society rather than being constantly vilified things were better. Here is the thing though other states that didn't enact Bush's reforms have seen improvements too and me saying Bush's reforms have held us back from reaching our potential has as much validity of Bush taking credit.
Also what about the citizen driven class size amendment, that the legislature has constantly under funded and tried to gut. Haven't most of our improvements coincided with that? Couldn't we say that has caused our improvement. Former Florida Education commissioner Gerard Robinson thought it was at least partially responsible but maybe that is why he is a former education commissioner.
We do need serious people to come up with serious solutions and unfortunately all Bush brings to the table is hyperbole and rhetoric.
to read more click the link: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/politics-blog/sfl-jeb-bush-blasts-public-school-monopolies-20141120-post.html
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