Florida school districts that have struggled with multi-million-dollar budget cuts and teachers who’ve gone years sans raises are being offered some hope courtesy of Florida’s Republican governor.
Rick Scott is calling on the state’s legislature to approve a budget that includes an extra $1.2 billion in funding for public schools. Some of that money would help fund across-the-board raises of $2,500 for the state’s teachers. The overall plan would also boost per-student funding by about 6.5 percent, according to TBO.com.
"Investing in our teachers and in our education system is the key to our state's continued economic growth," Scott said in the TBO piece. "We made the hard choices to recover and get back on track — now we must make the smart choices to invest in Florida's future."
Scott’s plan, however, has some people raising their eyebrows. Just two years ago, he recommended cutting education funding. Now he’s stepping forward with an olive branch.
Hillsborough County School Board chairwoman April Griffin is among the nonbelievers, according to The Huffington Post.
"I really think this is a ploy on our governor's part to try to bring up his dismal approval rating," the Post quoted Griffin as saying. “We've seen our governor's agenda for the past four years, so pardon us if we are a tad bit skeptical.
“It has not been public-school friendly.”
Whether the governor’s proposal will make it through the Republican-controlled legislature is also in doubt. What is clear, however, is that Scott is up for reelection in 2014 and his approval numbers are anything but stellar. In fact, a recent poll shows he’d lose to former Gov. Charlie Crist if Crist threw his name into the arena.
So, what do you think Tampa Bay? Is Gov. Scott truly trying to invest in Florida’s future or is this just a PR stunt? Does it matter if the end result is an increase in funding for education? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
You asked Harris if he feels good about himself, well I feel damn good about MYSELF because I've fought agaist people like you all my life since my first political protests of my youth through my current old age resistance to conservative mindless, shallow hypocrisy.
You seem to adhere to Conservative values. They are hypocritical because you people think freedom means free to be just like you & any deviation from your view is 'forbodden.' It's like the old, WE CALL IT CHRISTMAS, SO YOU DAMN WELL BETTER CALL IT CHRISTMAS. You may, or may not be a fanatic about what the Winter Solstice is called, but that illustration is a perfect example of White Christian Amerka's (spelled with a K on purpose) hypocritical attitude about everything. I believe in freedom, not the fascist rule of Christain so called family values. It's funny that America agrees with my view & your view is dieing away as Neanderthals, like yourself drop dead. You have a problem with America's direction? As they say in South Moscow TOUGH SHITSKI.
I do care about the economy. My solution isn't the same as yours however. I believe that if the Conservatives drop their 'if Obama proposed it, we MUST oppose it' attitude we can move forward & there would be no problem with th economy. The stock market is booming under Obama now, because they know the climate is right for economic growth. My employer is always hiring & giving raises as our retail stores have run a constant gain for over a year. Last I looked, General Motors, Chrysler, & Ford were still there. You people say we're weak on international defense, but there have been no 911s under OUR watch & Osama IS dead. That's better than your track record of trashing the economy, letting the worst attack on US soil happen & being impotent at getting Bin Lauden. Talk is cheap.
Actually, that's where the Doors took their name from.
You say the truth hurts, but nothing you've said about me is truth. I am white, but I'm not a hypocrite, like most white people. It is racist for Whites to think they are the Master Race. Other races, especially Blacks, have just cause to hate the whites. White culture is the part of Amerika that is what makes us the ugly Americans. I'm not anti white race. I'm anti white race's value system & especially the over the top nationalism of the right. This country only fought one war, in modern times against a Caucasian enemy. That was Germany. They thought they were the Master Race & wanted to rule the World. We couldn't stand for that Crap!! THAT'S OUR (f)'N JOB!!!!!
When I was younger, I was more physical in my protests. I refused to be a storm trooper in 1969 & I didn't flee the country. I just flat out said HELL NO I WON'T GO. I courted jail time to help end my county's war crimes. I contributed to society. I helped save American lives by making the war shorter. If the Government had listened to people like me, the granite wall of Vietnam dead, in Washington would be a hell of a lot shorter.
caution contains F bombs http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iKEZoY-TMG4
I don't write any hate in my comments. I'm not mad either. I'm intense in answering your idiot assumptions you people jump to. Actually, I'm laughing at your idiocy in how you people respond. No one jumps top my back because I am left of Liberals & they too think I'm the lunatic fringe. I'm not bitter. I'm used to what has to be overcome & follow the words of Steven Stills who said that we must fight to change America, but if we can't do it with a smile on our face & peace in our hearts, then we don't have any right to do it at all, because that would mean we hadn't learned anything at all & we are supposed to be some kind of different.
A video I put up on Youtube myself a few years ago. It demonstrates my Patriotism toward making America a better country.