The Florida State Senate today passed SB 6, a measure that would have a far-reaching impact on teachers’ salaries and job security, by a 21-17 margin. The measure was voted down by all the Democrats in the senate, as well as four Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Paula Dockery (Dennis Jones of Seminole, Alex Villalobos of Miami and Charlie Dean of Inverness also voted against the majority of their party).
The president of the Florida Education Association, Andy Ford, blasted those Senators who supported the bill sponsored by Jacksonville's John Thrasher, saying:
"The passage of Senate Bill 6 represents an all-out assault on the teachers of Florida. This destructive and wide-ranging bill was formulated without any input from educators in the classroom and without any interest in making it palatable to teachers and ramrodded through the Senate by the chairman of the state Republican Party. This bill has more to do with winning an election in November than in any attempts at improving education in Florida. "
This article appears in Mar 24-30, 2010.