On Tuesday morning in Tallahassee, there was a second hearing for legislation that would allow a low-performing public school to convert into a for-profit charter school if at least 51 percent of the parents signed a petition. For a bill that's supposed to empower parents, the only ones in attendance (save one) spoke out in opposition to the legislation.
The Parent Empowerment bill, better known as the parent trigger bill, was voted down on the last day of the 2012 legislative session. Today, it was approved by a party line vote in the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee, bringing it back to the table in 2013.
St. Lucie Democrat Larry Lee Jr. noted the obvious lack of support from the public.
"If this bill was so popular, it would appear to me there would be more people speaking up," he said.
This article appears in Mar 14-20, 2013.