The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows -- Part 4 (Another PRO-Jeb Editorial)

The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows - Part 4 (Another PRO-Jeb Editorial)

Written by:

summer - a former Dem, now an independent, and a FL certified teacher

Well, class, it may be hard to believe that the last editorial I wrote was dated: September 10, 2001. If you did not read it and you could not find it on my profile page, you can find it here, by scrolling down the page on this URL:

http://bulldogbulletin.lhhosting.com/page8.htm

Because we have witnessed such profound changes in these past two months, I thought it appropriate to resume our learning today, Veterans' Day, Nov. 11, 2001, as such day affords us some sense of familiarity.

We know we honor our military today, as we do every year on Veterans' Day. I do not wish to compare those who serve in various civilian capacities with our military, as I believe our military is distinct in its mission. God bless all those who gave their lives in our military, defending our freedom, including members of our own families. And, God bless all those who serve now and who will serve in the future.

While the military remains separate and unique from civilian life, President Bush's recent speech to the nation about homeland security included reference to several groups of civilians, including postal workers. In referring to them, he used the phrase "those who now also serve on the front lines." His words reminded me of the following quote:

"The only war is the war you fought in. Every veteran knows that."

Allan Keller, New York World -Telegram, 1965

As a FL certified teacher, the war I know is the one I fought in schools, where many teachers, including myself, have worked diligently to provide high-quality, effective teaching to students. And, one of the saddest days I ever had in this battle was the day I read of a certain teacher here in Florida -- Barry Grunow, a "favorite" teacher of a student named Nathanial Brazill. This teacher did not receive a "thank you" at the end of the year from Nathan, but, instead, received a bullet, and died as a result. No, the teacher was not in the military. But, as in other civilian occupations, this veteran teacher died while on the job - and, left a young wife and two very young children. A memorial web page for Mr. Grunow is here:

http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/LakeWorthMS/Grunow/Grunow_Index.htm

What happened afterwards? Well, beyond the outcome of the legal events -- http://www.courttv.com/trials/brazill/ -- there was a request made by other teachers to this state's governor, asking Gov. Bush to please consider the surviving immediate families of teachers slain on the job.

Gov. Jeb Bush timely responded to this request from other teachers. He passed a new law known as "The Barry Grunow Act." This new law allows the families of teachers slain on the job to receive survivor benefits, and other benefits, much the same as the surviving families of a slain police officer or firefighter.

To my knowledge, Florida is the one and only state in this country that has such a law. Yet, other states have also suffered the wrongful murder of teachers. But, it is here in Florida, where teachers have a GOP governor who faced up to this new, potential tragedy teachers now risk confronting in their profession.

After Gov. Bush signed "The Barry Grunow Act" into law, effective June 2001-- ensuring lifetime financial benefits and other benefits to a surviving immediate family of a slain teacher -- the national teachers' union eventually spoke up later that summer.

What is the union's new benefit package for the families of teachers slain on the job? In sharp contrast to what Gov. Bush did for teachers, the union only provides a one-time lump sum payment, called "homicide insurance," in the amount of: $150,000. Not nearly as much as the lifetime financial benefits now available by FL law, thanks to the compassionate nature and fairness of a GOP governor, Gov. Bush.

In my opinion, the national teachers union failure to meet the same standard of financial security and care, as shown to Florida teachers by Gov. Bush, is a national disgrace for that union. A disgrace.

Today's lesson is over. Class, your assignment is this: Evaluate the truth of statements written on a billboard posted in Tallahassee by the FL Teacher's Union. Their photo of said billboard can be seen by clicking on the source link above, which is linked to:

http://www.floridaea.org/NewWebSite/billboardnewsconf.jpg

Keep in mind the following:

Gov. Bush has pushed, and will continue to push, for a Growth Management Plan in this rapidly growing state to eliminate overcrowding in schools, and has done so despite the risk of losing the political endorsement of the Home Developers Association, which does not want to tie new building of homes to new building of schools as Gov. Bush demands; Gov. Bush is not the one who sets teacher salaries in this state, as such matter is left to the local school districts; and, Gov. Bush has passed THREE new laws providing NEW financial benefits to teachers.

These NEW financial benefits are unique and only available for FL teachers - as such financial benefits are non-existent for public school teachers in every other state in this country. To review, thanks to Gov. Bush, FL teachers now receive the following three NEW financial benefits:

(1) lifetime financial benefits, and other benefits, to immediate survivors of slain teachers (as explained herein, in "The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows - Part 4:);

(2) full salary level credit for each year of successful teaching when hired by, or transferring to, a local school district (as explained in "The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows - Part 3" - available at http://bulldogbulletin.lhhosting.com/page8.htm); and

(3) free liability insurance for teachers, paid for by the state. (as explained in "The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows -- Part 1" - also at http://bulldogbulletin.lhhosting.com/page8.htm as well as on my profile page).

Consequently, here's my question for the FL Teachers' Union:

Why are you criticizing Gov. Jeb Bush's record on supporting teachers, when his actual record -- his THREE new INCREASES of financial benefits for teachers -- actually deserves your public praise?

And, class, here's my bonus question for the most creative among you: How would you re-write this billboard to better inform the public what Gov. Bush has actually done for teachers?

The best response(s) will be featured on a new, upcoming web page, called "Educators For Jeb."

See you again soon!

FYI -- here is the outstanding bill signed into law by Gov. Bush in June 2001 -- for which he received no national press or credit, as usual:

------------------------------------------------

FL House 0279: Relating to Barry Grunow Act

H279 GENERAL BILL/CS by Education Appropriations (FRC); Lynn; (CO-SPONSORS) Atwater; Murman; Wilson; Mayfield; Rich; Justice; Fiorentino; Arza; Gottlieb; Frankel; Bucher; Sorensen; Wiles; Gannon; Baxley; Byrd; Negron; Kallinger; Waters; Bowen; Bennett (Similar CS/S 0866) Barry Grunow Act; creates "Barry Grunow Act"; provides:

death benefits re certain teachers & school administrators; provides for payment of certain health insurance premiums; provides for waiver of certain educational expenses for children of certain deceased teachers & school administrators; provides that teacher & school administrator death benefits are exempt property under Fla. Probate Code; provides for funding, etc. Creates 112.1915; amends 732.402. EFFECTIVE DATE:

06/07/01 Approved by Governor; Chapter No. 2001-180

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And, by contrast, here is a subsequent national news article about the miniscule one-time payment now offered by one of the two national teacher unions:

From: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2001/07/25/insurance.htm

USA TODAY 08/13/2001 - Updated 07:55 PM ET

Teachers offered 'unlawful homicide' insurance [by union]

WASHINGTON (AP) - School shootings have prompted the nation's largest teachers' union to offer a special $150,000 benefit for teachers and other school employees slain at work.

While the National Education Association has offered life insurance to members since the 1980s, the new "unlawful homicide" benefit was only approved this year. It will be announced to the union's 2.6 million members in a September newsletter.

The payout for accidental death while on the job is $50,000.

Randy Martin, who handles risk management for NEA Member Benefits, said the new coverage was not the result of any single incident. "It was just the knowledge that these incidents were occurring," Martin said.

"I think it's very good that we're doing this," said Wayne Johnson, president of the California Teachers Association. "I think that it's sad that we need to do it."

The benefit is provided free to NEA members. Families of teachers and other school staff who die accidentally or are killed by an estranged spouse are eligible to receive $50,000.

American Federation of Teachers spokesman Jamie Horwitz said its members have not requested such a benefit, but added that the AFT's benefits historically have mirrored those offered by the NEA. Horwitz said the union would likely consider the homicide benefit.

While recent high-profile school shootings have focused media attention on school violence, few teachers or staff have been slain while on the job over the past decade.

According to the National School Safety Center, which keeps statistics on school violence for the U.S. government, 28 school staff members - including teachers, administrators, custodians and nurses - have been killed violently at work since 1992.

[To FR, from summer: Note -- NO response from the teachers union for the first 28 teacher deaths. NOTHING was done by the union until AFTER Gov. Bush helped teachers IMMEDIATELY.]

Teacher Dave Sanders was among the 13 victims in the 1999 Columbine High School shootings in Colorado. Most recently, Lake Worth, Fla., teacher Barry Grunow was shot in the head by a student he had sent home earlier on the last day of school in 2000.

The 14-year-old boy convicted in the killing faces 25 years to life in prison in his sentencing, scheduled for Thursday.

"Obviously one death is one too many, and I don't want to minimize the importance of those, but violent deaths as a whole are a small, small percentage of overall school violence," said Ken Trump, an Ohio school safety consultant. He said teachers are much more likely to be assaulted at work.

Johnson said school violence has become "sort of a sign of the times."

"It's a sad reality that there is this random violence in the public schools," he said. "I'm glad the NEA is doing it. I hope it won't be used very often, but I'm glad it's there for the families of teachers who will be attacked and killed."

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