Poll: Education is leading issue in Florida [65% of FL Voters approve of Jeb's One Florida plan]

AP ^ | April 1, 2002 | AP

[summer]

Poll: Education is leading issue in Florida

Monday, April 1, 2002

Associated Press

MIAMI — Florida voters care more about improving public education than any other issue and would pay higher taxes to increase teacher salaries and reduce classroom overcrowding, according to poll released Sunday.

The poll, conducted for The Miami Herald and St. Petersburg Times, shows that 58 percent of voters favor raising taxes to improve public education and 37 percent are in opposition.

The finding places voters at odds with Gov. Jeb Bush and the Republican-controlled Legislature, which prevented attempts to raise taxes to provide more money for schools during the legislative session.

The two leading Democratic candidates for governor, Janet Reno and Bill McBride, also have resisted calling for higher taxes to help schools.

"I think every politician in the state of Florida that's not clearly on the side of measures to improve public education could pay a price at the ballot box," pollster Rob Schroth said. "Voters are very clear about what they want, and you ignore them at your own political peril."

The poll of Florida voters was conducted March 22-28 by Schroth & Associates, a Washington polling firm. The telephone survey of 800 registered voters has a margin of error rate of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Among nine choices, 43 percent of voters said improving public education and public schools was the most important issue. The next-highest priority, improving the state's health care, was second at 9 percent.

The poll provides a mixed review of Bush's record. A majority of voters, 51 percent to 40 percent, disapprove of the job the governor is doing to improve public education.

But a clear majority — 60 percent — says Bush's record on schools alone would not prevent them from voting for him in November. Fifty-four percent of those polled approved of Bush's handling of the economy and 65 percent approved of Bush's "One Florida" plan that eliminated race as a consideration in college admissions.

The poll also found:

—In the disputed 2000 election, George W. Bush would easily defeat Al Gore, 58 percent to 36 percent, if voters had to choose between the candidates today.

—Seventy percent of Floridians — including 50 percent of Democrats — approve of President Bush's performance.

—Fifty-six percent of state residents think the nation is heading in the right direction. When asked about Florida's future, 44 percent said the state is heading in the right direction and 43 percent in the wrong direction.

—Fifty-five percent of voters oppose a state law that bars gays from adopting children. The poll was taken soon after entertainer Rosie O'Donnell bought ads in major newspapers urging legislators to repeal the 1977 law.

Among both parties, voters were willing to tax themselves more to improve education. Democrats strongly support it, 64-32, and Republicans favor it 53-41. Voters also favor attempts to eliminate school overcrowding by 74 percent to 23 percent.

The poll showed that voters' interest in tax cuts has cooled. Only 17 percent favored another tax cut and 41 percent said Florida went too far in reducing taxes and should have spent that money on education and social services instead.

[summer]

But a clear majority — 60 percent — says Bush's record on schools alone would not prevent them from voting for him in November. Fifty-four percent of those polled approved of Bush's handling of the economy and 65 percent approved of Bush's "One Florida" plan that eliminated race as a consideration in college admissions.

[summer]

For more info on this poll, click here.

[summer]

Bumping for index.

[yoe]

"Florida voters care more about improving public education than any other issue and would pay higher taxes to increase teacher salaries and reduce classroom overcrowding, according to poll released Sunday.

You can raise the teacher salaries; you can reduce the overcrowding of class rooms and all will be for naught because the teachers are not educated in math, grammar and the sciences for starters. Floridians should ask themselves what ever happened to the $$Millions that Clinton/Gore said they gave to Florida for education...it never surfaced in 8 long years.

Start with educating the teachers first!

[summer]

Start with educating the teachers first!

Good point. In fact, Gov. Bush is focusing on that right now, with new initiatives to increase the time spent training teachers how to teach reading, and more phonics instruction for teachers so they will do a better job of teaching students how to read.

[abclily]

Education should be the leading issue in every state.

[Phantom Lord]

But but but, the loonies over at DU says that Jebs record on education and the people of Floridas disgust with his education record will be the factor that wins Janet Reno the race.

[Galtoid]

Like the elephant in the living room, Reno's health will eventually be the key issue. She simply won't be able to run away from the publicly known fact that she is a very sick woman, given to fainting spells. Who would choose an unhealthy person to govern his/her state?? This, my friends, is why insider Dems are cringing that she's even running at all.

[Phantom Lord]

But you forget, dems would vote for a house plant if the option was available against a republican.

Dem voters are not the brightest on the planet. I submit to you two words as evidence...

Marion Barry

[Galtoid]

I agree, Phantom, with your assertion if this were a local race where Dems far outnumber Republicans. But, this is a statewide election, and as in national ones, the soft middle-of-the-road moderates are the prize. No way in hell will Reno get the support of anyone except those urban dwellers, known as yellow dog Democrats. Problem for her is that there just aren't enough of those type voters across this very large state.

[Phantom Lord]

Currently there is no reason for me to believe that Reno would defeat Jeb. But let us not forget the underhanded, dishonest, and flat out reprehensible tactics of the dems that they will use to try and defeat Jeb. They will stop at nothing and will not hold back in any way. He lost in 1994(?) because of a single phone call that was made to 1000s of seniors. Jeb Bush, if elected Gov will cut your social security checks. Lawton Chiles won on that phone call alone.

[Galtoid]

But it is good that Jeb is now "on to" the opposition's tactics, whereas before, he was a little naive and trusted in the system. He'll be much better equipped to head them off at the pass, so to speak. Now that Florida voters have gotten to know him, there is no way they'll vote in a woman who has serious health issues, and is soooooo hard to look at. Yup. I admit it. Looks have a lot to do with elections and electability.

[Phantom Lord]

Looks do have a lot to do with electability. But moreso with men than with women. Just look at the lot of dem women in congress. Very few are attractive.

And look at one of John Edwards big qualifications for president... "He's so attractive."

[Galtoid]

Women take looks into consideration when they vote. I know that sounds sexist, but it is true. Jeb is a whole lot easier on the eyes than Reno. Parkinson's disease can be very debilitating eventually, and Reno has done very little to downplay the serious implications of her health problems. This will not serve her in the end. Jeb wins in a landslide.

[finnman69]

BUTT BUTT BUTT....that reflects the nincompoops at DummiesUnderground regarding their 'informed' predictions Reno will win. Actually I have seen DUers call for Reno to back out since some a few of the level headed Duers know she can't win. OPPPS! I forgot, those are sneaky Freepers!

[Irene Adler]

"Gov. Bush is focusing on that right now, with new initiatives to increase the time spent training teachers how to teach reading, and more phonics instruction for teachers so they will do a better job of teaching students how to read."

Good. It's a start. Perhaps the only way to improve teacher education is to infiltrate the colleges of education gradually with "initiatives" in reading and basic math and science instruction, finding out which university professors of education still care about teaching children effectively (I am certain there are still some, there; they are just cowed by all the PC professors) and funding them in their efforts to turn out better prepared teachers. When the PC education professors see who is getting the grant money, and that it is being given out to those who are serious about turning out real teachers, then even they may get the message.

Infiltrating institutions is the way the left has worked for years. Perhaps institutions can be infiltrated for the purpose of good just as well as for the purpose of leftwing evil.

[yoe]

Summer, I have heard that phonics lack several things and that is learning how to spell or look up a word in the dictionary. Home-schooled youngsters are learning the correct way without the benefit of phonics. Any truth to this?

[summer]

Hi yoe, In answer to your question, I think the following article does a good job of explaining what phonics instruction should be: Some Issues in Phonics Instruction.

As for spelling, I can tell you that teachers learning to teach by relying on whole language are often taught not to spend much time on teaching spelling.

Yet, I think that is a big mistake, because there is certainly a relationship between spelling and reading. Students who are good spellers often tend to be good readers. They are not intimated by new vocabulary and are far more confident and interested in new words. Also, they are better able to use certain cues that other students do not know.

As for looking up words, all students should be taught how to do this. But, I can tell you from my teaching experience that a student who has an interest in spelling is the one who will will look up a word; while the student who is taught that spelling doesn't matter will not go near a dictionary.

[summer]

intimated = intimidated

[floriduh voter]

My arm is better. Please put me back on your ping list. If I'm still on it, I apologize that I don't know where to look with the new format. Thank you for this great information that I can share with swing voters and undecideds. There's a page at jeb.org especially for undecided voters.

I'm also going to add Jeb's Bio to my Jeb Bush's Photo Pit Stop April Edition thread. If anybody wants to get on my ping list for that, let me know. I would like pictures, cartoons, comments and short activist updates.

Any word on what happened in Pinellas last night, April 1st. That was supposed to be McLawyer's big kick off in Pinellas. It wasn't on local tv news because his Team scheduled it for AFTER the local news hour. Another blunder by his operatives. 1. 900 Emails 2. Poor scheduling resulting in minimum exposure. We need to start a running list of McLawyer blunders. Two and counting...

And back on topic, looks like Floridians LIKE JEB! Big Surprise!