GOP urges dire class-size message

FLORIDA TODAY ^ | Oct 16, 2002 | Paige St. John

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

TALLAHASSEE -- Republican Party officials are wrestling with their own poll that shows Gov. Jeb Bush has failed to convince voters that schools are better funded and taxes are lower.

60 percent of voters favor the class-size initiative even when told it might cost $30 billion.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Florida voters aren't being told:

If passed, the Amendment to Reduce Class Size could:

• Result in a significant decline in teacher quality due to the large demand for new teachers
  
  
• Cost the state $27 billion (The current overall state budget is only $50 billion!)
  
  
• Translate into costs of up to $4000 over eight years for each Florida household
  
  
• Require for the first time a state income tax and/or sharp increases in property taxes
  
  
• Jeopardize state programs such as health care, family services and law enforcement
  
  
• Reduce other critical education programs- special education, arts, music, band and extracurricular activities
  
  
• Force districts to rezone current school boundaries
  
  
• Eliminate raises for teachers for up to a decade
  
  
• Cause the use of portables for up to 75% of new classroom space

Coalition to Protect Florida

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Here's what the editors of Tampa Tribune (McBride's hometown paper) said about the "class-size" amendment today: Voters Should Reject Costly Class-Size Amendment. The Miami-Herald printed a major poll showing that voters support drops when they learn the cost of this deceptive amendment. Voters favor class-size plan -- but not cost, Sept. 29, Miami Herald.
Official Price Tag on Class Size Initiative - Florida Tax Watch (BAD IDEA, McBride!)
Money also matters [How CA's landmark law to reduce class size was a disaster for poor students]

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The press and McBride aren't telling the voters that the state's top educational and business professionals are all against this "class-size" amendment. It's a teacher's union enrichment plan. That's it. It does not help the children.

Those who OPPOSE Amendment 9 include:

Florida State Board of Education,
Florida Chamber of Commerce,
Council of Economic Advisors ,
Florida State University Board of Trustees,
Florida Association of District School Superintendents (FADSS) ,
Former Sen. Connie Mack.

[B Knotts]

I would suggest lowering the class size in government schools to zero.

That would certainly result in better-educated children.

[Russ]

If they want smaller class sizes they should encourage
home schooling. Give tax rebates to those who home school.
Instead of putting up roadblocks, reward those who choose
to home school. And it won't cost nearly as much...

[corkoman]

its no use - we voted a bazillion dollar high speed train system even though ALL media outlets decried the costs. We are so dopey. God I am embarrased to be a Floridian.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I promise that this is more a reflection on the Fla. press. They know the facts re. class-size. AP-Gannett is running a pure McBride DNC PR machine in Fla. That's the shame, not the Florida voters who rely on their daily papers and local TV news for info on the candidates and issues.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Jeb's a big supporter of homeschooling and a leader in the school choice movement nationwide...which is why the DNC-press-Union machine is out to get him, imho. Class-size is the NEA's answer to school choice. Double the number of public schools an how will homeschooling and private schools compete?

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According to Chanin (Robert Chanin, NEA General Counsel), "Finally, this type of effort would reaffirm, that despite its agenda, the NEA is first and foremost a union and employee representation is the lifeblood of any union!"
2000 NEA convention, the NEA is a "non-partisan" tax-free organization.

Bottom line, in California the "class-size" amendment increased the membership in the Teacher's Unions by tens of thousands, increasing dues $$$ to the DNC political activism machine. It's fiscally criminal - costing the Florida taxpayers an estimated half of their entire state budget, and doesn't help the children....and no one's holding McBride accountable or telling the Fla. voters the truth.

E-mail Page St.John

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

32 percent believed Bush has cut school funding while in office. He claims spending on schools has increased $3 billion during his term.

The only thing this article proves is that the Florida voters aren't being told the truth about their Governor by the Florida press. See www.jeb.org for the latest news from our Governor and his many endorsements.

As for Jeb's education funding and record, this summary from the Florida Board of Education contradicts Ms. St.John's article:

Under the leadership of Governor Bush, accomplishments for education include:

• FUNDING INCREASES: A four-year funding increase of over $3 billion - 27 percent - which far surpasses Florida's significant student growth in the same period of 10.5 percent. Per student funding has increased by $734, an increase of 15 percent over four years.

• RISING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT: For 2002, student reading and math scores improved over last year. Elementary student reading and math scores improved the most with 3rd, 4th and 5th graders all demonstrating improvement in reading and in math. Minority students also showed notable increases.

• A+ PLAN/ANNUAL LEARNING GAINS: This is the first year that the state measured annual student learning gains, measuring student performance year to year. Since A+ began, the number of F schools has dropped every year, with no schools receiving a failing grade in 2001. With this year's increased standards, 68, or about 3 percent of schools received a failing grade, but only 10 received an F for the second time. This is evidence that school improvement efforts and accountability are working. Just as the performance bar has been raised for schools, so too has it been raised for assistance measures. The Governor's Assistance Plus program will provide failing schools with training and support to improve achievement.

• ELIMINATION OF SOCIAL PROMOTION: Social promotion is no longer an option. Students who show deficiencies in reading before the end of first or second grade will be given intensive instruction and will not be promoted until they have acquired the skills.

• JUST READ, FLORIDA!: This initiative was unveiled in 2001 which prioritizes reading in Florida's public schools and among all the community groups and volunteer organizations that support them. It is based on the latest reading research that includes emphasis on phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. The goal of the initiative is for every Florida child reading on grade level or better by 2012.

Florida Board of Education.

[VRW Conspirator]

...Require for the first time a state income tax and/or sharp increases in property taxes...

The primary reason for this amendment is to double the size of the teacher's unions! The added taxes (and subsequent spending) are the tickle in the Liberal's belly.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Exactly. Doesn't this headline typify the Fla. press? GOP urges dire class-size message, translation: GOP is the only party telling the truth.

This qualifies as an Enron-size example of bad state stewardship = McBride and the DNC/press.

[windchime]

"We're going to have a close election, not because we needed to have a close election, but because the governor's principles have made it so," said Al Cardenas, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. "I could have given the governor a pretty good blueprint to follow where this would be a double-digit race so far, but that's not how he wants to do it."

When Cardenas blames the close election on Governor Bush's principles, is he referring to the governor being straightforward with Floridians on the class size issue?
Do I correctly pick up on a hint of chastisement of the Bush campaign by Cardenas?

It is alarming to note how misinformed Florida's voters are
by the McBride/McAuliffe controlled media. Speaking directly to the voters is the only way to convey JEB!'s message accurately.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

When Cardenas blames the close election on Governor Bush's principles, is he referring to the governor being straightforward with Floridians on the class size issue?

That's my take, too. Mr. Cardenas betraying Jeb to the enemy press? Stay the course, Jeb.

The class-size amendment is the NEA response to the increasingly popular school choice and homeschool movements. Only, class-size doesn't help the children, and it leaves us with a bill we can't afford.

Can you tell that I'm passionate about this issue? Lol! I call "class-size" McBride's Enron-style leadership - defrauding the taxpayers, and the press's Watergate cover-up of fraud, money laundering and extortion.

The corrupt McBride-DNC-press are pushing this con while tourism and small businesses and our state's special security needs - the ports, islands, coasts, swamps and immigrants - all need to be addressed. It's a crime.

[windchime]

"Can you tell that I'm passionate about this issue?"

Well......Yes.:) Quite frankly, I determine my position on some issues by the entity(s) endorsing them. This one stinks from the 'git-go'.

Cardenas does SUCH a good job in all respects that the statement is contradictory to what one expects from him. Public loyalty is the least a candidate can expect from the head of the party. It would be like Marc Racicot telling the NYT that President Bush should have taken a different stance on the Senate version of the Homeland Security Bill, and that's why his approval rating isn't 90%. Something doesn't pass the smell test here.