3/19/2003
Teachers get more payback, not more pay
One of the more fascinating tightropes Republicans walk is hating teacher unions, opposing teacher-supported iniatives and yet claiming to be on the side of teachers and and education.
On the national level, we saw Bob Dole's 1996 teacher-bashing backfire because he blasted teacher unions in ways always got applause from Republican audiences but sounded crudely anti-teacher to general audiences. Jeb, on the other hand, is always careful to insulate himself with photo-ops in front of (private school) blackboards.
The Legislature this year is in full retribution mode against public school teachers and teachers' unions this year for their support of Bill McBride last year. Notably, a bill has been filed to make it harder for teacher unions -- and only teacher unions -- to collect contributions. The Senate sponsor, Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, justified it citing partisan disinformation found on the rightwing National Review Online Web site last fall. (Seventh story down, below the paint-by-numbers attack on Paul Wellstone.)
Tallahasse Democrat's Bill Cotterell writes about it. As does the Sun-Sentinel. My paper ran a strong editorial that's on the mark, even though some would find the rhetoric (goose-steppers?) a little over-the-top.
Meanwhile House Republicans come up with a flawed but workable teacher pay package, but the governor says "It's not going to happen." Question for free-market Republicans: Isn't a teacher shortage the market's way of saying teachers aren't paid enough?
And administration and legislative types continue to dodge questions about Florida's dead-last ranking in pre-capita spending on education.
On the national level, we saw Bob Dole's 1996 teacher-bashing backfire because he blasted teacher unions in ways always got applause from Republican audiences but sounded crudely anti-teacher to general audiences. Jeb, on the other hand, is always careful to insulate himself with photo-ops in front of (private school) blackboards.
The Legislature this year is in full retribution mode against public school teachers and teachers' unions this year for their support of Bill McBride last year. Notably, a bill has been filed to make it harder for teacher unions -- and only teacher unions -- to collect contributions. The Senate sponsor, Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, justified it citing partisan disinformation found on the rightwing National Review Online Web site last fall. (Seventh story down, below the paint-by-numbers attack on Paul Wellstone.)
Tallahasse Democrat's Bill Cotterell writes about it. As does the Sun-Sentinel. My paper ran a strong editorial that's on the mark, even though some would find the rhetoric (goose-steppers?) a little over-the-top.
Meanwhile House Republicans come up with a flawed but workable teacher pay package, but the governor says "It's not going to happen." Question for free-market Republicans: Isn't a teacher shortage the market's way of saying teachers aren't paid enough?
And administration and legislative types continue to dodge questions about Florida's dead-last ranking in pre-capita spending on education.
