Commentary
Support staff are the backbone of Florida’s schools, but they’re ignored in the debate about teacher pay
Most Floridians know all too well the needs of their public schools. More than 300,000 students started this school year without a certified teacher in their classroom. To make matters worse, all four school superintendents who testified at the House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee Oct. 24 said they have more instructional vacancies now than at the […]
For the love and pride of libraries, and the stupidity of five commissioners in Citrus County
Citrus County wasn’t always quite so backward. There was a time when libraries were pillars of the community, providing access to books, newspapers and other learning opportunities. Libraries in Citrus were places that valued reading and the news. Now, the entire County Commission has voted against spending a mere $2,700 annually to put the daily […]
Health care workers wanted: A veteran needs you to work at a VA hospital
Flying home from Florida recently, I was seated across the aisle from an elderly man wearing a hat identifying himself as a Marine. His wife sat next to him and helped him store his cane in the overhead bin. I noticed that at least five of the boarding passengers thanked him for his service when […]
Florida’s leaders love our environment, but they love money more
Florida’s leaders must hate Florida. Oh, they claim to love the place, rhapsodizing on the beauty of our springs, our lakes, our rivers, our forests, our beaches, and our seas. They vow to save the Everglades, turn back red tide, tackle toxic green algae, protect our wildlife, and make sure our water stays clean. Except […]
FL has become a hotbed of academic organizing: Adjunct profs need more than poverty wages
Our society promises that the key to a better life is through college. But over that last generation, many Americans have come to realize that the great opportunity comes with a staggering and often debilitating cost: student debt and low pay for educators. In the classroom, I get to see the hope and promise of […]
I registered and voted. I still have my vote. But hundreds of thousands remain in limbo
On the night of November 6 last year, I was ecstatic. Floridians overwhelmingly voted to reinstate my right to vote. That’s because I am a returning citizen – I have completed my sentence after being convicted of a felony. Amendment 4 makes it clear that returning citizens can register to vote immediately after completing our […]
Dear governor: Ignoring traditional public schools is a slap in the face
Gov. Ron DeSantis met with finance and aviation leaders last week in New York, to talk about Florida’s “business-friendly” environment. He touted the state’s “pro-business tax climate, top-rated public university system and talented workforce,” according to a news release. Missing was a little-noticed meeting on the governor’s Big Apple travel schedule: Friday, DeSantis visited a […]
Gender equality and taxation: The situation becomes even more dire for Florida’s women
In Florida we often brag about being a low-tax state. This is grounded in the fact that Floridians do not pay a state income tax, inheritance tax, or estate tax; and many of our largest corporations benefit from generous tax incentives and refund policies too. In fact, just this year Florida refunded $500 million to […]
Of course there’s a Florida angle to the Ukraine scandal – that’s how we roll
Last week, the feds arrested two “business associates” of Rudy Giuliani’s at Dulles International Airport. They had one-way tickets to Austria. Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman are now accused of violating federal campaign finance law by shoveling foreign money into America First, the big pro-Trump super-PAC. These two run businesses called Mafia Rave and Fraud […]
How do I scam thee? Let me count the ways…
The voice on the telephone belonged to a young woman. “Gramma,’’ she began. “I need help. I was in a car that got stopped for having a broken tail light,’’ she began. “The driver had a fake ID and police found cocaine and a loaded handgun in the car. I tried to tell them we […]
Guess what: FL Gov. Ron DeSantis isn’t exactly a ‘Teddy Roosevelt conservationist’
You may be under the impression that Gov. Ron DeSantis is some kind of environmentalist, the Not-Rick Scott who really cares about Florida’s lands and waters. Bless your heart. You probably believe angels lounge on clouds, cats have nine lives, and Donald Trump’s tan is natural. DeSantis touts his Red Tide Task Force to combat […]
Homestead: Close the detention prison for good — it’s a human rights catastrophe and a moral abomination
On Aug. 6, I and other representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) toured the Temporary Emergency Influx Shelter in Homestead, where undocumented migrant children had been detained. We expected to see how the children were treated, in hopes of bringing some accountability to a place that has avoided public oversight. But, according to […]