February 11, 2011. Five percent salary deductions for FRS, “Thrasher’s Revenge” threatens free speech, Contact legislators!
We’ve improved our schools dramatically.
Our kids’ performance is soaring, from K-12 through college.
We worked to help win Race to the Top.
But in Tallahassee, no good deed goes unpunished:
– Billions cut from the education budget
– Education layoffs and salary cuts to give tax breaks to corporations
– More testing, more power to Tallahassee, more instability in the classroom
The Florida Education Association has always – and will always – strongly advocate for our public schools, the students who attend them and the teachers and school employees who have raised Florida public schools to No. 5 in the nation. Because we have succeeded and because we work to elect pro-education candidates, there are some politicians – like SB 6 sponsor Sen. John Thrasher – who are looking to settle some scores. And here’s what they’re planning for Florida education:
Rick Scott’s budget proposal
- During his campaign and his first month in office Gov. Scott promised education funding would not be cut, but Scott’s budget cuts education by 10% – billions of dollars, including $340 million in cuts to higher ed.
- These funding cuts will certainly result in layoffs throughout our schools, for teachers and other school employees, more privatization, and will lead to the loss of thousands more jobs throughout the state.
- The Legislature underfunded class size by more than $250 million this year and this budget would increase that deficit. So much for the will of the voters!
Teacher quality
- The new “teacher quality” bill, SB 736, is this year’s version of SB 6, and raises many of the same concerns.
- The legislation increases the number of tests that must be developed and given to every student every year – and shifts millions of scarce dollars to pay for these new tests. It will tie teacher salaries directly to the results.
- SB 736 allows all new teachers – regardless of rating – to be fired without just cause or any due process.
- The bill prohibits local districts from rewarding many teachers who earn advanced degrees. Knowledge isn’t valuable? It is in every other profession.
Your retirement
- The Governor and the Legislature want to take 5% out of the paychecks of teachers and school and public employees – not because the pension fund is in trouble, but so they can spend the money elsewhere.
- These proposed 5% pay cuts will harm local economies all over Florida. Teachers, school employees and all state workers will lose salary money, money they would have spent at local businesses.
- Regardless of what people hear from politicians in Tallahassee, pensions for teachers and education staff are very modest (and are subject to income tax). Teacher pensions average about $325 per week, and other school employees get much less – about $195 per week. Teachers and education employees earn these modest pensions through decades of public service.
- The Florida Retirement System (FRS) is NOT struggling or in trouble. FRS is fully funded and able to meet its obligations. The Governor and Legislature say money is needed for pensions, but this is simply a bailout for bad spending decisions by politicians, and is intended to fund tax cuts for corporations.
- Senate Bill 830, filed by state Sen. John Thrasher, would prohibit payroll deduction for any union dues, and would place huge restrictions on your advocacy for your profession and your students.
- Thrasher’s bill clearly intends to silence your voice in public life and end your right to speak out about issues that affect your job, your students and your community.
- This bill is “Thrasher’s Revenge” against you and tens of thousands of others who opposed his bill – SB6 – last year, and for opposing him in the election.
- Thrasher’s new bill aims at nothing less than using the government to silence his political opponents.
That’s not how America works!
On Scott’s budget
(1) These cuts will mean the direct loss of jobs that will multiply across the state and local economies. How does this help the state pull out of its economic woes?
(2) Why did the Governor promise no cuts to education and then cut per-pupil spending by more than 10 percent?
(3) With this huge cut in the education budget, how will the state meet the Constitutional class-size goals that the voters just reaffirmed?
On teacher quality
(1) Are there any provisions in the bill for professional development, mentoring or peer evaluation and review?
(2) Does the bill empower principals to evaluate teachers constructively, or just fire them if their students underperform?
On retirement and pensions
(1) Taking 5% out of the pockets of every teacher, custodian, school-bus driver, police officer, firefighter and state worker is going to have a huge impact on businesses in my community. Won’t this make the economic crisis in Florida worse?
(2) The Governor says state workers should contribute to their retirement because that’s how other states work. But shouldn’t we look at salary, benefits and retirement as a total package in determining fair compensation?
(3) Won’t requiring new workers to get only a 401(K) account weaken the existing state retirement fund in the future?
On silencing free speech
(1) Do you think it is right to try and silence political opponents in Florida just at the time when people around the world are facing down guns and secret police to demand liberty and democracy?
(2) The Supreme Court ruled that corporations and unions could not be restricted in how they spend on politics. So, isn’t this bill unconstitutional?
(3) Should important public policy be driven by one Senator’s personal anger?
PLEASE CALL YOUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS TODAY!!!
FAU EXTENDS OVER SEVERAL STATE DISTRICTS. FIND YOUR STATE LA WMAKERS’ CONTACT INFO AT MYFLORIDA.GOV.
