School districts, charters, sheriffs. Who decides if teachers can be armed?

The Florida Senate didn’t have a formal vote on the bill that would allow classroom teachers to be armed on Wednesday, but they did adopt a major amendment that could settle one of the biggest lingering questions of the debate: who gets to decide if teachers in a school can be armed? Read More

FSBA Session Spotlight — April 10, 2019

Today’s agenda includes both Senate committee meetings and House and Senate floor sessions. Bills of interest under consideration today include bills relating to term limits for school board members, parental rights, school choice, local referenda, career education, public records, and government accountability. Today’s schedule is posted below and will be updated to show the outcome on…

Should parents be able to ‘opt out’ their children from having an armed teacher?

A bill that would allow classroom teachers to carry guns passed yet another committee Tuesday in the Florida Senate along party lines, leaving it with just one more committee in each chamber before it reaches the floor.  But amidst the emotional debate surrounding the bill, a new idea emerged that caught the attention of a prominent…

Bill to arm Florida teachers passes first committee along party lines

A bill that would allow Florida’s teachers to carry guns in schools passed its first committee along party lines Tuesday, setting up what could be one of the most heated debates of the 2019 legislative session.  Senate Bill 7030 expands the “Guardian” program created by last year’s post-Parkland bill, by which school staff can volunteer…

Education Department aims to cut wait time for teacher certification

Citing a 55 percent decrease in teacher certification approvals since 2017, Florida education commissioner Richard Corcoran announced on Tuesday steps to speed the process and get more educators approved.  In an after-hours press statement, Corcoran announced he had moved six employees to the Bureau of Educator Certification to reduce the backlog of unprocessed applications. Read…

School districts feel effects of teacher shortage

School districts in Northwest Florida and across the state are struggling to find certified teachers in several crucial subject areas.  The State Board of Education approved a report last week that details a shortage of certified educators in public schools, mainly in math, science and English. The shortage isn’t exclusive to Florida; it has been…

At least 920 Florida teachers fired after failing state test, despite ‘effective’ evaluations

How do you tell a teacher who’s got the passion and gets the results, you’re fired?  “I’m getting emotional thinking about it right now,” said Emily Mixon, a drama teacher in Escambia County who just learned she won’t be able to return to the classroom next month. “My purpose is to educate. I can’t believe at…

The Sunshine Economy: State of Teachers’ Unions

Florida teachers’ unions are planning to sue the state over a new law that threatens their long-term survival.  Unions’ right to collectively bargain for their members has been enshrined in the state constitution since 1968 and state law since 1974. The legislation followed a massive teacher walkout in 1968 — the first statewide teacher strike…