Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorAugust 6, 2014

My daughter’s report card arrived home last week. Belatedly. She had been out of town and her charter school refused to mail it. My daughter collected it in person. For her, the news was good but somewhat ambiguous. But for us, the parents, it meant more questions than answers. For her classes, my daughter earned […]

Guest AuthorJuly 8, 2014

There is a passage in the Federalist Papers that aptly describes the current situation in our country. “A people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.” Yet, we push aside knowledge-based discourse in favor of partisan bickering. Whether it is the battles over Common Core standards […]

Daniel TilsonMay 21, 2014

Florida is nearing what could be a major step forward on marriage equality. And we have some ugly reminders that the ignorance, prejudice and downright stupidity that plagued us in a dark past, are still alive and unwell today. A ruling is expected soon in a lawsuit filed in Miami District Court in January. Equality […]

Guest AuthorMay 6, 2014

Whoever limited the length of the Florida legislative session did so wisely. There’s no telling how much damage earnest but ideological politicians can do in 90 days. Too often we saw legislators proposing bills to suit constituents with narrow interests. Exhibit 1: The Growler bill pushed by major beer distributors but one that could have […]

Julie DelegalMarch 3, 2014

Officials at private schools that accept voucher students are now “terrified,” writes Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel. They’re worried about some legislators’ suggestions that schools that admit students who pay tuition with tax-credit vouchers should be required to administer the same standardized tests that public schools do. But take heart, private school officials! House […]

Marc YachtFebruary 24, 2014

Here’s a multiple-choice question: How will failing students succeed? a. Common Core b. FCAT c. Florida Core d. Better teachers e. penalizing failing schools f. none of the above The obvious answer, known to politicians, school officials, and most parents, is: none of the above. There are many misdirected policies sold to the public by […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 29, 2014

Is anyone in Tallahassee smarter than a fifth-grader? Anyone? It sure doesn’t seem so and the Florida Department of Education announcement last week about the Florida version of Common Core doesn’t help. Common Core is unpopular with many conservatives — Gov. Rick Scott’s base — who view it as federal intrusion into the state education […]

Guest AuthorDecember 8, 2013

We live in a time in which incessant polling, ubiquitous social media, and 24-hour news outlets register every ripple in public opinion. And for some elected officials, each such ripple, however small, feels like a groundswell as they drift along with no anchor of core principles other than an unremitting desire to please, so they […]

Guest AuthorNovember 10, 2013

It seems like every year a new debate arises on the latest way to “fix” Florida’s education system. The latest example is the debate over Common Core. Unfortunately, we will never truly develop a world-class school system until we discard the current piecemeal approach. True and lasting reform requires coordinated reforms that affect every aspect […]

Guest AuthorOctober 23, 2013

When a man in Revolutionary War garb shows up at your public hearing, you can pretty much count on a downhill slide in the quality of debate. That was surely the case in Davie, Florida the other night when the aforementioned costumed man was abetted by shouts of “Marxism” and “communism” from the audience. Said […]

Tag: common core

Andrew Skerritt: Parents are the X-factor in the calculus of public education

Ed Moore: We need immigration reform because we need skilled workers

Daniel Tilson: Ugly reminders on road to Florida marriage equality

Andrew Skerritt: Ideological politicians run amok during legislative session

Julie Delegal: Voucher students must take the tests public-school pupils do

Marc Yacht: It’s about poverty – STUPID!

Shannon Nickinson: Lurching from one benchmark to another hurts schools

Mac Stipanovich: Leadership memo from Edmund Burke: Get grit

Jeff Kottkamp: Six steps to a quality education system

Doug Clifton: Some Common Core opponents are proof the standards are needed