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Thursday, March 15, 2012

4 Education bills that should be vetoed

From Scathing Purple Musings, by Bob Sykes

The editors of the Orlando Sentinel suggested seven Scott vetoes - among them are four which greatly impact both pre K-12 and higher ed. Lets take a look.

School Prayer:

SB 98 would let students lead prayers at public school events. It’d be a new source of division and distraction in public education, and it’s not needed; kids in school can pray on their own any time they want.

USF Poly Split:

SB 1752 would turn a branch campus of the University of South Florida into the state’s 12th public university, Florida Polytechnic, piling more costs on a system already reeling from years of state funding cuts. Supporters say the school would turn out more scientists and engineers — a goal of Scott’s — but Florida doesn’t need to create a separate university and a new bureaucracy to do it

College Tuition:

HB 7129 would let the University of Florida and Florida State University bust through an already high 15 percent cap on tuition increases and sock it to students as much as the schools think the “market” demands. Scott has said he doesn’t like tuition hikes. He should hate this bill.

High School Athletic Eligibility:

HB 1403 would erode the authority of the Florida High School Athletic Association over player eligibility, opening the door to the kind of recruiting wars and roving athletes that afflict college sports. Scott, a convert to the merits of public education, should oppose anything that puts athletics ahead of academics.

Its clear that in each, a significant amount of uncertainty exists. With the exception of college tuition hikes – which can be fairly justified fiscally - each bill was driven by the whimsical ideological wants of a handful of legislators. The counsel of sober, non-partisan professionals in education were ignored.

http://bobsidlethoughtsandmusings.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/orlando-sentinel-calls-for-scotts-veto-on-four-education-bills/

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