Bait and switch, amedment 8

By, Rocky Hanna is principal of Leon High School in Tallahassee.

As a high school principal, I'm charged with ensuring the highest quality education possible to nearly 2,000 students every year.

This year I've received an education myself in how students can be used as a political football at the Capitol.

During the last legislative session, lobbyists approached me about supporting the legislation that would become Amendment 8 to revise the original class-size amendment. Unfortunately, I trusted politicians not to make cuts to education while providing flexibility, and I signed on to support the effort that became Amendment 8.

I've since come to realize I made a serious mistake.

Amendment 8 was misrepresented to me then, just as it is being misrepresented to voters now.

First, I was led to believe the flexibility in the amendment could be realized only by going to the ballot. This simply isn't true.

Flexibility in class size can be achieved through statute without changing the Florida Constitution.

In 2002, the Florida Supreme Court said that, "Rather than restricting the Legislature, the proposed amendment gives the Legislature latitude in designing ways to reach the class size goal."

This year, the Legislature proved that it could provide flexibility when it granted an exemption from class-size compliance to charter schools. Legislators are determined to force voters to rescind the amendment because they don't want to pay for it

The real eye-opener for me was when the politicians behind Amendment 8 said, "just trust us," this amendment won't mean less money for education, then refused to fund the final phase of implementation of the original class-size amendment.

They're touting a Florida TaxWatch report claiming Amendment 8 would save up to $1 billion per year. And get this - these politicians expect us to believe that if we vote for Amendment 8, they'll still use that money for education.

Don't make me laugh. I'm for flexibility, but not at the expense of losing up to $1 billion in education funding every year

Amendment 8 is the latest effort by politicians to water down, repeal or sidestep class-size reductions. But Floridians, including teacher and parent groups such as the PTA, are seeing through it.

I urge voters to reject Amendment 8 - it is a loser for public education and for our kids.

Note: how many sycophant principals of Ed Prattt-Dannals have the nerve to stick up for Florida's kids, like Rockey did? I will post every single one who does...