Marco Rubio writing for Fox News criticized the opponents of school choice in an op-ed. I don't think the venue should be overlooked because it says he is playing to a far right base rather than willing to engage in meaningful discussion.
I think the people of Florida should have grave concerns about the direction Rick Scott and the republican dominated legislature have steered education. They have signed us up for an experimental curriculum, common core, that does not address poverty. They have constantly marginalized the teaching profession They have starved our schools of resources, they have put non-educators in charge, look at the make up of the state board and they have created an accountability system that the states superintendents, teachers and parents, feel is so unfair they have rebelled against. In short they have created crisis after crises and Rubio like politicians often do is now seeking to take advantage of them and is using choice to do so. The problem is the choices Florida are offering are bad choices.
Private schools that take vouchers, that's money that would normally have been paid into the states coffers, resist accountability and aren't required to have certified teachers and recognized curriculums. Charter schools, of which over 260 have taken public money and failed often exclude poorer students, disabled students and students who speak English as a second language. Neither of these options despite having sizable advantages like who they take and keep and being able to put requirements on parents, perform better than public schools.
Instead of playing to a far right base, Senator Rubio should encourage Tallahassee to work to improve our public schools, anything else does us a disservice .
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/10/florida-senator-why-am-fighting-for-school-choice-lifeline-for-poor-kids/
I think the people of Florida should have grave concerns about the direction Rick Scott and the republican dominated legislature have steered education. They have signed us up for an experimental curriculum, common core, that does not address poverty. They have constantly marginalized the teaching profession They have starved our schools of resources, they have put non-educators in charge, look at the make up of the state board and they have created an accountability system that the states superintendents, teachers and parents, feel is so unfair they have rebelled against. In short they have created crisis after crises and Rubio like politicians often do is now seeking to take advantage of them and is using choice to do so. The problem is the choices Florida are offering are bad choices.
Private schools that take vouchers, that's money that would normally have been paid into the states coffers, resist accountability and aren't required to have certified teachers and recognized curriculums. Charter schools, of which over 260 have taken public money and failed often exclude poorer students, disabled students and students who speak English as a second language. Neither of these options despite having sizable advantages like who they take and keep and being able to put requirements on parents, perform better than public schools.
Instead of playing to a far right base, Senator Rubio should encourage Tallahassee to work to improve our public schools, anything else does us a disservice .
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/10/florida-senator-why-am-fighting-for-school-choice-lifeline-for-poor-kids/
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