The conservative attack on teaching begins anew in Tallahassee

There are two hundred teacher openings in Duval and thousands across the state. Fewer and fewer people are going into education as more and more people retire or leave the profession. Teachers are overworked, under paid, put in positions where success is hard to achieve and blamed for many of societies ills. We don't have a looming crisis, we have a current one.    

So what's Tallahassee's solution? Well at least one conservative member of the House of Representatives wants to further injure the profession by stripping away districts ability to give continuing contracts to effective and highly effective teachers (something Duval by the way does not guarantee). 

From the Tampa Times

State Rep. Michael Grant, a Port Charlotte Republican, filed a bill Monday to bar the practice that several districts, including Pinellas County, have adopted.

HB 373 would provide that school boards may not award an annual contract "on the basis of any contingency or condition not expressly authorized." Boards also would be barred from altering or limiting their authority in granting annual contracts beyond the provisions in law. The measure would apply to collectively bargained contracts only.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/gradebook/florida-lawmaker-files-bill-to-prohibit-annual-contract-guarantees-for/2310554

I always find it interesting too, that Republicans claim to be the champions of home rule but continuously tell Districts what they can and cannot do.

I don't want to be to critical of the republican leadership in Tallahassee because after years of a failed testing agenda there have been signs that the legislature is going to dial it back. My concern however is who is going to be left to teach if this assault on teachers continues.