A lesson in saving our schools and our children, Ocala Star-Banner

January 18, 2009
By Chris Altobello


On Jan. 7, the Marion Education Association, representing nearly 3,000 professional educators, presented the Marion County School Board our final appeal to settle the 2008-09 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This concluded many months of negotiations between the two parties, and ended with the School Board denying our minimal request.

We have since read several articles in the Star-Banner regarding the current school budget crisis. Some have attempted to spin our request as just another greedy effort by teachers to get a raise during these difficult times. Let me be clear: The MEA did not ask for one cent more than the county had already budgeted for this purpose, even after making cuts that exceeded the hold-backs directed by the state. My guess is that you haven't — and probably won't — hear that from the powers that be.

For the rest of this op ed piece, click here.

Teachers could be forced to give back to help balance budget, WOKV (Jacksonville)

January 7, 2009
By Jeff Hess

Florida Teachers could be forced to take pay cuts to help fix the Florida budget.
The legislature is considering a bill that would force teachers to take pay cuts if a district's cash reserve dip below 2%.

Mark Pudlow with the Florida Education Association says it is unfair to target teachers for something beyond their control.

For the rest of this story, click here.

Schools to take a big hit in budget, The Ledger (Lakeland)

January 6, 2009
By Lloyd Dunkelberger

TALLAHASSEE Lawmakers are preparing to slash more than $600 million in state support for public schools, community colleges and universities as they move to fix a $2.3 billion hole in the state budget.

Although there are some minor differences in their bills, House and Senate budget committees on Tuesday moved ahead on measures in the special session that would cut:

For the rest of this story, click here.

Florida education faces big cuts, News Channel 7

January 5, 2009

Schools face the largest cuts in the Florida’s budget. Lawmakers will consider chopping another 360 million in education funding this special session.

School administrators are considering laying-off teachers, cancelling field trips, and reducing bus routes to keep up with the proposed cuts.

Florida Education Association Spokesman Mark Pudlow says lawmakers need to eliminate tax loopholes to spare education from the budget ax.

For the rest of this story, click here.

FEA pushing tax hike to save schools, Capital News Service

By Whitney Ray
October 23, 2008

Florida teachers are asking the state for a temporary one cent sales tax increase to avoid further budget cuts. Lawmakers have cut three billion dollars from public education since 2006 to keep up with declining tax revenues. Florida Education Association Spokesman Mark Pudlow said schools can’t take much more.

“We’ve seen some changes. There’s fewer crossing guards, fewer school resource officers, there’s some classes that have been cut. In some places teachers have been laid off, and other staff have been laid off. It’s really going to accelerate the rest of this year. We face more budget cuts this year and a big budget cut next year. You’re going to see these kinds of thing accelerate tremendously,” said Pudlow.

For the rest of this story, click here.

Take a good look at the economy, governor, St. Petersburg Times

By Steve Bousquet
October 18, 2008

While Gov. Charlie Crist campaigned in Miami with John McCain on Friday, more bad economic news tumbled out of his administration.

Florida's unemployment rate remained at 6.6 percent in September for the second month in a row. That's half a percentage point above the national average and 2.4 points higher than a year ago.

That's not all: The budget Crist signed in May is dripping red ink, at least $900-million worth, and will have to be cut again or propped up with cash reserves.

To read the rest of this article, click here.

The State of Florida's Educaction System, WMNF

July 3, 2008

To hear host Rob Lorei's interview with the president of Florida Education Association, Andy Ford, click here.