The AFT Funds Harris, Florida’s Schools Make the Grade & Today’s Meeting at Mar-a-Lago – Top 3 Takeaways – July 26th, 2024
- We are fully committed to this fight. Who is the “we” and what is the “fight”? As vice president, and presumptive nominee, Kamala Harris addressed the American Federation of Teachers yesterday, she did so with the outspoken support of the union that is the parent union of all Florida teachers' unions. Those were the words of AFT President Randi Weingarten as she not only pledged vocal support to Kamala Harris, but financial and mobilization support to aid her campaign as well. It’s a reminder, as we’ll soon be set to start a new school year, that the approximately 150,000 educators who are a member of a teachers’ union in Florida are literally financing Harris’ campaign across this state and beyond. Florida’s percentage of teachers who are members of a union has steadily been in decline in recent years as more teachers have realized the impact of paying dues to a union that doesn’t represent one’s views. Additionally, with the passage of 2023’s Employee Organizations Representing Public Employees law, union membership appears set for a further decline. Opponents labeled last year’s law a union busting bill because it requires local teachers' unions to maintain at least 60% paid members to retain status within the state – something many – including the state’s largest – the United Teachers of Dade have failed to do. But still, based on numbers from the FEA, most teachers within this state will still be paying dues to attempt to make Kamala Harris President of the United States. For all educators who are members of a teachers’ union this should serve as a reminder to reconsider what you’re really doing by supporting the union. You may not be “fully committed to the fight” of electing Kamala Harris but your union is, and your dues are paying for it. Speaking of education...
- Making the grade. Florida’s already #1 in K-college education and based on the results of the annual Florida School Accountability Report released this week, we can expect to extend that streak. There was plenty of good news locally and throughout the state. For example, for the first time in Florida’s history – the entire TriCounty (Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach) produced “A” grades. That includes both the Broward and Palm Beach school districts raising their grades from B’s to A’s year-over-year. The annual report factors in 12 different criteria from classroom performance to graduation rates, and the news improved almost everywhere across the state. Nearly two-thirds of all schools earned a “B” or an “A” (a 7% improvement over a year ago). There were 98 fewer schools that failed to make at least an acceptable grade and overall performance seemed to improve throughout grade levels as well. There were 4% more top performing elementary schools, 7% more “A” middle schools and a double-digit increase with 10% more high schools receiving a top grade. All told, 80% of Florida’s grade schools either maintained an “A” grade or improved their grade within the last year. That’s good news no matter the situation, it’s that much better when your education system is already a top performer. Also, it’s worth a note that yet again charter schools were able to outperform traditional public schools...charter schools received A or B grades at a 5% greater rate. In the words of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr.: We have continued to raise the bar for providing students with a quality education that suits their individual needs, and these school grades are proof positive that our approach is working. As always there are two sides to stories and one side to facts...what Manny said is a fact. The bottom line is that while many on the left have lamented the DeSantis administration's education policies, the proof is in the outcomes. Florida’s education system has never performed better. Parental rights in education has worked. An emphasis on core educational principles as opposed to social agendas has too.
- Peace through strength. Today we’ll see what real leadership on the world stage looks like. No, it won’t be happening at the White House. No, it won’t be happening with the sorority girl who attended a sorority event over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Congressional address. It’ll be happening at the one time and soon to be once again “Winter White House”. In 2016 when the ISIS caliphate was at its peak due to the weakness of the Obama-Biden administration, which had previously called on the Muslim Brotherhood to “rise up” (which they did in murdering American officials while destroying the US embassy in Benghazi and terrorizing the middle east generally) ...Donald Trump instead said something different. He said: I will quickly and decisively bomb the hell out of ISIS, will rebuild our military and make it so strong no-one – and I mean, no one – will mess with us. I would bomb the s*** out of them. And what happened? Trump was elected. He bombed the blank out of ISIS until they were destroyed and no one messed with us...and importantly any of our allies around the world. What else did Trump promise to do as it pertained to Israel? He promised to recognize Jerusalem as its capital. And what did he do against the threats of the Islamic left? Recognize Jerusalem as its capital. So, Americans were dumb. They voted for weakness and for three and a half years the entire world has literally been paying for that weakness in the form of wars, terrorism and innocent lives being lost. Today the world’s two most effective leaders will be together once again at Mar-a-Lago. Will Trump come out saying that he’ll bomb the blank out of any terrorists who target Israel? I doubt it. Will he need to? No. Because they know that with Donald Trump as president, he’ll let Netanyahu bomb the blank out of them instead. What we’ll have today is once again a preview of what peace through strength looks like with the two leaders who have the ability to make America and Israel great again...and the rest of the world safe again.