Why Republicans Should Be Against ‘s FloridaParent Trigger Legislation
Amidst all the hostility – of which I’ve contributed – in the debate over parent trigger legislation (Parent Empowerment Act) the opportunity to reach out to opponents should not be lost. Having said this, it’s time point out to Floridians and the legislators who represent them that real flaws exist in the legislation and that there are practical reasons not to pass it they may not have looked at. Consider the following:
1. There’s significant cost uncertainty. Analyses of the House and Senate versions aren’t in agreement. Its irresponsible to presume that districts won’t take hits to their already stretched operating costs just in the bill’s provision which requires parent notification in the event a teacher is out-of-field or has been rated as ineffective. The Senate analysis addresses this, but not anything else. In the event a school does go through a petition process, any appeal which follows will be sure to include significant legal costs. As there is no funding attached, Parent Empowerment, like SB736, is another unfunded mandate.
2. The bill does not have protections against out-of-state groups or entities whom would benefit from manipulating