Monday, April 11, 2011

READ THIS! Rita M. Solnet: The F Word in Education Reform

Rita M. Solnet: The F Word in Education Reform
Rita M. Solnet

Rita M. Solnet

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The F Word in Education Reform

Posted: 04/11/11 07:18 PM ET

It's safe to say that for approximately 4 million teachers in our nation, education reform's F word is now -- Florida!

Last month, Florida's Governor enacted a teacher merit pay bill. Legislators cunningly re-titled it, "The Student Success Act." This law and subsequent bills in queue are being torpedoed through the House. A combination of these bills will certainly dissuade anyone from becoming a teacher in the Sunshine State and, in turn, will dissuade companies to make Florida its home base.

With a veto-proof majority in the Florida Senate and House, combined with an extremist legislature, Florida's children became collateral damage in this grand plan to dismantle public education and sell off huge chunks to giant test companies and newly hatched edupreneurs. Is this a far-fetched theory? As a fair-minded business woman and