MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida State Board of Education held its monthly meeting in downtown Miami Wednesday morning, marking its first field gathering in South Florida in nearly seven years.
Representatives from the Florida Education Association and the United Teachers of Miami-Dade held a press briefing to discuss the board’s priorities and what they believe is a lack of investment in public schools.
Union members referenced a recent study that placed Florida at the bottom of all 50 states concerning teacher compensation.
They are now urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to allocate funds from the state’s budget surplus to support teachers and prevent the closure of certain public schools, which had been proposed in Broward County.
However, during Wednesday’s session, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. expressed no objection to the closure of public schools, asserting that it is the responsibility of each district to pursue innovation.
“In some districts, there have been reports of school closures. That’s part of the process,” said Diaz. “Districts must make decisions, and historically, some districts have postponed these decisions.”
“Teachers are investing their efforts every day, but who isn’t delivering? It’s the State Board of Education -- it’s Florida politicians who have overly politicized our classrooms,” said Miami-Dade Teachers Union President Karla Hernandez-Mats.
During the press briefing, union members also criticized the board for limiting their speaking time during public commentary.
Although teacher salaries were not on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting, members still intended to address the board during the public comment period.