The Coalition for Quality Public Education

C4QPE Secretary Bill Korson delivered this address at the Collier Legislative Conference 2025 on January 8.

Resegregation in Florida Schools

According to a 2017 report from The LeRoy Collins Institute of Florida State University titled Patterns of Resegregation in Florida’s Schools, “ Although Florida schools achieved more integration than those in most other states, the trends in this report show that resegregation is under way in Florida schools…”.

The report continues: “… after decades of positive integration results, Florida schools have become resegregated during the past 15 years.” “… student enrollment trends in Florida over the past decades show growing racial isolation for Hispanic and Black students . . . with signs of continuing segregation.”

More than one-third of Black and Hispanic students attend intensely segregated schools

The typical white or Asian child attends a school where only a third of students are Black or Hispanic.

Desegregation stalled , In 1995, about 1 in 10 (10%) schools statewide was intensely segregated meaning 90% of their students were Black, Hispanic or Native American. A decade later, one in 5 (20%) schools was intensely segregated. We need further study of the ratio today.

Article IX, Section 1 of the Florida Constitution calls for “a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools”. Section 6 identifies that the State School Fund “be appropriated, but only to the support and maintenance of free public schools.

Today, Florida gives $4 billion, with a capital B, to private schools that can discriminate against students for any reason and look nothing like the ethnic/racial makeup of our Collier county public schools. Here in Collier, our public schools are more than 70% minority while the private schools, last time I looked are almost 80% white. This financial dedication to private, mostly religious, schools that can and do discriminate continues to generate segregation. We are not opposed to private schools. But we are opposed to financing that leads to resegregation.

Former Florida governor LeRoy Collins showed tremendous courage spearheading our state’s desegregation efforts, but much remains to be done to eliminate segregation in our schools. The implications are severe and further research should be conducted to help us close the opportunity gap between students of color living in poverty and their peers.

The Collins Study adds: “To preserve the history of integration in the state and move forward, active policy discussions and conscious efforts are needed.”

It is way past time for the department of education and the Florida legislature to realize that they have a responsibility to investigate the effects that their educational proposals have on the resegregation of our schools, including those expanding voucher programs and charter schools, before these proposals become law.

We challenge the Florida legislature to commission Florida State University to revisit and update their 2017 study and report their findings statewide.

Thank you for your time.

DeSantis signs chaplain bill, says Satanists can’t be school chaplains

Douglas Soule

USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA

Satanic Temple members are planning on taking advantage of a bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Thursday that allows volunteer chaplains to provide support services for public K-12 students.

But DeSantis says that’s not going to happen. “Some have said that if you do a school chaplain program, that somehow you’re going to have Satanists running around in all our schools,” he said at a press conference at a high school in Kissimmee, where he also signed a bill (HB 1317) giving more school access to “patriotic organizations.”

“We’re not playing those games in Florida,” DeSantis continued. “That is not a religion. That is not qualifying to be able to participate in this.”

If such a restriction occurs, it’s likely to result in a First Amendment fight in the courts. The Satanic Temple, which the IRS recognizes as a tax-exempt church, told the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida earlier in the year that it would put school chaplains in Florida if the bill became law.

C4QPE OPPOSED THE BILL AND OPPOSES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS LAW.

WE BELIEVE THE LAW VIOLATES THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION. IN ADDITION, THE CHAPLAINS WILL HAVE NO FORMAL TRAINING. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS WHO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO OUR STUDENTS.

COMMENTARY

Separation of Religion and Government a Local Issue

We call upon the School Board to challenge efforts to 'Christianize' our public schools

Rev. Dr. Sharon Harris-Ewing

Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida

Far too many of the public comments made at the May 3 special meeting of the Collier County School Board reflected the desire to infuse Christian faith and principles into the public education system. Over 100 people signed up to speak in favor of one of the two finalists hoping to become the next CCPS superintendent. Advocates for the candidate who was not selected frequently expressed the view that what is wrong with the world is a lack of “traditional values,” a euphemism for Christian values often used by people who recognize that saying “Christian” might sound too narrow or specific — even when that is what they mean.

The Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida stands firmly for the separation of religion and government. Religious freedom is a foundation of American democracy, enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution. No one, including the government, has the right to impose religious beliefs on anyone else. As government-sponsored, taxpayer-funded institutions, public schools may not impose religious beliefs either directly or indirectly.

Even those who say they value religious freedom do not always understand it. They claim freedom — and privilege — for themselves and their Christian faith. Despite historical evidence to the contrary, they assert that America is a Christian nation and argue that the public schools should, for example, reinstate teacher-led prayer in schools. Although students’ own voluntary prayers have never been “taken out” of schools, at the CCPS Board meeting, one board member insisted that when prayer was “taken out” of public schools, SAT scores went down and have never rebounded. A community member advocated that one candidate should be selected as superintendent because he is Christian and an America First patriot. In an interview the candidate himself commented that many of today’s problems exist because so many people are “unchurched.”

The Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida is proud of our heritage: America is a nation founded on religious liberty for people of all faiths and no faith. We believe public education is a public good, an institution in which students of all faiths and no faith come together to learn what they need to know to be informed and responsible citizens—including how to live and work with people who are different from themselves. In the best public schools students are taught about diverse religions because that will help them to thrive in our diverse world, but they are never expected or even encouraged to believe or practice one particular religion. When school leaders create an environment that explicitly proclaims Christian values, assumes Christian practices, such as praying in the name of Jesus, or blatantly lifts up Christianity as the foundation of our nation, students and staff of other faiths are seen and treated as “less than” their peers. They may be subjected to bullying or simply excluded. This is not only immoral; it is also unAmerican.

The Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida celebrates the fact that our region includes people of many faiths — Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and more. We believe that religious and cultural diversity is essential in building vibrant communities. We believe that all people have intrinsic worth and are entitled to equal rights, dignity, and respect within our society and within our public schools.

We call upon the CCPS School Board to challenge any and all efforts to “Christianize” our public schools. We urge the Board to do everything possible to ensure that students and staff of all faiths and no faith feel equally welcomed, valued, and supported as members of the school district community. We invite all who share these positive values to join with us as we gather diverse faith voices to facilitate meaningful communication and collaboration across our differences.

Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida Steering Committee: Rev. Tony Fisher, Lisa Freund, Rev. Dr. Sharon Harris-Ewing, Kristin Muschett, Rev. Dr. Barrion Staples

FROM AMERICANS UNITED FOR THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

THE REAL STORY ABOUT SCHOOL PRAYER

When the Supreme Court’s ultra-conservative majority ruled last year in AU’s Kennedy v. Bremerton case that a public school football coach could say a private, personal prayer on the 50-yard line after football games, I warned that religious extremists would misconstrue and exploit that opinion to advance their crusade of inserting coercive prayer and religion into public schools.

That’s exactly what’s been happening in states across America this year. Texas legislators have proposed a trio of bad bills that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, allow religious chaplains to replace qualified school counselors, and allow public schools to schedule a period for prayer and Bible reading. At least five states have proposed bills designed to encourage public school employees to pray with students. We narrowly defeated a West Virginia bill that would have allowed intelligent design creationism in public schools. And we’re seeing those old Project Blitz bills popping up that would allow or even require schools to display “In God We Trust” and offer Bible classes.

The Supreme Court’s Kennedy opinion didn’t change the fact that the Constitution prohibits public schools from sponsoring prayer. This line has always been clear: Public school employees and officials cannot take advantage of their power and position to impose their personal religion on a captive audience of schoolchildren.

That’s why we welcomed updated guidance from the Biden administration’s Department of Education this week that reaffirmed this core tenet of public education: Public schools must be open and inclusive for students of every religion and none. This federal guidance centers the religious freedom of public school students, whose rights should always be the first priority for lawmakers, educators, parents and all of us who care about the vital role public education plays in our society.

At a time when Christian Nationalists and their political allies are attacking public schools from every direction, it’s more important than ever that we support public education. Like the separation of church and state, public schools are a key component of our democracy. In our “One Nation, All Beliefs” pledge, we specifically mention “ensuring public education welcomes everyone and respects the religious freedom of all students, and that public funds support public schools, not private religious institutions.”

FLORIDA NEEDS TO INVEST IN ITS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

According to data from the NEA, Florida is 48th in its support of public schools and 49th in average teacher salary.

We need to do better. Please share these numbers and pressure our legislature to do better.

THE COALITION FOR QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION

2024 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Public School Funding

*Increase the Base Student Allocation and State Categorical Programs by at least 5% annually so that Florida achieves a ranking of at least #20 nationwide in PreK-12 educational funding

*Prohibit any new unfunded mandates for public schools.

*Eliminate all taxpayer funding of private K-12 schools.

*Cease all legislative reductions of Florida future revenues until Florida’s allocation to public school funding reaches the nationwide average.

*Encourage the Florida Department of Education to apply for any and all federal funding available to support Pre-K-12 public schools.

Recruitment and Retention of Quality Educators

*Increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA) until Florida ranks at least #20 in national average teacher and educational support personnel salaries.

*Establish the EDUCATOR INCENTIVE SCHOLARSHIP/LOAN PROGRAM which would cover tuition costs for in-state education students and reduce pay-back a percentage for each year the educator teaches at a Florida public school.

*Return to Professional Services Contracts to provide employee security.

*Continue new employment open enrollment in the defined benefit program of the Florida Retirement System.

Charter Schools

(Charter schools are public schools, receiving public funds, both state and local.)

*Improve oversight of charter schools by the elected county school board.

*Deny petitions for new, renewed, or materially revised charter schools operated or managed by for-profit companies.

*Limit approval of new charter applications to those that address specific academic or space needs not met by the local school district.

*Clarify state law concerning charter school governance to assure equal application of requirements and consequences if those requirements are not met or are violated.

*Continue to use state funding, not local appropriations, for charter school capital funding.

Accountability for all state educational funds

*Hold all schools that receive state funding to the same standards and testing as traditional public schools.

*Hold all schools that receive state and/or federal funding to the anti-discrimination standards that apply to K-12 traditional public schools.

*Reduce the number of state-required exams to not exceed the minimum required under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and provide the assessments in predominant languages of non-English speaking students.

Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK)

*Fund pilot programs of full-day VPK and programs for three-year-olds in high need areas.

*Implement legislation for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) similar to HB 1091 enacted in 2018 which currently impacts the School Readiness (SR) Program.

*Use assessment only for the purposes for which they were designed. Quality child development assessments should be used to inform instruction. They are not valid to determine program quality.

*Provide increased funding for PreK students and allow for differentiated funding for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) programs that employ teachers with current Florida certification.

Support One Topic/One Bill Requirement for the Legislature

Nonpartisan School Board Elections.

*Support the Constitutional mandate for nonpartisan school board elections by adding “or school board” to Title IX, Chapter 105, Sections 105.071 and 105.09 of Florida Statutes.

NONPARTISAN SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS - OUR LETTER TO THE PUBLIC

Florida Constitution

Article IX, SECTION 4. School districts; school boards. —a) Each county shall constitute a school district; provided, two or more contiguous counties, upon vote of the electors of each county pursuant to law, may be combined into one school district. In each school district there shall be a school board composed of five or more members chosen by vote of the electors in a nonpartisan election for appropriately staggered terms of four years, as provided by law.

What was the intent of the Florida voters in 1998 when over 64% agreed to make school board elections nonpartisan? The Constitution Revision Commission that year stated: “There is no place for partisan politics in education”. Perhaps they wanted to keep dirty politics away from the schoolhouse door.

But when is something that is nonpartisan really nonpartisan? The Florida legislature, in Title IX, Chapter 105 of Florida Statute, agreed that school board elections should be nonpartisan. The purpose was to make sure that school board elections are about kids and not about politics. Therefore, it was quite shocking that, in Collier County this year, both major political parties endorsed candidates for the Collier School Board and handed out voter information guides at the polls that included endorsed school board candidates’ names. In addition, the candidates themselves indicated to potential voters that they were officially endorsed by the political parties and indicated their membership in that political party. The only thing that was nonpartisan was that the candidates had no R or D next to their names on the ballots.

Well, there must be two very different definitions of nonpartisan in Title IX, Section 105 of Florida Statutes (the LAW) because subsections 105.071 and 105.09 make all these activities unlawful for judges but does not mention school board members. So, nonpartisan for some is different than nonpartisan for others in Florida law.

I approached the Collier Supervisor of Elections, Jennifer Edwards, and asked her if, given the nonpartisan nature of the school board elections, this behavior was permissible? She replied that her hands were tied, and I should approach the legislature.

Political parties have a political agenda and, unfortunately, in the state of Florida, the political agenda is often co-mingled with education. School is about KIDS, not political parties. And it is apparent that people need to be reminded.

I am asking you and/or your organization to join with me and advocate that the Florida legislature add or school board to Title IX, Chapter 105, Sections 105.071 and 105.09 which would make school board elections truly nonpartisan.

Thank you for your consideration on this matter.

IS THE NEW CIVICS CURRICULUM RIGHT-WING INDOCTRINATION?

TEACHERS WHO ATTENDED TRAINING SEEM TO THINK SO!

(As a former history teacher, I contacted the state and was given the link to the slides that were used in the training (which have since been taken down). I surveyed two of the slide programs: Separation of Church and State and the Declaration of Independence. I found both inadequately covered slavery, leaned toward a Christian Nationalist slant and seemed to tie our original documents towards religion.)

Bill Korson

LINK TO THE MSNBC PROGRAM ABOUT TEACHER TRAINING WITH THE NEW CIVICS CURRICULUM.

https://www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-tonight/watch/new-florida-teacher-training-aims-to-indoctrinate-educators-with-conservative-ideology-146432581889

LINK TO THE MSNBC PROGRAM

THESE ARE THE ADDED RUBRICS FOR THE EVALUATION

OF MATH BOOKS

Special Topics

1. Critical Race Theory: Do materials align to Rule 6A-1.094124, F.A.C., which prohibits Critical Race Theory (CRT), in instructional materials?

2. Culturally Responsive Teaching: Do instructional materials omit Culturally Responsive Teaching as it relates to CRT?

3. Social Justice: Do instructional materials omit Social Justice as it relates to CRT?

4. Social Emotional Learning: Do instructional materials NOT solicit Social Emotional Learning (SEL), as these are considered extraneous and unsolicited strategies outside the scope of subject-area standards.

TO SEE THE ENTIRE MATH RUBRIC, GO TO OUR MENU AND SELECT 2022 MATH RUBRIC

Next year, Social Studies books will be evaluated with these same standards. As a former US History teacher, I question how any book, other than "whitewashed" history, will pass.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

THE GOOD, BAD AND UGLY

THE GOOD: Florida lawmakers approved the largest state budget ever, $112.1 billion dollars which includes $3.4 billion in federal stimulus money. This legislation includes $800 million to increase teacher salaries and a large increase in funding for public schools; per pupil funding will top $8000 for the first time - a $384.55 (4.96%) boost for each of Florida's 2.9 million students - bringing per student dollars to $8,142. The Florida Education Association was pleased with the increase which it called " a great investment in our students" but worried about the salary issues. There was also a controversial $200 million into a school recognition program that would go to schools receiving A grades from the state.

THE BAD: The state Department of Education estimates that we may have as many as 9,000 teacher vacancies and almost 5000 support staff vacancies. "Recruiting and retaining teachers and staff must be a top goal" according to FEA President Andrew Spar.

THE UGLY: The most controversial bills involved restrictions on the teaching about race-related issues, sexual orientation and gender identity. HB 1557 Parental Rights in Education – Stigmatizes and undermines existing protections for LGBTQI+ students. Called the "Don't Say Gay" bill, it bars even discussion of these topics in the primary grades and "age appropriate" in other grades. HB 7 Individual Freedom – Inhibits teaching of critical thinking in schools. Subjects schools, teachers and businesses to costly and disruptive lawsuits. Impinges on the right to free speech. Called the "stop WOKE" bill.

Guest opinion: A closer look at public education priorities

Dr. Kathleen Holmes Reynolds and Dr. Sharon Harris-Ewing

Special to the Naples Daily News, March 2, 2021

The Coalition for Quality Public Education, C4QPE.org, is an inclusive group of concerned Southwest Florida residents committed to protecting and promoting quality public education. We work to increase public awareness of programs and achievements of local public schools, and to increase awareness of issues facing education. If you agree with our positions as discussed below, contact your Florida legislators to let them know.

Increase funding for public schools:

Our nation depends on an educated citizenry. Public schools must be provided with the resources necessary to address this critical mission. According to the 2019 Quality Counts Report, Florida’s investment per student is below the national average, $9,764 to $12,756. World Population Review of 2020 data notes that Florida is 43rd in the nation in terms of investments in K-12. In 2008 it was $7399. In 2021, it’s $7,839, a disturbingly low increase of only 5.9% over thirteen years.

Establish accountability for all Florida education funding:

While the funding of Florida’s public schools has been stagnant, the public dollar increase for private schools has been enormous, with tax funded scholarships increasing 119% from 2015 to 2020 ($565,877.955 to $1,240,670,504). While Florida tops the nation in tax payer funding for private schools, now in excess of $1,500,000,000 annually, there is no accountability. C4QPE will petition legislators to hold all schools receiving state dollars to the same standards and testing that public schools must meet. Further, these schools must adhere to the same anti-discrimination standards applying to K-12 public schools.

Establish accountability for charter schools:

The same applies to charter schools; state law concerning charter school governance must be clarified to insure equality of requirements and consequences if legal mandates are not met. The ability of elected school boards to oversee charter schools must be increased, not decreased. While Collier County has been blessed with some outstanding charter schools, statewide there is a different track record. A report issued by the Network for Public Education in 2020 showed that between 1999 and 2017, more than 25% of charter schools nationwide closed after operating for 5 years or less, and about 50% closed after 15 years. In Florida, better than 40% of charter schools closed within 10 or fewer years, and better than 25% closed within 5 or fewer years. This represents massive, multimillions, if not billions, of lost tax payer dollars. Charters need local oversight and support from citizens’ elected representatives, particularly when determinations are being made regarding the creation of new ones.

Eliminate over-testing:

Parents, students, and teachers oppose the inappropriate number of required tests. They divert much needed time for instruction to time preparing and administering tests. The number of required exams in Florida should not exceed the minimum required under the Federal Elementary and Secondary Act. Further, in fairness to all students, required tests should be given in the predominant language of English language learners.

Increase support for early learning:

Research touts the benefits of early childhood education. Success in later years of school appears related to participation in pre-school experiences. C4QPE advocates enhanced support for early learning by funding full day Voluntary PreK (four-year old) programs and programs for three-year- olds in high need areas; increased per student funding for VPK programs; and funding for teachers who hold Florida education certification to be paid at higher rates.

A listing of legislators on Education Committees is available on the C4QPE.org website. If you agree with any or all of the positions taken here, please take the time to let your elected representatives know. Also, please consider joining the Coalition in its work to protect and promote quality public education.

Dr. Kathleen Holmes Reynolds, former CEO — Early Learning Coalition of SWFL, and Dr. Sharon Harris-Ewing, former professor, Dept. of Teacher Education, Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY. Both are currently co-presidents of the Coalition for Quality Public Education, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting and supporting quality public education in Collier County. (www.C4QPE.org)

OUR FACEBOOK

The Coalition is a diverse and growing group of residents committed to protecting and supporting quality public education in Collier County.

What are our concerns? We believe that the functioning of the School Board, staff and administration is being impeded by politically and ideologically motivated groups pursuing political agendas detrimental to our public schools. This adversely impacts our District's ability to follow state mandates, educational standards, accountability and teacher autonomy in the classroom.

We strongly oppose efforts to: censor educational materials and content, divert funds to sectarian schools, advocate any religious belief and shift funding away from public schools under the pretense of "school choice".

What we believe: Public education in America is a national treasure that MUST be strengthened; NOT weakened or destroyed!

Our tasks are: to increase public awareness of the important programs and achievements in our Collier County Public Schools (CCPS); to engage others to constructively support our schools; to assure that our schools remain accredited for the economic growth and success of our community.

The Coalition for Quality PublicEducation (C4QPE) is a 501(c)(3) corporation. Contributions are tax deductible.

Supreme Court Denies Employment Protection to More Religious School Teachers
These cases address when religious schools may ignore all laws against employment discrimination in the treatment of their teachers, under a judge-made rule called the“ministerial exception.”
In the 2012 case Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. EEOC, the Supreme Court ruled that the ministerial exception prevented a teacher at a private religious school from making a disability-discrimination claim under the Americans with
Disabilities Act. In that case, the Court interpreted the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment to grant houses of worship and religious schools autonomy in the selection of clergy. Based on that reasoning, the Court held that it would be unconstitutional governmental interference with religion if employment discrimination laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applied to the hiring and firing practices of houses of worship and religious schools when selecting those who preach, teach, and lead their congregations. These laws, which would otherwise protect workers from discrimination on the basis of
race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other protected categories, thus do not apply to ministerial employees. The consolidated cases decided on July 8, 2020, Our Lady of Guadalupe School v.
Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel, address how the ministerial exception applies to lay (i.e., non-clergy) teachers at religious schools. The cases involved two fifth-grade lay teachers from private Catholic schools in California:
● Kristen Biel was fired after she was diagnosed with breast cancer; she has since died. She taught regular secular subjects but also was required to teach religion
for 200 minutes a week and administer a test on religion every week. She used a religion textbook, taught her students about Catholic practices, and worshipped
with her students. She was required to open and close each school day with a prayer.
● Agnes Morrissey-Berru was fired, after a decade of teaching, when she turned 64. She taught regular secular subjects plus a daily religion class; she led daily
classroom prayers; she planned liturgy for Mass once a month; and she was a certified Catechist with training in Catholic doctrine. The cases asked whether the schools could count these two teachers as ministers,
placing them within the scope of the ministerial exception and thus allowing the schools
to ignore the federal laws against employment discrimination on the basis of age and
disability.
The majority of the Court determined that both teachers fell within the ministerial exception, and thus that they could not bring employment-discrimination claims against their schools.

MONTANA DECISION 6-29-20

SCOTUS Says that States Must Force Taxpayers to Fund Religious Education

In Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the court ruled 5-4 that voucher programs must fund religious schools. Chief Justice Roberts stated: “…once a state decides to (subsidize private education), it can not disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.” Originally in 2018, the Montana Supreme Court struck down the state’s voucher program because it forced residents to pay for religious instruction. A national pro-voucher group appealed on behalf of three parents and SCOTUS agreed to hear the case.

In our opinion, forcing taxpayers to pay for private religious instruction is a violation of their religious freedom. Public funds should not be used for religious purposes – period! The Establishment Clause of the Constitution created, in Mr. Jefferson’s words, a “wall of separation between Church and State”.

Like Montana, three-quarters of the state constitutions, including Florida, have a provision called a No Aid Clause that is designed to protect taxpayers from funding religious practices. While the case did NOT challenge the constitutionality of the No Aid Clauses found in these 37 states, it came close to doing so. While this opinion is limited to this case, the extent of the opinion may apply to a broad range of other situations where religious freedom is asserted. The conservative justices complained that the origins of the No Aid Clauses were in the 19th century anti-Catholic movement (see Blaine Amendment). However, when states revised their constitutions, like Montana in 1972, they kept their No Aid Clauses.

In Florida, more than $1 BILLION of state funds flows indirectly to private schools, 84% of which are religious. We know that many of the schools, like 10 of the 12 religious schools in Montana, have discriminatory polices and promulgate religiously biased interpretations of science, civics and history.

Given this decision, it is more important than ever that we fight all private school voucher programs that divert desperately needed funds away from our public school system.

PUBLIC FUNDS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

Voucher Schools Discriminate

The voucher programs in the state of Florida send over $1 billion worth of public money to private, mostly religious schools that have no accountability. The Orlando Sentinel (1) recently found at least 156 Christian schools with anti-gay views educated than 20,800 students with voucher scholarships. More than 80 of those schools had blatant discrimination policies that deny admission to gay children, expel or discipline students who reveal that they are gay, and refuse to educate children of LGBTQ parents. One school that received $371,000 in state voucher money told a mother, a firefighter married to a US Air Force veteran, that her children were not welcome because the married couple were two females.

Trinity Christian Academy, in Deland, received more than $1 million last year in vouchers; yet it’s handbook indicates that a student can be expelled for admitting to be gay.

Some voucher schools do an excellent job, welcoming all children regardless of faith, ethnicity, origin, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. They not only welcome LGBTQ students but teach that discrimination against anyone is wrong.

But the facts are the facts. Some of the major corporations that redirect their tax obligations to vouchers are starting to rethink their involvement. Rosen Resorts, Fifth Third Bank, and Wells Fargo have ended their contributions. A Wells Fargo spokesperson stated: “ . . . we oppose discrimination of any kind”. I tend to think that most of the contributors would feel the same way if they knew the facts!

Bills have been filed in the Florida Senate (S-56 Rouson) and Florida House (HB45 Eskamani) that would prohibit private schools that deny enrollment to students based on “race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity” from participating in the voucher program. I spoke to all three members of the Collier County legislative delegation and two representatives told me that they would NOT support this bill.

What do we do?

Write our legislators that schools that receive PUBLIC funds should NEVER discriminate against any students based or sexual orientation or identity or any other reason.
Write to the companies that contribute to the voucher programs and educate them about the degree of discrimination.
Inform our school boards, and city and county officials of these discriminatory practices within the voucher program.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-florida-voucher-schools-gay-discrimination-scott-maxwell-20200124-cayfkn2jurbq3crgbd5mhxoyhe-story.html

LIST OF COMPANIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO VOUCHERS IN FLORIDA

3M
AAA Insurance
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
ACE Group Insurance
Aflac
Akkegiant
AmCoastal
AmCap Insurance
American Income Life
American Integrity Insurance
Ark Royal Insurance
Ascendant Commercian Insurance
AT&T
ATIC (Americans Traditions Insurance)
BAC Florida Bank
Badcock Furniture
Barrick
Bealls Inc.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
BJ's
Breakthru Beverage
Brown Distributing
Breitburn Energy
City Beverages Budweiser
Capital Bank
Capacity Insurance
Centennial Bank
Century Link
Cerner
Certipay
Center State Bank
Central Bank
Chris Craft
Cigar City Brewing
Circle K
Covanta
Cypress Insurance
CVS
Dairyland Insurance
Dean Foods
Delta Bank
Daytona Beverages
Dennys
Driscolls
Duke Energy
EIM
Faro
FCCI Insurance
FineMark National Bank
Florida Distributing
Florida Doctors Insurance
Farm Bureau Insurance
Florida Public Utilities
Florida Specialty Insurance
Federated National
Frontline Insurance
GEICO
GEO Group
Gilead
Global Imaging Systems
Gold Coast Beverages
Ground Works Solutions
Gulfstream Insurance
Guardian Life Insurance
The Hartford
HEICO
HCA
Humana
IberiaBank
Interim Healthcare
IWS
JJ Taylor
Johnson Controls
Kingsway Amigo Insurance
Lakeridge Winery
Jewelers Mutual Insurance
KAR Auction Services
KFORCE
Legoland
Lennar
Liberty National Life
Lincoln Benefit Life
LPS
Lynch Oil
Mutual of Omaha Bank
NATIC
Old Florida
Paramount Beverage
Peace River Distributing
pharma works
Philadelphia Insurance Companies
ProAssurance
Prudential
read conmigo
Republic National Distributing
S>R> Perrott
Sabadell Bank
Safety National
Saxon
SafePoint Insurance
Sagicor
SEAS
Security First Insurance
Skechers
Sonic
Southern Oak Insurance
Southern Eage Distributing
Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits
Spirit
Summit holdings
Summit Bank
Tapestry
Tempurpedic
The Main Street America Group
Tower Hill Insurance
Tractor Supply Company
Tylin international
United Healthcare
Universal Insurance
UHS
URBN
US Bank
US Century Bank
USLI
Universal North America
Vector Group
WhiteWave
Walgreens
WestCor
Winn Dixie
Wyndham
Zeno Office Solutions
Zapier
Vera Bradley
Verizon
WM
Value Pawn
Westfield Insurance