Important voice missing before Florida Board of Education

Teachers, students, support personnel, parents and communities share a unique bond. For a very long time, those partners (or stakeholders) have always known that public schools unite us.

That is why the divisive rhetoric and exclusion of so many stakeholders from the conversations about the future of education in Florida are so troubling. Ignoring major stakeholders is not a viable, sustainable strategy to improve the quality of education in the Sunshine State.

It is time to listen to trained educators and support personnel. Instead of silencing professionals, their voices must be heard. And, as long as the average teacher pay in Florida is ranked 50th in the United States, the problems of recruiting and retaining qualified staff will persist. Our students and communities will continue to suffer as a result.

When the Florida Board of Education meets, it regularly hears from school district superintendents, state college presidents, Department of Education staff and managers of charter school corporations. For far too long, there has been a glaring omission — the voices of the professional educators who work in Florida’s schools. This has resulted in a serious breach between who the state board listens to and who the board is supposed to serve.

It’s time for a change; it’s time for the voices of professional educators to be acknowledged and respected. The best way to serve everyone is to listen. The time is overdue to hear from all the stakeholders. Continued exclusion only demonstrates the chasm between the past lip service of appreciating education professionals and the authenticity of truly valuing their contributions to sustaining our democracy. 

Felicia Bruce, Fort Pierce

Published in TCPalm Letters to the Editor July 28, 2024.