Red vs Blue

Remember *hyperlink, click "post"* this post? How I was sooooo perturbed by this guy's decision? Well this morning, I went on FB and noticed a fellow teacher associate of mine had as her status, the names of republican representatives and senators who voted for SB6. She also mentioned the republican reps and senators who voted AGAINST it. Then she linked an article to a republican's letter to the people of why she didn't support SB6.

I told her I like that idea and I was going to copy and paste her statuses and make a note on my page. But then I wanted more.

I didn't want to be the person who only blasted one side for a decision. I asked if she listed both sides, "I want EVERYBODY who voted for SB6! Pubs and Dems!" Before she got a chance to reply, I went to the FLGOV site myself and looked up the bill and how the votes went. I copied and pasted the names in a note then deleted the names of people who voted 'N'. I didn't look to see which party the politician belonged to, I just wanted the Yes Wo/Men

Here's the FB convo between me and the republican teacher.

AvK: did you only list republicans who voted for/against SB6? I want EVERYBODY! Pubs and Dems!

LRL: this site lists everyone in senate and house who voted FOR (you wont find any dems bc all dems voted AGAINST sb6)

AvK: Yeah, I wanted to be fair in my note and get everyone who voted for the bill. The politicians spoke for themselves.

Thanks for the spark, L. I hope your actions and my subsequent one will get people informed of who's making (or attempting to make) decisions for them.

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I'm a democrat. I was raised by democrats and voted democrat in 2000 b/c that's what I was "supposed" to do. As I got older and actually start paying attention to parties and their tenets, I hold fast to being a democrat. I don't understand a party that doesn't seem to have a shred of human decency. I don't understand how being "fiscally responsible" can and often gets in the way of what's RIGHT.

How DARE you create a case to decrease education funding and then complain that the United States is at the bottom of the education world standings?

How dare you lobby to rid advanced degree pay? So... you're not going to give me more 'pennies' (cause that's all we're making) to become a better teacher?

When did it become okay to get rid of tenure? Are you telling me job security is a thing of the past? I understand getting rid of the old teachers who are taking up space and money but what about the good ones who are looking to work for the long haul? There has to be a better way to flush out old, ineffective teachers. I cannot and will not work on a year-to-year basis. Especially when that annual contract is based on gains.

Speaking of gains, if you base pay on gains, what will you do for the teachers at schools who have and maintain As? Their effort to keep a good grade goes without fanfare? Then on the opposite end of that spectrum, what abt those impoverished schools who are already lacking in EVERYTHING (good teachers, supplies, resources, FUNDING)? No gains there so no money for those teachers who are there? Yeah, merit pay sounds good in theory but it just doesn't work in the real world. Not when there are COUNTLESS factors that go into a STUDENT. Parental (or lack of) support and socio-economic status are two of many that determine what really goes on in the classroom.

My next point, like the 1st generation artist wanna be who voted for McCan't, how can you as a teacher support a party that doesn't support you?

It's just really funny how politicians make these decisions. It's funnier how we let them.