Stop the theft of our public tax dollars--oppose FL House Bill 1 / Senate Bill 202.
The scheme to profit off the backs of public schools students is being pushed today in the FL House with HB1 / SB 202
A universal school voucher plan to use tax dollars to pay private school tuition is ready for floor debate in the Florida House.
Friday, the House Education Quality Subcommittee amended HB 1 to match the Senate companion. SB 202 is one committee stop from consideration by the full Senate.
Tuesday in an opening day speech, House Speaker Paul Renner declared the Legislature “will deliver the largest expansion of school choice in the nation.” House sponsor Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid, had introduced the proposal to provide private school vouchers for all in January.
Opponents complained the plan will divert billions of dollars from the public education system and fear it will lead to segregated school systems, with more affluent families leaving traditional public schools.
Sen. Corey Simon, RTallahassee, then produced a Senate voucher plan that inserted into the proposal a review of all education regulations on public schools, and a state Board of Education recommendation of which to repeal.
From Sarasota Phoenix, Issue 2, May 2018, by Jon Susce: “Orchestrated Chaos: Is local school board dysfunction part of larger scheme to discredit public schools?”
“David Brain is the head of a large real-estate investment firm called Entertainment Properties Trust. In 2012, Brain appeared on CNBC to discuss the real estate outlook nationally and with a specific eye on charter schools around the US. He explained that charter schools are ‘….a very stable business, very recession-resistant. It’s a very high-demand product.’ Later on during his interview, Brain was asked about the most profitable sector in commercial real estate investment in the US right now. Considering the gradual death of retail, it was an important question at the time and remains so today.
“Brain’s response to this question was pretty shocking: ‘Well, probably the best place to invest right now is in the charter school business. It’s our highest growth and most appealing sector right now of the portfolio. It’s the most in-demand and the most recession-resistant. And a great, sustainable opportunity with 500 schools starting every year. It’s a two and a half billion dollar opportunity set in rough measure annually.’”
Susce goes on to look at several key people taking advantage of this money making scheme in Florida: John Kirtley of Tampa is one. Susce reports, in 2018, that Kirtley, a Tampa-based venture capitalist, controls a political committee called “Florida Federation for Children” (FFC), which has channeled millions to favored candidates “who in turn are expected to promote his ‘Step Up for Students’ program.” And they in turn are expected to channel money away from public district schools into charter schools.
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