Budget Cuts Blamed For Broward Teacher Layoffs

From the House Dems:

Florida House Democratic Leader Franklin Sands (D-Weston) issued the following statement in response to layoff notices being received this week by approximately 400 Broward County School District teachers:

“No one should be confused. There is only one simple reason why 400 teachers are losing their jobs in Broward County -- Republican legislative leaders have refused to adequately fund public schools,” said Leader Sands. “At the same time that Republican leaders eagerly cut taxes that only millionaires, special interests and large corporations paid, they also callously reduced the state’s contribution to schools.

“It is outrageous that Republican legislative leaders are praising themselves for increasing per-student state education funding by a scant $28 over last year,” said Sands. “If they think that’s such a big achievement, they are delirious. All that the Legislature has done is raise state education funding to the level that it was in Fiscal Year 2006-07—or nearly three years ago.

“These decisions undoubtedly will have a severe impact on the future of our state,” he added. “By failing to adequately fund public schools, we are guaranteeing that our state will fail to develop a well-qualified, well-educated workforce for the new economy of the 21st Century.

“Instead of paying for the state’s public school system, Republicans have attempted to dismantle it with vouchers that send children to religious schools and forcing school boards to increase local taxes to make ends meet.”