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2008 SCHOOL BOARD
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
ELECTED COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION/BOARD
OF GOVERNORS — WATCH
SB 2308 by Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey
This proposed joint resolution would put
a state constitutional amendment before voters that
would bring back an elected state commissioner of
education, eliminate the State Board of Education and
return those duties to the Florida Cabinet. Those are
ideas that AFSCME has supported. Unfortunately, the
resolution strips the constitutional powers of the Board
of Governors (BOG) to manage and set policy for the
State University System. AFSCME was one of the prime
backers of former Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham’s successful
effort in 2002 to pass a constitutional amendment,
creating a strong and independent board to oversee state
universities. The BOG recently has clashed with the
Legislature as it has sought through a lawsuit to assert
its authority to raise tuition (currently the lowest in
the country). Although an elected state education
commissioner would be good, the downside of destroying
the independence of state universities is not worth it.
State university employees should contact their
legislators to oppose the proposed constitutional
amendment and to respect the will of Floridians who
voted overwhelmingly to create the Board of Governors
just six years ago.
ETHICS IN EDUCATION ACT — WATCH
SB 1712 by Senate Education Pre-K - 12;
Sen. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey
Although most of the bill targets educational personnel,
a provision adds various sex crimes against minors to
the list of offense such as bribery and breach of public
trust that can result in the stripping of retirement
benefits from a public employee or official. This
provision affects all Florida public employees who
participate in the Florida Retirement System. Currently,
the language only includes sex crimes, but we may want
the wording tightened so that it cannot be
misinterpreted by public employers in way that the
Jessica Lundsford Act has been a headache for school
districts.
TASK FORCE ON WORKPLACE SAFETY — SUPPORT
SB
652 by Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Daytona Beach
SB 967 by Rep. Audrey Gibson,
D-Jacksonville
In 1999, Gov. Jeb Bush and
the Florida Legislature eliminated the Division of
Safety in the Florida Department of Labor and Employment
Security and repealed all of the safety laws covering
public sector employees. Florida law currently contains
no provisions regarding the general health and safety of
public sector workers at any level. Public employees are
not covered by the federal Occupational Safety and
Health Act (OSHA). This has had tragic consequences. On
January 11, 2006, an methanol explosion and fire
occurred at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (Bethune
Point WWTP) in Daytona Beach, killing two employees and
severely burning a third. The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB)
investigated and determined that the lack of federal,
state, and local safety oversight and programs was a
significant factor causing the fatal accident. The CSB
recommended that the state enact safety laws and rules
for public employees that at least meet the federal OSHA
minimum.
The safety task force
bill is a first step in bringing back safety laws for
Florida public employees. The 15 member task force will
make a report to the governor and Legislature with
recommendations for enacting workplace safety and health
laws for the state’s public sector employees.

School Boards VP Greg Allen at the 2007 People
Convention.
AFSCME Council 79
represents noninstructional employees in some of the
largest districts in the state and in the nation:
Miami-Dade County, Duval County, Martin County, Polk
County, Volusia County, Manatee County and Washington
County. School support workers ensure a clean and safe
environment with proper nutrition and safe
transportation, but have been under assault by the right
wing ideology of privatization of services, private
school vouchers and many other bad ideas. AFSCME has
been in the forefront of protecting our vital school
services.
At the state
level, when legislative leaders wanted to force school
districts to spend 65 percent of their funds on
teachers, the AFSCME Council 79 legislative team and the
leaders of school employees were able to defeat the
measure in the Legislature before it ever got to
voters.
At the local
level, AFSCME negotiates great contracts with good
raises and benefits while defeating the attempts of
private business to take over our school services.
School Board
Conference Board
|
Local
|
Employer |
Local
President |
|
2941 |
Duval County
Schools |
Mary Yancey |
|
1584 |
Manatee
County Schools |
Bruce Mohr |
|
597 |
Martin County
Schools |
Lisa Edwards |
|
1184 |
Miami-Dade
County Schools |
Sherman Henry |
|
2227 |
Polk County
Schools |
Tony Blair |
|
850 |
Volusia
County Schools |
Tom Wenz |
|
2633 |
Washington
County Schools |
Cindy Wilson-Zabell |
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