Republicans use procedural tactics to strong arm anti-teacher bill through House committee!

This is from my email inbox. You MUST call your Representative in the HOUSE tomorrow!!!!!! Republicans are trying to ram through legislation without proper vetting because they are feeling the heat. This is an attemp to kill a major Democratic constituency. ALL DEMOCRATS need to call the legislature. It only takes 5 minutes!!!


WILL WEATHERFORD AND ANITERE FLORES STRONG ARMED THIS LEGISLATION TODAY. CALL THEM AND TELL THEM THEY WILL NOT GET REELECTED!!!!


We have gotten word that Speaker Cretul is keeping track of whether callers are for or against the House versions of SB6. So please call ASAP 850-488-1450 – and have your members do the same – this bill is moving fast!


After what started as a relatively respectful and orderly meeting turned ugly (see below), the House version of SB 6 (the bill will be numbered sometime this evening – currently it is still PCB 10-02) passed the House PreK-12 Policy Committee today by a vote of 9 to 6 — a lone Republican, Rep. Michael Weinstein (R- Orange Park) joined the Democrats in voting ‘no.’

Ironically, just outside over 2,000 parents, teachers and students rallied on the Capitol steps in support of public education – and against the hare-brained reforms being pushed through this session.

After a battle of procedural maneuvers between Rep. Marty Kiar (D-Parkland) by Rep. Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel) the next stop where the bill will be heard has not been published, but we fully expect it will be moving very soon. As public opposition to the bill mounts, their strategy is to push this legislation through quickly to keep the lid on some Republican members’ votes — who are very uneasy with the bill and the methods being employed to secure its passage.

Remember: this is the priority of the Chair of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) – he is the bill sponsor and he controls the RPOF funds for re-election of Republican members of the Legislature. There has been a lot of arm twisting going on to keep the Republican members in line. Also remember this is Jeb Bush’s education bill.

We need to keep calls and emails going to the Speaker of the House Cretul and the House members! They are hearing us – but Thrasher and Atwater have them locked down. This fight is not over by any means – even if this bill passes and is signed into law. Far too many public education employees, parents and children are depending upon us to stop this assault on our public education system. To find your legislator’s contact information go to:

http://www.myfloridahouse.com/Sections/Representatives/representatives.aspx

Not sure of which legislator is yours? Go to: http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Find%20Your%20Legislators&Submenu=3&Tab=legislators&CFID=188820308&CFTOKEN=81628477

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John Frank of the St. Petersburg Times – Miami Herald Bureau:


House lawmakers get security after hearing teacher tenure bill

A day after passing the Senate, the bitter battle on the issue of teacher tenure came to the House on Thursday and the meeting ended with sergeant-at-arms forming a barrier at the front of the committee room to protect lawmakers.

As time expired at the House PreK-12, Chairwoman Anitere Flores and Rep. Will Weatherford forced a vote on the tenure bill by cutting off debate, ignoring amendments and further public testimony. Rep. Marty Kiar, a Democrat and author of the amendments, objected fervently and tried using a procedural move to delay the bill. But Flores ignored him, prompting an outcry from Kiar and a warning from Flores that she would call security if he didn't respect decorum. The bill passed.

The packed committee room was largely hostile to the legislation, given that public school teachers and students rallied outside the Capitol today. At the abrupt end of the meeting, a handful of security guards stood in front of the committee's dais like guards.

Read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/03/house-lawmakers-get-security-after-hearing-teacher-tenure-bill.html#ixzz0jDFNndTt