Educating From the Heart

Of all the education legislation passed this session, HB 1, the Universal Voucher bill, is likely to have the greatest long-term impact.

In this episode of Educating from the Heart, we are joined by Norin Dollard, PhD, of the Florida Policy Institute and Rev. Dr. Russel Meyer, Executive Director of the Florida Council of Churches.

Together, we discuss both the financial and the moral implications of Florida becoming the latest state to offer universal vouchers.

Episode 23 Show Notes:

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Norín Dollard, PhD, Florida Policy Institute, Senior Policy Analyst

Rev. Dr. Russell Meyer, Executive Director Florida Council of Churches 

Resources

Educating from the Heart Episode 7: Vouchers for All, Buyer Beware--In this episode you'll hear why some Florida parents regret pulling their child out of public schools for a chance to grab a private school voucher.

Universal Vouchers in the News

Florida Won't Tell you What's Wrong at its Voucher Schools -- Unless we Pay $10,413 (April 26, 2023)

Arkansas Becomes Fifth State with Universal Education Opportunity. Which State Will be Next? (March 8, 2023):

Arizona: Half of Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account students left public schools, latest data show (Feb 13, 2023)

What Sweden's Teacher Shortage Says About Privatizing Education. (Dec. 19, 2022)

Sweden: Is Sweden proof that school choice doesn’t improve education? (Feb 28, 2018)

Billionaires v Teachers: the Koch Brothers’ plan to starve public education (Sept. 07, 2018)

Milton Friedman on Vouchers (2003)

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Andrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA President Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit www.feaweb.org/podcast.

Announcer: Sharon: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with teachers, support professionals, parents, and students as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flint.

Tina, Host: Welcome back to another episode of Educating from the Heart. I'd like to open up with a quote from Mark Twain. No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session. I don't know if you've noticed it in the news, but Florida lawmakers have been busy at the state capitol because the legislative session is in full swing and public education has taken center stage. We are moving into the second half of session and look, I bet the majority of the proposals under consideration are related to education. I don't know if you've seen the press or heard people talking about that massive Ed bill that state leaders are calling transformational. So, in this episode we’re talking about Education Savings Accounts or ESAs.

State leaders have renamed them now calling them Empowerment Savings Accounts available to all Florida K through 12 students eligible to attend public schools. But some parents are now asking, where is the promise of education freedom for their child?

Luke, Host: You know, Tina, if it walks like a voucher and talks like a voucher and quacks like a voucher, it's a voucher.

I don't care what the state of Florida calls it. Here's the thing. Every child in the state of Florida deserves to have an education that challenges them to grow and learn beyond their wildest dreams. Right now, 70% of children are already eligible for vouchers, and they reject them because they know the best place to live their dream is in Florida's public schools. What this bill does is it gives an $8,000 coupon to the folk who are already sending their children to the elite private schools where tuition is $25-$30,000 a year. So, taxpayers will now be funding for Tiger Woods children, and Donald Trump's children and all the other children...

A growing number of Florida parents are expressing their opposition and concerns over the increasing list of books that are being removed from Florida public school classroom and district libraries. They say it’s another attack on education that could impede student success and push more educators out of the classroom.In this episode, you'll hear how these parents are mobilizing support and fighting back within their local communities. And you'll learn what you can do to become an education activist and join the movement to regain safe schools and the freedom for students to read, learn, and thrive.

Episode 22 Show Notes:

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GuestsRaegan Miller: Public School Advocate and Parent Activistemail RaeganFollow Raegan on TwitterRead Raegan's column, Stand up for Our Public Schools, Don't be Distracted by Fake OutrageJabari Hosey: Parent & President of Families for Safe Schools-Brevard Countyemail JabariRead Jabari's column, Gov. DeSantis talks of freedom while Florida's schools and children sufferJen Cousins: Parent & Education Activist, Co-Founder of Florida Freedom to Read Project Watch Jen's testimony about academic censorship in Florida to the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights Watch Florida Mom is on a Mission to end Book Banning 

ResourcesPEN America report shows Florida has 2nd highest number of school-related book bansFlorida Library Association (FLA) press statement in support of the freedom to read and the right to free speech. FL Freedom to Read Project on Youtube Public Voices for Public Schools

TranscriptAndrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA President Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools. Be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit www.feaweb.org/podcast.Announcer: Sharon: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with. Support professionals, parents, and students as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.Luke, Host: Hello and welcome to another episode of Educating From the Heart. This is Luke. I'm here along with my co-host. And I'm just wondering, Tina, for your children, was there ever a time as a parent that you wish they had fewer books available to them in the classroom?Tina, Host: No. (laughter) Most parents recognize that reading is important to learning.In fact, most parents would make sure that they, their child has every book possible. Because one of the most important things about, uh, student development or, or learning is exposure. And exposing your children to as many things as possible and sitting down and talking with them about these. That's, that's how you help children mature and grow and develop.Luke, Host: So along those lines, as a parent, did you ever wish that the governor came in and told your child that he could not take an AP class? In whatever it is that he wanted to take.Tina, Host: No. No. Especially if it's an elective class. No, no. That's not right. How I, I don't under, as a parent, I do not understand how an elected official can dictate what my child can take and not take what, what courses?I don't understand what he's attempting to accomplish here. He, he is stifling education in Florida. Basically, he is hurting children's future by doing this, and, uh, I, I'm not really sure why this is happening. We know that there are thousands and thousands of students throughout the state that don't have books to read in their classrooms. Now teachers are being told to remove books out of their classrooms. That's crazy. Who has ever heard of a classroom without books in it and resources to help stud...

Megan Betche has been teaching since 2004. Much has changed during that time; she notes that it is now harder than ever before to strike a work-life balance. The need to see a positive change led Betche to step outside her comfort zone and run for political office.In this episode of Educating from the Heart, we talk with Betche about her successes, her challenges, and her view of what public service should be about. 

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GuestMegan Betche, Seminole County ESE teacher

ResourcesSee Educators Run Candidate Training, NEAHundreds of Teachers Ran for Office, Education WeekMegan Betche Candidate Profile, Orlando Sentinel Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District  

TranscriptAndrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA president Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit feaweb.org/podcast Sharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with teachers, support professionals, parents, and students, as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt. Tina Dunbar, Host: Welcome back to another edition of Educating from the Heart. Thanks for listening. Luke, I have a puzzling question, which I believe you'd be able to provide some clarity. We've recently completed local, state and congressional elections, where we asked educators to identify and select candidates who support students and public education. We urged them to talk with their family and friends to choose the best candidates for their schools for teachers and for support staff, and to talk with those who have some knowledge of the ongoing issues and concerns that educators face. Well, to my surprise, I received pushback from some who stated that school employees should not be actively involved in politics.Well, Luke, that doesn't make sense, especially when you consider every decision made in public education begins with an elected official. I just don't get it. Everyone employed in public service, especially education need to be engaged in the political process to actively advocate for themselves, for their profession and their livelihood.Luke Flynt, Host: You know, Tina, when I started my teaching career, I didn't see myself as a very political person, but what happened is I realized that the over-testing that my students were facing was a policy choice, that my low pay was a policy choice, that Florida being last in the nation and student funding is a policy choice.And when we look at today's current environment, from book banning to the attacks on LGBTQ students and staff, those are policy decisions. And whenever there is a policy decision that negatively impacts you, you really have three choices: number one, continue to support the people who are making those policy choices.And for me, that was untenable. Number two, just go in the classroom and teach, and this is what a lot of teachers like to do, and ignore the policy choices. But that was untenable too, because it matters to me more than just what happens in my classroom, in a state where all children can thrive, we really have to make choice number three, which is to actively, consistently, year-round, oppose any policy that hurts children and lift up policies that support every child in Florida.Tina: Yeah, that's it. It's those decisions and policy choices directed by politicians that have left many teachers and support staff feeling ignored, undervalued, and unsupported.Many of our past guests have mentioned this as a major concern for all educators. You know,

Like most Floridians, Charlie Crist and Karla Hernandez believe every child in Florida should have the freedom to learn and to thrive. Together, they have a plan to improve the lives of Florida's students and educators alike. In this month’s episode of Educating from the Heart, we talk with them about how they will increase educators’ pay and retirement benefits and lower healthcare costs while also making sure educators have the time, resources and freedom they need to do their jobs.

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Guests Congressman Charlie Crist, candidate for governor United Teachers of Dade President Karla Hernandez, candidate for lieutenant governor  

Resources Crist/Hernandez Freedom to Learn plan'Parental Rights' movement leaves out these Florida parents  (USA Today)Ron DeSantis targets teachers with demagoguing and fear-mongering (Florida Politics) Gov. Ron DeSantis leads a nationwide shift to politicize school board races (Georgia Public Broadcasting)Protecting Public Education in the 2022 Election (NEA)

Transcript Andrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA president Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit FEAweb.org/podcast. Sharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with support professionals, parents and students as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt. Tina Dunbar, Host: Welcome back to Educating from the Heart. I'm Tina here with Luke, and we've been spending a lot of time thinking about voting, and we're watching for our vote by mail ballots. Luke, have you received your mail ballot?Luke Flynt, Host: I am so excited, Tina, because not only have I received my vote by mail ballot, on my ballot are two people at the top of the ticket who we know will support students, educators, and public education. We sat down with them recently for episode 20 of our podcast with Charlie Crist and Karla Hernandez.  Tina: FEA President Andrew Spar kicks off our podcast conversation.Andrew Spar, FEA President: So, it is so exciting today to have the next governor of the state of Florida join us, Charlie Crist. And as an educator what we know about Charlie Crist is when he was governor, he chose to stand on the side of teachers, staff, and students in the state of Florida at a really crucial point in public education in the state of Florida. He understands the importance of pay, being able to pay your rent, pay for your bills. He understands the importance of making sure you have the right to do your job in the classroom.He's someone who wants to stop the teacher and staff bashing and lift up those of us who work in our public schools. And so much so that he put a teacher on the ticket. So, Congressman Crist, why'd you put a teacher on the ticket?Congressman, Charlie Crist: Because I'm smart. No, seriously, Andrew, thank you so much. It's great to be with you and your membership and teachers all across the state and, you know, people that help out in so many other ways in the cafeteria and helping get our kids to school safely.You know, we have a shortage right now, 9,000 when you couple teachers and support staff together. And that's just a crying shame to me. And by picking Karla to be the lieutenant governor, the next lieutenant governor of Florida, I wanted to make a statement about how important teachers are, the difference they make in our lives and the lives of our children is significant,

We kick off this year in conversation with Alex McKean, an art teacher from St. Johns County. As you’ll hear her explain, even pre-kindergarten art class is not immune from the culture wars certain politicians are waging on public education.Nonetheless, she has a hopeful vision for the future and works to make sure her art classroom is a place where all students have fun while learning new skills and gain confidence in themselves.

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GuestAlex McKean, Art teacher, St. Johns County

ResourcesArts Curriculum – St. Johns County School District (stjohns.k12.fl.us)Visual Arts Resources (fldoe.org)Arts in Education - Division of Arts and Culture - Florida Department of State (myflorida.com)Arts Education Matters: We Know, We Measured It (Opinion) (edweek.org)The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal StudiesNew evidence of the benefits of arts education (brookings.edu)

TranscriptAndrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA president Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit feaweb.org/podcast  Sharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with teachers, support professionals, parents, and students, as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.  Tina Dunbar: Welcome back to another new season of Educating from the Heart. I'm Tina, here with my cohost, Luke. And we’re kicking off the start of a brand-new school year, as close to 3 million Florida students head back to their classrooms. And I bet you can relate to this, Luke. This is an exciting and busy time of the year for parents, students, and for teachers too.Luke Flynt: You are absolutely right, Tina. As a teacher, there was nothing more exciting to me than the start of a new school year. the first day of school was one of my favorite days of the entire calendar year. It was actually my favorite time of the entire calendar year. There was just no other time where you have that sense of joy and hope and optimism of what a new year can bring. I also really looked forward to the start of a new school year as a student.In particular, I looked forward to my band class with Mr. Sammons. He did such a great job of creating a sense of community, a sense of camaraderie that we all wanted to be back together at the start of a new school year.Tina: That sounds like a really wonderful experience, you know, as a parent, it's all about preparing your child for school and completing all the paperwork at the beginning of the school year. And with the recent changes to the law, I anticipate parents will face numerous permission slips this year to allow use of a Band-Aid to lunch selections, even nicknames a student may share with their classmates.Times have really changed, Luke, but my best memories date back to when I was a student. Back to school was filled with so much anticipation. You wanted to check out the new students, the changes in the school building, and the teachers leading your classes. My art teacher Marilyn Price still stands out. She taught me to spend time in reflection and how to process events in the world around me. You know, back then teachers were free to openly talk with their students and answer questions that made you think and expand your curiosity.I truly believe her influence helped me to excel in school. You know, these days, Luke, we really downplay the importance of art and music to student learning and achievement. They weren't afraid to answer questions.

As the third Covid-impacted school year draws to a close, we sat down with two experienced teachers to get their take on this school year and the importance of cultivating positive relationships with parents and students.It's a heartwarming discussion that highlights the passion and dedication of Florida's teachers and shines a light on the value of experience. 

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GuestsMorgan Mousley, English teacher, Creekside High School, St. Augustine Megan Young, English teacher, Tocio Creek High School, St. AugustineResourcesJoin your local union Future Educators of AmericaFEA's 2022 Legislative Session Report 

TranscriptAndrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA President, Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit FEAweb.org/podcast.Sharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with support professionals, parents and students as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.Tina Dunbar, Host: Hello, and welcome back to Educating from the Heart. I'm Tina here with my co-host, Luke.Luke Flynt, Host: Hey, Tina.  Tina: Well, Luke, you know, May is a very special month for teachers, and I'm not referring to the end of the school year or summer vacation. I'm talking about a special event that encourages us to pause for a moment and reflect on the people who work in our schools and contribute so much to our children's lives.And while that moment is only a week showing teachers and all educators that we appreciate their work is an act that needs to occur throughout the school year. Of course, Luke, we all know that showing a little gratitude and appreciation really goes a long way.Luke: It really does. And showing that appreciation is important, perhaps now more than ever because when you talk with teachers, you will hear that so many of them, especially experienced educators, feel that this year has been the most difficult of their careers. Between the stress of teaching during a global pandemic, the seemingly endless attacks from certain politicians, outrageous testing policies that negatively impact teaching and outside groups trying to form a wedge between parents and teachers, I can certainly understand why this year has been so hard.Tina: And to complicate the situation, some parents who homeschooled their children during the pandemic now believe they know the teaching experience and understand the pressure points and frustrations that classroom teachers face.  Yet during many of our podcasts, Luke, you know our listeners heard from teachers who shared their feelings of being misunderstood, unheard and above all disrespected. Teachers have told us one of the main reasons they walk away is poor working conditions, unreasonable demands, and an unrealistic expectation that they face each and every day. You know, if we really care about our educators, then we ought to recognize working under these conditions could make the job unbearable for even the best teachers.Luke: Oh, absolutely. It is important to remember though, despite all of the loud voices screaming at school board meetings, the rhetoric coming from the governor's office, parents still rate their public schools very highly, and they have respect and admiration for their children's teachers.Tina: And that is so true. As we move through the waning weeks of the school year, we figured this would be the perfect time for our listeners to meet a...

While education should not be partisan, it is most definitely political. From dictating what can, and cannot, be taught to developing laws that constrain pay raises for experienced teachers, politicians have inserted themselves into every aspect of public education in Florida.For the past few legislative sessions, members of FEA’s Republican Cadre have been working to build relationships with their legislators in the hopes of influencing legislation in a positive way.On this episode of Educating from the Heart, we sit down with three members of the cadre to discuss their challenges and successes and the importance of every educator joining in union to advocate for what is best for students.

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GuestsMary Rivera, Marion County Middle School ELA teacher Shiela Watson, Suwannee County PreK-MTSS Coordinator Patrick Strong, President Okaloosa Education Staff Professionals 

ResourcesFEA's 2022 Voter ToolkitLearn more about the 2022 legislative session by read FEA's 2022 End of Session ReportLook up your elected officials hereFEA's 2022 Legislative Agenda

Transcript Andrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA president Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit  feaweb.org/podcastSharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with teachers, support professionals, parents, and students, as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.Tina Dunbar, Host: Welcome back! I’m Tina here with Luke. So good to be with you again.Luke Flynt, Host: Always great to be with you, Tina. We have made it through another legislative session. Again, this year education was a focus of the governor and of lawmakers and the partisan divide was quite evident, especially when it comes to issues dealing with race, gender, and sexual orientation.Tina: Yes. This session was a bit unusual, especially being a year in which many of these legislators, including the governor, are up for reelection. Normally, it's business as usual: legislators, rush in, quickly move through session and head straight to the campaign trail, but it was quite different this year.I'm telling you, Luke, Florida is caught up in this nationwide trend of public education attacks. And parents are being used as a tool to create a major divide between educators and the communities where they work and live. Even worse, the result could have a negative impact on students, teachers and the entire school community.It's why it's so important for all school employees to feel empowered, to speak up and advocate for themselves throughout the school year, talking about what's going on in their schools and what's happening with their students. It doesn't matter if you’re new to the job or you’re experienced, if you're a teacher, a custodian, or if you're a Democrat or Republican.Luke: Absolutely. It is so important that every educator speak up, but they should not do it alone. It is so helpful to have a strong group of supporters or an organization like the FEA and its local affiliates standing beside them. On this episode we'll talk with a group of Republican educators who chose to join their union and work with other like-minded colleagues to raise awareness and redirect education policy.Mary Rivera, Patrick Strong, and Sheila Watson are all educators and members of FEA's Republican cadre. The three of them are focused on influencing legislation as they advocat...

Our conversation about testing was so robust that we broke it into two parts. Did you miss the first part of "Assess the Test"? Listen to it here.The impact standardized testing has on students, educators and school communities extends long beyond test day.In Part II of Assess the Test, we move beyond talking about the tests themselves and discuss the overall accountability system.Join us for this exploration of how 20 years of "accountability" in Florida have drained the joy out of teaching and learning.

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GuestsAnthony Colucci, President Brevard Federation of TeachersVicki Kidwell, President Clay County Education Association Bethany Koch, High school English teacher from Clay CountyMatt Yount, Teacher from Brevard County

ResourcesMore information on the legislation that will create the new testsBeyond the Bubble: Americans Want Change on High Stakes Assessments Moving Beyond the Failure of Test-Based AccountabilityFlorida Department of Education: Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (note: many of the promises made on this webpage about the new test are not included in the proposed legislation)

TranscriptAndrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA president Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit FEAweb.org/podcast.Sharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with support professionals, parents and students as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.Luke Flynt, Host: Welcome to another episode of Educating from the Heart. I am Luke Flynt, along with my cohost, Tina Dunbar. And Tina, you know, schools are the place where a childhood happens, where students get to explore their creativity, learn to think critically and develop the skills they will need to succeed in life and in the workplace. Or at least that's what they should be.Tina Dunbar, Host: You're so right, Luke. And in our last episode, we chatted with four educators about Florida's transition away from the FSA to a new testing system. While many educators are excited about the shift, many also shared their concern that this might be more of the same, a new name without major changes to the test itself.In the second part of our conversation, we'll focus less on the tests themselves and more on the overall accountability system. Our educators even address how testing has transformed our schools from places of joy and creativity to a place filled with anxiety due to the intense focus on standardized assessments.You know, Luke, you are so right. Life is so much more than knowing the right answers to a series of multiple-choice questions.Luke: It absolutely is. There is so much about our students that cannot be measured but is still very important to know. Part two of Assessing the Test begins with Bethany Koch sharing her love for English and how it can enrich the lives of all students. But she also shares the reality that Florida's fixation on testing has had in her classroom, as well as the classroom of many of her colleagues, where the love for teaching and learning has been replaced with dread.Bethany Koch, HS English teacher: I think one of the most heartbreaking, and someone that loves English, right? Like I went into this because I love English. I love books. But one of the most heartbreaking consequences of the FSA is that it is effectively killing some of the things that students and teachers love about o...

Don't miss part 2 of "Assess The Test": Our conversation about testing was so robust that we decided to continue it to a second episode. Listen to the 2nd part of here.Change is coming to Florida's system of standardized testing. Parents, students and educators alike are wondering if we will see the significant changes that are needed to create a system that actually works towards improving teaching and learning or if this will be just the same old testing regime with a new name.  Join us for part one of a two part series where we Assess the Test.

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GuestsAnthony Colucci, President Brevard Federation of TeachersVicki Kidwell, President Clay County Education Association Bethany Koch, High school English teacher from Clay CountyMatt Yount, Teacher from Brevard County

ResourcesMore information on the legislation that will create the new testsBeyond the Bubble: Americans Want Change on High Stakes Assessments Moving Beyond the Failure of Test-Based AccountabilityFlorida Department of Education: Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (note: many of the promises made on this webpage about the new test are not included in the proposed legislation)

TranscriptAndrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA President, Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools, be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit FEAweb.org/podcast.Sharon Nesvig: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with teachers, support professionals, parents and students, as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.Tina Dunbar, Host Welcome to another episode of Educating from the Heart. I'm Tina Dunbar with my cohost, Luke Flynt. So Luke, can you name your favorite educator, one who had a really big impact on you?Luke Flynt, Host: Oh, absolutely. Mr. Powell was my fifth grade teacher at Glendale Elementary, and he's actually the reason I became a teacher. I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. How about you?Tina: Well, several come to mind, but Señor Milliones, he was my Spanish teacher. He really stands out. He was the best, no matter what was going on with the students, he was always there to inspire you and push you forward. So, can you remember your favorite class?Luke: Favorite class? That's a little tougher, you know, I'm a bit of a nerd. I enjoyed almost all of my classes. If I had to choose one, I would probably be History of the English language. I actually loved it so much, I took it as an undergrad and then again at the graduate level.Tina: Wow, that sounds interesting. I might have to get a lesson from you on that. So, one more question: Can you remember your favorite standardized test? I'm sure you've got a few to choose from.Luke: No, no, absolutely not. “Favorite” and “standardized tests” don't really belong in the same sentence. You know, Tina, I was really fortunate that I graduated from public school in Florida before the current testing craze. The FCAT didn't come around until the year I graduated, and seniors didn't have to take it. As a teacher though, I did administer the FCAT, the FCAT 2.0 and the Florida Standards Assessment. And I can tell you, even though the test had three different names, nothing else really changed about them.Tina: I hear what you're saying. And once again, Florida is preparing to administer a revamped assessment system. That includes progress monitoring and a new end of the year tests called F.A.S.T. Or the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking. And while Governor DeSantis has made some really big promises about these new tests,

While some politicians have tried to limit what students can learn when it comes to America’s history, Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D-Orlando) has been advocating for a fuller teaching of Black history in Florida’s schools for years. We sat down with her recently to discuss why this issue is so important to her and why students need to be taught Black history year-round, not just on special occasions like Dr. King’s birthday or Black History Month.

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GuestRep. Geraldine Thompson (D-Orlando) 

Resources HB 51 Required Instruction in the History of the Holocaust and the History of African AmericansSome schools may not be teaching African American history or other courses required by law but there’s no consequences (Florida Phoenix) Florida School District Curriculum Reports Show Gaps In Black History Education (2020) (WUFT) HB 233 Academic Freedom Survey 

Transcript[00:00:00]Andrew Spar, FEA President: Hi, this is FEA President Andrew Spar. To stay on top of all the latest news and issues impacting our public schools. Be sure to follow FEA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more information on this podcast, visit feaweb.org/podcast.[00:00:17]Sharon Nesvig, announcer: You're listening to Educating from the Heart. Thank you for joining our lively conversations with teachers, support professionals, parents and students, as they share issues that matter most in our public schools. Here are your hosts, Tina Dunbar and Luke Flynt.[00:00:43] Sen. James Hargett: One of the greatest privileges I've had as a state Senator in the state of Florida is to have a participated along with Representative Bradley in sponsoring the legislation to require the teaching of African-American history in the schools of Florida. I believe that it will help our young people in the state know their history. As I stated on the floor in the Senate, you can't know where you're going, unless you know where you're coming from. I also believe that you can't teach the history of America truly without teaching the history of African-Americans as a central part of it. And for that reason, I'm very proud to participate.[00:01:28] Tina Dunbar, Host: Those are the words of former state Senator James Hargett who sponsored the 1994 legislation requiring Florida schools to add African-American history to the curriculum. Welcome to Educating from the Heart I'm Tina Dunbar with my cohost Luke Flynt.So, Luke, we began the last episode with a history lesson. So let's start this one with a quick quiz. What do you think about that? Well, you know, you can't work in education without a few assessments here and there. What do you remember learning about African-American history in school? I grew up in another state. And when I think about it, most of my learning came from my family and from within my community. I don't remember learning a lot about African-American contributions to American history in school.I do remember learning a few names and a focus on Egypt and the pyramids. But there was no reference to the significance of Egypt being in the continent of Africa, which I see as a total disconnect because African-Americans have a significant past, and we continue to play an important role in shaping American history today. Wouldn’t you agree?[00:02:48] Luke Flynt, Host: You know, Tina, there is so much that I appreciate about the great public education I received in Indian River County. And I am proud to be a member of the Vero Beach High School Class of 1998. When I look back at my schooling, there is no doubt that I received a sanitized, you know, maybe even a whitewashed version of history.