On this Day:  On this day in history… May 11… 1894. The Pullman Strike by workers of the American Railway Union started. (from https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/labor-day-1) 

Today many Americans see Labor Day as time off from work, an opportunity to enjoy a barbecue with friends and family and a final moment of summertime relaxation before the busy fall season begins. 

But the history behind the Labor Day holiday is far more complex and dramatic than most might realize, starting with a heated campaign by workers in the late 19th century to win support and recognition for their contributions. In July 1894, President Grover Cleveland finally signed into law legislation creating a national Labor Day holiday in early September—even as federal troops in Chicago brutally crushed a strike by railroad and Pullman sleeping car company workers, leaving some 30 people dead.

Take Action to support Students and Public Education in Florida

Go to www.utd.org and click on the first slider on the page, which says “Take Action” to send a letter to the Miami-Dade and Broward County legislative delegations in support of public education. Let me tell you why we are asking for this outreach: 

The 2021 regular legislative session ended on April 30th, but legislators are coming back for a special session the week of May 17th. The sole focus of this special session will be addressing a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This compact is expected to generate billions of dollars in new revenue. We must raise our collective voices to fight for that revenue to be dedicated to Florida’s students and public education. 

Florida still ranks 43rd in the nation for education funding, meaning Florida’s students and educators are being shortchanged. The new Florida Seminole Compact provides an opportunity to increase support for Florida’s students and, in turn, Florida’s future.

The revenue from the new Florida Seminole Compact can ensure that public education is not robbed of the opportunity to impact communities and expand educational resources. 

The expected $500 million from the new Florida Seminole Compact gives the legislature a second chance to support its students and public education by supplementing, not supplanting, the holes in the education budget.

Please support children, education, and teachers. 

Go to https://actionnetwork.org/letters/invest-in-floridas-students-and-public-education/  to send a letter to the Miami-Dade and Broward County legislative delegations in support of public education. 

Our public schools and our students are already losing money going to private schools and the governor is giving more away…

Florida families to get more school vouchers as DeSantis signs $200M choice expansion

“Once again, our legislature continues to defund public education and gamble away our children’s future at the hands of for-profit companies. This past year, our public schools have faced unprecedented challenges. Instead of focusing on funding the schools that teach over 90% of Florida’s students, our legislature opted to funnel more public dollars into private and for-profit schools, many of which, like Centner Academy, fail to follow the high safety and academic standards that are required for our districts. Public education is the cornerstone of any functioning democracy and ensuring equitable access to high-quality funded public schools is a constitutional obligation that they are failing to fulfill. It is a shame our legislature fails to understand the value of public education and its role in supporting our children’s future.”