So was Rubio's presence required?

After lengthy debate, the House schools and learning council just approved a proposed education governance overhaul to restore an elected education commissioner, strip the Board of Governors of its power over state universities and create a new system of "state colleges.''

House Speaker Marco Rubio even stepped into the meeting room to make a (silent) appearance.

Chancellor Mark Rosenberg said after the 9-6 vote, "many of those who voted for it had reservations, and that tells you this is not a done deal."

-- Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler, Times staff writer

Comments

[GOD]

Been having second thoughts about that myself - kind of waste of space isn't he?

Rosenberg is a complete idiot. He and the rest of the board has done more to hurt Higher Ed than anyone. As for Carolyn Roberts - she has Jeb Bush on her speed dial. Talk about playing politics. Get rid of the whole bunch!

[terminator]

Rosenberg's a hack and he and the BOG's "cry me a river routine" is obviously backfiring.

This is a sound proposal. Not saying there isn't some tweaking necessary but certainly an improvement over the current system engineered by Jeb.

What Jeb is really afraid of is his educational land of Oz is being dismantled.

If the current system is changed his appointed hacks on the BOG and FLBOE will be totally powerless and exposed for who they are (useless appointees who got their positions because of either financial contributions or support of his right wing agenda not because of any knowledge they possessed that was beneficial to the state and public education).

Message to Jeb...you're not the Governor anymore....you have NO control over public education....get over it and deal with it.

I thought you told everyone you had to "make a lot of money" because of all the sacrificing you did as Governor?

Shouldn't you be doing that not attempting to interfere in education governance of the state?

Try spending some time with your wife and children for once. You might become a better husband and father!

Rubio needs to be careful that he is not positioned as Lil Jeb. The thought that Rubio needs to be told by Jeb what his education policy should be is disconcerting. Rubio should stand by his ideas and not cater to Jeb's minor whims however persuasive. Jeb had his day-Rubio needs to lead.

Did the Lil' Tan Man stick his head in to see if there was a photo op? He's been falling a tiny bit behind Charlie in shameless self-promotion lately.

To answer the question posed in the headline...NO. In fact, his presence is not needed in Tallahassee at all...as a citizens watching this process I can tell you we have had enough of his self-promotion and power grabs...he is a child...and he needs to be sent to his room.

Ahh yes the Rubio haters are in full blogging mode this rainy Friday afternoon in Tally.....

3:09
I am not in Tally, it is not raining here, and I do not hate Rubio. I just think that he cannot settle on one solution and work it through. Plus, he spent all of his negotiating power early on. He has nothing left with which to bargain.