A "lawsuit ready to happen"

As Florida school districts struggle with sinking finances, the Southern Legal Counsel quietly is sending out feelers to see if there's stomach out there for a lawsuit to challenge the way the state supports public education.

"We're in the investigation stages," executive director Jodi Siegel told the Gradebook. "We're talking to people about the inadequacy in education and what to do about it."

She referred in part to the state's falling behind local school boards in the amount of money provided to the system for the first time since anyone can remember. But "it's not just the funding," Siegel said. "The entire system is not adequate. We are investigating ways to challenge it."

Florida School Boards Association executive director Wayne Blanton told the Gradebook that he and other FSBA leaders met with the SLC recently to talk about the situation. The group has not committed to anything, Blanton said, but it's interested.

"That's a lawsuit ready to happen," he said.

Of course, we've been hearing that for a while now. And Siegel cautions that there's nothing solid happening. So we'll just keep watching and let you know what, if anything, develops.

Comments

[terminator]

2:24
I don't think Blanton and his buddies have the cajones to sue the legislature.
Face it, we're in the midst of a severe recession bordering on a depression.
You must not watch the news much.
Our national economy is about to collapse!
Wonder what the court would have to say about that? Talk about compelling evidence!
As you know, termie has a pretty good grasp on Florida education policy. You've got about as good of a chance of winning this case as you do at winning lotto Saturday night.
Finally, termie is a consultant and lobbyist for the union which means basically I work for myself, so I can blog anytime I want!

terminator is posting during the work hours that he is supposed to be protecting the handful of really bad teachers from being disciplined even for the "deadly sins."

The Supreme Court ruled in the mid 90s that the Legisalture had barely met its responsibilities under the Constitution at that time for EQUALITY. In the minority opinion, it was stated that if the Constitutional actually had a requirement to provide for adequacy that the suit would have prevailed. After this, Floridians did not just add a requirement for bare bones adequacy but included "high quality", "paramount duty" and class size reduction with a total requirement to the recognition of "state funds" and not local taxes.

So, termie, next time you talk to Ron Meyer, ask him if we are grasping at straws because you know that we aren't. In many ways, this suit is getting even easier to win than the voucher issue would be even after the Bush v. Holmes decision.

Now, despite his previous denials (LIES), it is obvious that he spends all day posting on the blogs instead of working for his employer. Union members should question where their dues are going. Obviously, the union has a lot of bloat and top heavy administration where they could be streamlined with huge savings to member dues. Otherwise, termie wouldn't have so much time on his hands.

[Concerned]

Go for the lawsuit!!! Our legislators need to listen to the people, not their pork. We spend more on palm trees then students.

[terminator]

these guys will be pissing in the wind.
and you know what happens when you do that?
the state constitution only says the state will "provide a high quality education".
Florida's FEFP program has withstood numerous legal challenges and is a national model of equity in school finance.
Blanton and his friends are grasping at straws.