Commentary

COMMENTARY: Florida Finds Another Way to Turn Public Education on its head

THE WESTSIDE GAZETTE — Florida seems hellbent on sending its public schools into K-12 purgatory.

Published

7 years ago

March 9, 2019

By Perry E. Thurston, Jr.

Florida seems hellbent on sending its public schools into K-12 purgatory. We’re at the bottom in per-pupil spending and teacher pay, and the job openings for quality teachers continues to grow. So, what’s our state’s response? School choice; let’s give more public money to private schools.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed creating a new school voucher program to expand Florida’s school choice options to allow another 14,000 students to use taxpayer money to pay for a private school education. The rationale behind the move makes about as much sense as our state’s 20 year-effort of undermining public schools to make them better. As DeSantis put it while selling this new round of bad public policy: “If the taxpayer is paying for education, it’s public education …”

Such nonsensical logic is costing Florida’s taxpayers big money, while the one institution responsible for educating more than 2.8 million students flounders from underfunding and poor direction from state leaders. Gov. DeSantis earlier promised to seek more money for per-pupil spending and teachers’ salaries, but this latest move undermines that effort to make our state a more attractive place for educators and education. We simply can’t afford this latest siphoning off of taxpayer dollars from our neighborhood public schools to unregulated and unaccountable private schools.

In the past 20 years, our state has seen a rapid growth in the unregulated School Choice Industry. “Choice and competition” were sold as reforms. Our public schools were supposed to improve by diverting taxpayer money to make it easier for privately-run charter and religious schools to operate.

If the glaring statistics that show Florida mired near the bottom of per-pupil spending and teacher pay rankings, along with the number of approved local tax referendums to raise money to improve school curricula, raise teacher salaries and restore aging school buildings, then we all should come to the obvious conclusion that “choice and competition” alone won’t cut it.

What began years ago with Gov. Jeb Bush’s A+ Plan won’t end with DeSantis’ so-called “Equal Opportunity Scholarship.” School choice advocates will want more money from Florida’s taxpayers to make more money for their dubious operations. That’s the only way I can describe it because there is no easy way for Floridians to determine if private schools are succeeding in educating their students because they aren’t held to the same standards public schools must meet day in and day out.

That is Florida’s fault. It is the state government that has a major role to play in crafting state budgets and education policies that improve our public schools and the opportunities for its 2.8 million students. For too long though, Floridians have been shortchanged by dubious state education policies, whether it’s meager funding, over-relying on standardized tests or arming school teachers.

Educating children should be a fundamental value in this state. According to the Florida Constitution, “Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high-quality education …” What part of “free public schools” are we missing here?

Unfortunately, too many Floridians have bought into a panacea of a policy that flies in the face of our state’s constitution and common sense. What part of “free public schools” are we missing here?

The dream of privatizing public schools remains just that – a dream. It certainly isn’t a strategy for academic gains, and it shouldn’t become Florida’s nightmare that turns public education on its head.

This article originally appeared in The Westside Gazette.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC