A lawsuit filed in Leon County circuit court claims Florida is violating the state Constitution by failing to provide a high quality public education system and relentlessly focusing on high-stakes tests that are not getting sufficient results in student academic achievement. The lawsuit identifies low graduation rates, stagnant test scores, and persistent efforts by Republican legislators to shift education costs to school districts – all of which shows that Florida is not living up to a constitutional mandate to provide high quality education for Florida’s public school students. Caucus members offered the following statements:  Representative Bill Heller (D-St. Petersburg), Democratic ranking member, House Education Policy Council:
“It is beyond me how anyone can argue that Florida has fulfilled its constitutional obligation to provide a high quality public education system. The failure to adequately fund public schools has taken its toll on our hardworking teachers, administrators and support personnel. This lawsuit may be right way to force the Legislature and its leaders to uphold the Florida Constitution as they swore to do when they took the oath of office. I trust Judge Fulford will agree.”  Representative Dwight Bullard (D-Miami), Democratic ranking member, House Prek-12 Policy Committee:
“I wish Republican legislative leaders would fess up to the fact that they have failed to make public education their paramount duty as the constitution requires. Until they do so, Florida will continue to have one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the country and inadequate salaries to attract the high quality teachers that our students deserve. These are just a few reasons why it is vitally important to allow this lawsuit to proceed.”  Representative Martin David Kiar (D-Davie), Democratic ranking member, House Prek-12 Appropriations Committee:
“This lawsuit is apparently the only way for legislative leaders to realize that they deserve an “F” grade for their failure to adequately fund public schools. The Florida Constitution requires legislators and state leaders to place a high quality public school system above all other duties. To dismiss this responsibility now would be a great disservice.”
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