Publix suspends political giving
TALLAHASSEE — A tough year for the state’s largest teachers union is sparking a rare leadership fight within the 140,000-member Flor- ida Education Association, the largest labor organization in the Southeast.
Current President Joanne McCall is being challenged for the top post by FEA’s vice-president, Fedrick Ingram, in a fight that could distract one of the Florida Democratic Party’s staunchest allies, heading into a big election season.
The FEA presidency will be decided in October, just weeks before state voters go to the polls with a host of big contests on the ballot, including a governor’s race and a nationally watched U.S. Senate battle between Republican Gov. Rick Scott and three-term Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson.
“We must stay united and strong to elect more pro-pub- lic education senators and House members along with a pro-public education governor so that our students have the best quality educators and the resources they deserve to do their jobs,” McCall said.
Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, the highest-rank- ing Democrat on the state House Education Committee, acknowledged that the timing of the intra-union clash is not good.
“But I hope it doesn’t hurt,” Jones said. “We have arship program. to remember that what we The FEA’s campaign arm fight for on a daily basis is a spent about $3 million on good education system and state legislative races two the right of our teachers to years ago, records show, be paid fairly.” and plans to spend heavily
Ingram said his run for the again in this year’s contests. presidency comes as teachThe union also will help ers grow increasingly frusdirect its federal allies, the trated by Republican leadNational Education Associers’ focus on charter schools ation and American Federaand private schools instead tion of Teachers, which plan of traditional public schools to spend in Florida races for attended by most of Florida’s Senate and Congress.
2.8 million schoolchildren. Union support, both finan-
In the past two years, Scott cial and in get-out-the-vote and the Legislature have creefforts, is directed almost ated a new program to steer exclusively to Democratic students in low-performing the nation’s first statewide candidates. public schools into charter voucher program. “Hopefully, the union lead- schools and another that Although these “oppor- ership race won’t be nasty,” allows bullied children to tunity scholarships” were said Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Da- get taxpayer dollars to attend later ruled unconstitutional nia Beach, who is fundraising private schools. by the state Supreme Court, for House Democrats. “Does
“We should be more prothey set the state on its cur- the timing of this limit FEA’s active and better able to use rent course toward expand- effectiveness? That’s a legiti- a coalition of partner groups ing alternates to traditional mate question. But knowing around the state to get our schooling. the people and the organimessage across and protect The FEA, which was part zation involved, that won’t public education,” Ingram of that voucher lawsuit, be the case.” said. “We have to fight in a became one of Bush’s chief McCall was elected to a better way.” antagonists, helping bank- three-year term in 2015. She
As part of Ingram’s team, roll Democratic challenger had been vice president for Volusia United Educators Bill McBride’s unsuccessful the previous 12 years, when President Andrew Spar is bid to unseat the Republican Andy Ford served four terms running for vice president governor in 2002. as president before retiring and St. Johns Educational Since then, lawmakers from the post.
Support Professional Associa- have created a tax credit The union was working tion President Carole Gauronsch o larsh ip program to just last week with Jones in a skas is seeking the post of help students attend private failed bid to have the Legis- secretary-treasurer. schools. The union also has lature hold a special session
“We want to play more tried — but failed — to stop to increase school funding offense than defense,” Spar the scholarship program. for the budget year begin- said of the goal behind the House Speaker Richard ning July 1. leadership challenge. Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, Teachers and superinten-
Florida has been enhanc- hardened the battle lines dents argue that spending on ing private school and char- between the Republican Leg- school security prompted ter school programs for more islature and union by calling by the February shootthan 20 years, since Repub- the FEA “downright evil,” for ing at Parkland’s Marjory lican Gov. Jeb Bush created its opposition to the schol- Stoneman Douglas High
D-West Park School has drained needed dollars from the classroom.
Republican lawmakers, however, refused to go along with the push to revisit the issue in a special session.
McCall said that criticism of her leadership from within the union’s ranks is misguided, but she can under- stand its roots.
“We play offense and Threatened with a boydefense,” she said. “How- cott and facing a wave of ever, we have been domi- “die-in” protests in retalianated by a very conserva- tion for supporting a canditive, anti-public education date who called himself “a Legislature for two decades. proud NRA sellout,” Publix We are proud that FEA has Super Markets announced consistently defended pub- Friday that it is suspending lic education in this state.” campaign contributions.
The Legislature this year The move by the poputook a direct swipe at teach- lar Lakeland-based grocery ers unions around the state, chain came as gun control approving a measure that activists were ramping up could decertify local bar- pressure on the company gaining units if they fail to in the wake of a Tampa Bay enroll at least 50 percent of Times report that Publix has their eligible members. given $670,000 to Adam
McCall said that new Putnam, a GOP candidate requirement is actually help- for governor who made the ing FEA increase its mem- NRA sellout comment. bership. Spurred on by David Hogg,
Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Long- a Marjory Stoneman Douglas wood, who pushed for the High School student who has requirement, said he knows emerged as a prominent gun little about the burgeoning control activist in the wake leadership fight within the of the February shooting FEA. But it’s welcome. that killed 17 people at his
“To the extent that any Parkland school, activists organization is divided, it fanned out at Publix stores works against their mission,” Friday and laid down in the Plakon said. “It’s always a aisles to simulate victims of distraction. gun violence.
“And with the FEA, they’re Hogg orchestrated die-ins so intertwined with the Demat stores near the shooting ocratic Party, they’re more and told his 801,000 Twitor less merged.” ter followers to “Feel free to die in with us at as many other @Publix as possible.”
‘We have to remember that what we fight for on a daily basis is a good education system and the right of our teachers to be paid fairly.’