Committee on Legislature
The Legislative committee has the very important job of advocating for Florida school librarians and our profession at the state and national level. Each year, the committee works with our lobbyist, Vern Pickup-Crawford, while the legislature is in session in Tallahassee. FAME members attend Legislative Days in the spring to meet with Senate members and Representatives to state our platform and concerns. The Legislative Committee develops the legislative platform of the association; directs and coordinates legislative efforts initiated and/or supported by the association; and makes recommendations related to legislation to the Executive Board as the need arises.
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1/22/19Because of the high degree of interest in this, here is the link to the 5-mb file that contains House Education Committee presentations today by FLDOE Safe Schools Deputy director Brooks Ruminek and Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission Chair and Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. Ruminek presented a summary of actions and statistical data since last session implementing SB7026. Gualtieri, whose presentation begins on page 39 of the attached pdf file, discussed the Parkland shooting in context of recommendations. He reiterated criticisms aimed at local school districts for what he feels is their "lack of urgency" in making changes to rules, protocols and in the hiring process for armed individuals--school resource officers and guardians--in schools. He focused much of his presentation on the need for rapid response when a shooting action arises, noting numerous times it took less than two minutes for the Parkland shooter to injure or kill over 20 students and adults. Much of that discussion included potentially arming teachers. For those wishing, the vodcast of the House meeting is on The Florida Channel linked here. A similar presentation, using the same document, was made to the Senate Education Committee this afternoon, the vodcast linked here. No legislative action was taken in either committee. Senate Chair Manny Diaz indicated he will be assembling representative school superintendents and sheriffs for further discussion and questioning at a future meeting (likely next month). |
Resources:
Official website for Florida Governor, Rick Scott
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Click the icon to send a tweet to Governor Scott
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The official site of the Florida Legislature
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View live streaming broadcasts of Florida legislative sessions
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ALA's advocacy and legislative page
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ESSA:
On December 10, 2015, President Barak Obama signed into law the new education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). For the first time in over fifty years, school librarians and school library programs are specifically included in this law. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.
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"With this bill, we reaffirm that fundamentally American ideal—that every child, regardless of race, income, background, the zip code where they live, deserves the chance to make of their lives what they will." — President Barack Obama |
Resources:
ESSA resources from ALA and AASL
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ESSA articles from Knowledge Quest, AASL's journal publication
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Excellent article on the bottom line for school libraries
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Documents:
These are recommended initial next steps from ALA Washington Office, and a letter our President, Lucretia Miller, drafted and sent to all school superintendents in Florida.
These are recommended initial next steps from ALA Washington Office, and a letter our President, Lucretia Miller, drafted and sent to all school superintendents in Florida.
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