A recent viewpoint column in the Sun Sentinel by Maddie Dermon of the Freedom Foundation (oxymoron) in Olympia, Wash., blames Florida teacher unions for teacher salaries being lowered from No. 36 among states in 2010 to 50th now.
First of all, Republicans — not teachers — have controlled the Legislature continuously since 1996. If Gov. Ron DeSantis and the GOP grants $1,000 raises to teachers and yet other states give out $2,000 raises, we fall further behind.
Second, requiring teacher unions to be recertified with 60% support violates the principle of majority (50%) rule.
The GOP majority in Florida fundraises from private schools, and then underfunds public schools. America was great when public schools educated our kids. Why does the GOP attack teachers and schools? An educated citizenry is essential to any functioning democracy.
James L. Wilson, Plantation
He knows about weakness
Gov. Ron DeSantis has spoken of the Biden administration’s “posture of weakness” and he parrots the right-wing media’s doctored video purporting to show Biden “wandering aimlessly” at the G7 conference in Italy.
But if anybody knows about weakness, it’s the guy who spent countless hours and millions of dollars campaigning in Iowa for president, only to lose every single one of the 99 counties he visited.
Weakness is someone who calls out what he thinks everyone else is doing wrong without offering a single counter-solution. Weakness is someone who is verbally obliterated by his opponent, yet suddenly turns on a dime and supports that same bully if it’s politically expedient.
A hypocrite might cite the biblical trope to “turn the other cheek.” But in the case of this governor, we know whose cheeks he would be worshipping.
Alex Jimenez, Winter Park
The snub of Caitlin Clark
As everyone knows by now, Caitlin Clark is currently the most popular and famous woman basketball player in the United States and possibly the world.
Despite this, Team USA did not include her as a member for the summer Olympics.
The only time I have watched a women’s basketball game during the last two-plus years is when Clark played in a college or WNBA game. During this time, I watched all her games on TV or the internet, and have kept track of her successes and difficulties on the internet.
I will not watch any Team USA games, and I predict millions will not watch those games, because Caitlin Clark was left off the team.
Tony Siegel, Boynton Beach
Shameful senators
My compliments on your detailed, articulate and fact-filled recent editorial about Florida senators Rick Scott and the spineless Marco Rubio (“It’s time for Rubio and Scott to grow up,” June 7).
When Sen. Bill Nelson lost to Scott in 2018 by about 10,000 votes, it was one of the darkest hours in Florida political history.
Both of these senators are shameful, and I do not know how they live with themselves.
I pray for my children’s future, and I will vote to maintain the dignity and honor of this country by voting for Biden and Harris in November.
Carl Rosendorf, Coral Springs
Rick Scott reminders
Re: “Florida’s Hall of Shame: The 13 Sunshine State seditionists” (Sun Sentinel editorial, 2021)
With the next election nearly upon us, it’s time for Florida news media outlets and/or the Florida Democratic Party to republish old articles about Rick Scott’s scandals, with the main one being his vote to overturn the 2020 election. Everyone needs to be reminded of this regularly.
Michael Spatz, Fort Lauderdale
