The Florida Democratic Party released the following statement after the filing of bill SB862, sponsored by Republican Senator Kelli Stargel, which would give taxpayer dollars to corporate charter schools who seek to profit off our children’s education and weaken our public schools:

Statement from Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux:

“After failing to ram their harmful bill through the Legislature, backers of corporate charters schools are back and once again pushing trigger legislation aimed at weakening Florida’s public education system. This legislation faced bi-partisan opposition last year for good reason: it’s bad for Florida’s schools. 

“This bill is nothing more than the same failed education policies that have drained millions of tax dollars from our public schools, and given these dollars to out of state corporations and for-profit companies who seek to profit off our children’s education. Instead of investing in strong public schools which are the pathway to growing our economy and helping middle class families succeed, Scott and the Republicans have taken local control over our schools away from our parents and shipped our tax dollars to out of state companies. That’s a bad plan for Florida’s middle class families, a bad plan for our schools, and a reckless and fiscally irresponsible use of our tax dollars.

“Tallahassee needs to wake up. The problem isn’t our public schools, teachers or children — the problem is Rick Scott and the Republican-led Legislature.”