Ah, Florida. Alas, I must weep for you.
California is a proverbial Plato's Republic by comparison.
Consider some facts:
Florida ranks 48th of the 50 states regarding the amount of tax dollars spent on public education. Most of the county-run public school systems have gutted their arts curricula; physical education has suffered the same fate. School district administrators have even gone so far as to cut back dollar that used to be spent on history, geography and other elements of social studies.
Math scores are slightly up -- but the test results, when compared against math and science learning in other states (except Alabama and Mississippi), lag far behind.
Student competence in the English language? Forget about it.
Quiz time.
Who would you guess the politicians blame for this mess?
Why, of course, they blame the teachers! While you digest that one, keep in-mind that science teachers in Florida, under state law, must give equal weight to Creationism when they introduce the Theory of Evolution to their students in the classroom.
Let's move on...
You may want to book your next mid-winter vacation somewhere else next year if a bill, presently before the Florida State Legislature, passes both chambers -- and the governor has pledged to sign it.
The bill would allow anyone in Florida with a weapons permit to openly display their weapons in any public forum and it would also provide for the imprisonment and/.or fining of doctors up to $5,000,000.00 for even discussing the issue of handgun ownership and possession with their patients!
If I've reckoned this one correctly, and if the bill becomes state law, you'd better think twice about contesting somebody for a parking space at a Florida beach, especially when visiting the Red Neck Riviera. Better make that one a double if the person packing a weapon has just left his shrink's office.
This bill, of course, bears the imprimateur of the National Rifle Association. Its sponsor, a state senator from the town of Sanford (the home of Stetson University -- how ironic) claims it will actually cut down on crimes of violence.
You know the drill: "packing" will deter criminals, etc. etc. and besides, a handgun never hurt anybody in and of itself.
Well, now.
I know about 50 women who "openly display" gaudy, bangled earrings when they venture out in public. But let me reassure you that those bangles have absolutely no capacity -- even at an overcrowded beach -- to cause serious injury or death to anyone.
Finally, there's a matter in one Florida city where the Mayor wants to display the Ten Commandments in a municipal building. He envisions a taxpayer-funded, marble sculpture of the Commandments as a form of welcome to anyone entering City Hall.
Here are his pair of reasons for posting them publicly: We have turned into a God-less Society; and posting the Laws of God in City Hall would encourage businesses to relocate in his town.
Where does one even attempt to start in ripping this one apart?
Well, how about here: deposit the money being set aside for the Ten Commandments Sculpture into the School District Account and resurrect some Civics/History Classes.
Otherwise, situate the Ten Commandments block of marble inside the City Council Chambers so that government critics will have something to hide behind when the shooting starts.
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