COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. -- Teachers across the state are calling on Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers for more money to be put in public schools.
Wednesday, they had a statewide “walk-in” protest. Hundreds of schools from Pensacola to Key West participated, including every school in Collier County.
Signs reading ‘honk if you support public education’ were held outside Laurel Oaks Elementary School in Naples on Wednesday morning.
“It starts right here with the children so we need them to put a priority on education,” says Christina Svec.
It was a peaceful protest. Several teachers, parents and community members were also there, standing together and bringing awareness on the need for more money in public education, especially teacher salary.
“We are ranked 46th in the nation for teacher pay…46th. That means 90 percent of the states in our nation pay their teachers better than Florida,” says Jonathan Tuttle, executive director of Collier County Education Association.
Right now, they say there’s a desperate need for teachers in Florida. In Collier County alone, they are short about 250.
“We are facing a real teacher shortage here, and we’ve got to attract the best and brightest teachers to Florida,” says Tuttle.
“When a teacher is sick, somebody needs to watch those students. So what’s happening is because there is such a shortage of substitute teachers, then those students get divided out among other classrooms,” says Svec.
They say more money will help their kids futures.
“It’s going to totally help my kids; it’s going to help them move forward. Any little is going to help them do better,” says parent Leslie Persich.
“Fund our future. These are the lives of children we are talking about,” says Svec.
The Florida Education Association put the protest together, saying they hope it brings attention to state lawmakers on this issue.
