Chamber Slaps Unions On SB6, Urges Businesses To Contact Crist

While editorial writers in Florida's mainstream media join the teachers' union in blasting Senate Bill 6 (the so-called "End of Tenure" bill), the state Chamber of Commerce is fighting back.

A new video posted at ClassroomFlorida.com decries highly paid union lobbyists "who come into the classroom and bully our kids." Other videos feature testimonials from teachers and lawmakers, as well as an interview beween former Gov. Jeb Bush and former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett.

The chamber's message hits three components of education reform:

1. "Right size class size."

2. "Raise graduation standards."

3. "Higher pay for high-quality teachers."

With Gov. Charlie Crist saying over the weekend that he has been deluged by pleas to veto SB6, chamber spokesman Jay Schleuning says his organization is urging the business community to give the governor a piece of its mind. The governor has until Friday to act on the bill.

Even if the ed-reform package isn't getting much respect at home, it earned a glowing endorsement from the Chicago Tribune, owner of the Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.