Gov. Charlie Crist announced Thursday that he vetoed a measure that would have implemented a performance-pay standard for teachers, a move that places Crist at odds with his fellow Republicans.
The performance-pay measure passed the Senate last month and, after a marathon debate last Friday, it passed the House, too. It has generated controversy throughout Florida, with a loud outcry from teachers and their unions. Led by Sen. John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, proponents of the measure said it would improve education by rewarding teachers for their performance in the classroom.
A week passed before Crist vetoed the bill. The governor said he reached the decision late Wednesday night.
I veto SB 6 because this bill is contrary to my firmly held principle to act for the benefit of the people of Florida, Crist said.
He said the bill was flawed for a number of reasons.
Mentioning a call he had on Easter from a concerned old friend who has a student in a special-education program, Crist said the bill failed special-education students and their teachers.
He maintained that the bill threatened local governments, undermining school boards. The bill does encroach on local decision-makers, he said.
Crist also attacked it for using arbitrary standards to evaluate teachers with too-harsh penalties. SB 6 places teachers in jeopardy of losing their jobs and their teaching certification, he said.
This bill has deeply and negatively impacted the morale of teachers, parents and students, Crist said. The governor added that the recently failed attempt to win Race for the Top backing from the federal government underlined the need for shareholder participation.
Crist blasted the way Republicans brought the measure through the Legislature. I find the creation of SB 6 and the manner of its adoption significantly flawed, he said, noting that many Florida parents and teachers complained about being shut out of the process.
Crist said Republican assurances that they could make the bill better once it was passed into law did not impress him.
Such assurances are not enough for me to sign it, he said, even comparing the way Republicans handled the measure in Tallahassee to the way Democrats rammed through health-care legislation in Washington.
Crist insisted that despite the veto, he remained a supporter of performance pay. It can be done and it can be done right, he said.
While Crist insisted that he did not veto the bill for political reasons, the veto quickly generated responses from leaders of both parties.
Thrasher, the chief sponsor of the legislation, said, "It goes without saying that I am disappointed this legislation has been vetoed by Gov. Crist, and I continue to think that one day it will be fully implemented in our state.
House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Delray Beach, said, I'm disappointed that after sending his top policy staffer to the House Committee to testify in support of the proposal, Gov. Crist would change his mind and now veto the bill."
Democrats were ecstatic in their reaction.
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the leading Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate election in November, said, "Today's veto is a testament to the power of democracy to bring public pressure on Tallahassee politicians."
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Franklin Sands of Weston, said, It is refreshing that our governor listened and responded to the voices of the majority of Floridians who opposes this radical bill."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (850) 727-0859.
