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Education Union Sues Over How School Bill Was Passed


July 16, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - A Florida education union is suing Gov. Rick Scott and some members of his cabinet over a bill to expand the state's voucher program.

American government and history teacher Tom Faasse filed the lawsuit against the governor, members of the Cabinet and education commissioner over Senate Bill 850.

The bill would, in part, expand the state’s corporate voucher program. 

Faasse and the Florida Education Association say that the Bill was originally 5 pages when it was filed in February, but it soon ballooned to over 140 pages filled with what they say are irrelevant topics.

FEA Vice President Joann McCall says the way in which the bill passed was unconstitutional, because it violated the  state Constitution’s one-subject requirement for bills.

“We honestly feel that what they did in the eleventh hour of how they logrolled it and put unrelated items together was unconstitutional, and before this gets too far down the road, and effects students in the fall, we would like a summary judgment to make it null and void,” says McCall.

Faasse says this lawsuit will be a lesson of what not to do in his social studies and government classes.

"This is a great example of doing things the wrong way, not following the rules, and the students need to be able to see that you just can’t go around the rules just because you don’t like them," says Faasse.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education says they are currently reviewing the lawsuit.

 

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