The Florida Education Association (FEA) criticized the State Board of Education and Governor Ron DeSantis for what it described as politicizing public education and blaming educators for ongoing challenges in Florida’s schools. The comments followed a State Board of Education meeting where, according to the FEA, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas “spread misinformation about an Alachua County School Board meeting, blamed educators for the state’s failure to invest in public education, and used political motivations to intimidate educators both in Brevard and around the state.”
The FEA said that instead of addressing issues such as chronic underfunding and longstanding policy problems, state leaders have focused on blaming teachers. “Rather than taking an honest look at the chronic underfunding and harmful policies that have hampered public education in Florida for decades, the Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas has once again chosen politics over students and vilified the very educators who keep our neighborhood public schools strong,” said the association.
One moment highlighted by the FEA involved Commissioner Kamoutsas stating that the “culture” in Alachua County “needs to change,” referencing community members exercising their right to free speech. The commissioner indicated that the state would intervene if necessary. The FEA characterized this as a threat to educators and communities who disagree with current policies: “Such comments reveal a clear and direct threat to educators and entire communities who dare to disagree with the Governor’s agenda. The Governor and his allies have made deliberate attempts to silence dissent and hand over local control of our schools to politicians. In Florida, the freedoms of educators, elected school boards, and communities must be protected, not eroded in service of political power.”
The association pointed out several ongoing issues facing school districts: budget shortfalls worsened by delays in federal funding; deteriorating classroom conditions including mold, lead contamination, and broken air conditioning; low teacher pay; and staffing shortages resulting in students starting school without certified teachers. According to national data from 2023–2024 compiled by World Population Review (https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/average-teacher-pay-by-state), Florida ranks last among states for average teacher salary.
“Districts are facing million-dollar budget shortfalls exacerbated by federal money that has not yet been delivered; classrooms are plagued with mold, lead, and broken ACs; Florida remains 50th in average teacher pay for the second year in a row; and thousands of students began this school year without a certified educator in their classroom,” stated FEA.
The group also criticized recent legislative actions related to book bans, curriculum restrictions, parental rights discussions at board meetings, as well as what it sees as inadequate funding proposals from state leaders. They cited concerns about proposed increases for teacher salaries averaging less than $30 per paycheck before taxes—an amount they say is insufficient given inflation.
Despite these criticisms, members of the State Board acknowledged during their meeting that student achievement should not be viewed through a partisan lens: “As members of the State Board of Education themselves so eloquently put it, student achievement isn’t a partisan ideal. Every child—not just a select few—deserves a rich and diverse education that allows them to see themselves in their learning and challenges them to think for themselves.”
The FEA concluded its statement by pledging continued monitoring of budget requests affecting schools: “The Florida Education Association will continue to track budget funding requests to ensure students are put first.”
Founded more than 120 years ago (https://www.floridaea.org/about-fea/our-history), FEA represents over 120,000 members including PreK-12 teachers, higher education faculty members, educational staff professionals across Florida’s schools as well as future teachers currently studying at colleges or universities.
