FEA Takes SB 736 to Court!

Attorneys for the Florida Education Association take Senate Bill 736 to court today.  The hearing is set for 2:00 p.m. in the Leon County Courthouse before Judge Cooper. This is a hearing that has been a year coming!

The FEA filed a lawsuit a year ago challenging Florida’s law that ties teachers’ pay to student performance.  FEA is asserting that SB 736 undermines job security and violates the right to collective bargaining.

In November, the State hired an outside law firm at huge tax-payer expense. This new law firm asserted that the teachers named as plaintiffs lack standing to sue over collective bargaining issues and had waived their right to sue due to the Race to the Top grant applications.

Ron Meyer, the attorney for the Florida Education Association, responded that the newly-hired attorneys for the State are too late in raising new arguments and that the claims are “futile” and “not legally meritorious.” Meyer’s law firm has posted the court documents from the case on its website.

Just like the FRS case, there will be no immediate decision.  But FEA and our attorneys are not daunted and are planning for every contingency and possibilities for appeals and future hearings.

USEP will keep you posted as new information arises.  In the meantime, if you’re not already a member, join now and contribute your dues to the fight!