On this Tuesday, Jan. 14, episode of Sundial:
Teachers Demand More School Funding
Thousands of teachers from across the state Monday traveled to Tallahassee before the start of the 2020 legislative session to demand higher pay and better benefits.
Gov. Ron DeSantis declared 2020 to be “the year of the teacher” and announced a proposal to set a statewide minimum teacher salary at $47,500 and to create a new bonus program. Some educators feel that is not enough.
“We’re really not treated like professionals anymore. We’re more just like task managers in the classroom,” Lucia Baez, a teacher from Miami Beach told WLRN. “It’s really, really demoralizing for our profession, and we just want more.”
Ana Ceballos, who covers politics and education policy for News Service of Florida, was at the capitol on Monday and joined host Luis Hernandez on Sundial to discuss how big a priority education issues will be this legislative session. Sundial was also joined by Florida Education Association President Fedrick Ingram to talk about teacher retention and salaries.
How Do South Floridians Feel About The Primaries?
Ahead of the 2020 presidential elections, NBC’s LX,a new digital news channel focused on telling local stories, is looking at America’s views towards early-voting states, the ongoing impeachment inquiry, and moving election day to the weekend.
Reporter Noah Pransky, in Miami to speak with voters and experts ahead of the 2020 election, joined Sundial to talk about what he heard, specifically from South Floridians.
January’s Sundial Book Club Pick
During the month of March the Sundial Book Club has been reading “Mothers of Sparta: A Memoir in Pieces,” by Dawn Davies.
“I never set out to write a memoir,” Davies said on Sundial. “I felt like I published and I’m selling my kid out.”
The book is a collection of essays following Davies journey across the country and the state of Florida, as she raises her children in poverty and, at times, as a single mom. Davies tackles her experiences dating, finding love, going through a divorce and raising a child with special needs. She joined Sundial to discuss her love/hate relationship with Florida and how her book has resonated with many mothers.
WLRN producer Chris Remington contributed to the production of this episode.