http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-933065.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Amendment 8, which would give school districts more flexibility in meeting class size restrictions didn't make it pass the ballot box. Florida Public Radio's Trimmel Gomes reports, voters said no to an attempt by lawmakers to change laws dictating on how many kids can sit in a classroom.
Amendment 8 would have loosened Florida's limits on the number of kids in the state's public classrooms, but Ron Meyer, the attorney for the Vote No on 8 committee, said voters realized the real problem is lack of funding for public schools to meet the class size requirements.
"Well, the Florida Legislature needs to listen to the parents and the teachers and enact some laws that first of all reserve the penalties that they place on school districts were unable to achieve the class size goals when in fact the legislature's failure to fund is the very reason these goals haven't been achieved," Meyer said.
Supporters argued that the amendment would give them the flexibility to avoid drastic measure like busing kids to other schools. Meyer says the Legislature doesn't need to amend the constitution because flexibility can be achieved by enacting common sense laws.