The Republicans Keep Making Those Moves
By: Juan Peñalosa
The end of this year’s legislative ses-
sion is one of the most shameful in
our history. From Jim Crow-era
voting laws, to placing children of
color in harm’s way -- undermining
the rights of people of color was a
constant in nearly every major piece
of legislation that passed in 2019.
As the political power of commu-
nities of color grows, conservative
lawmakers in the Florida state leg-
islature are doing everything they
can to strip us of our power and
our vote. While Democratic cham-
pions fought against arming teach-
ers, dismantling our public schools,
and Jim Crow voting bills – Florida
Republicans, under the direction of
Donald Trump, betrayed all of us.
A modern day poll tax: More than
65% of Florida voters cast ballots
to amend our constitution and re-
store the voting rights of more than
1.4 million convicted felons who
have served their time. As Demo-
crats and Supervisors of Elections
began to register returning citizens
to vote, Florida Republicans passed
a bill that says before casting a
vote, returning citizens have to pay
fines, fees and court costs. Florida
repealed poll taxes in 1937 – but
Republicans in the legislature un- lars authorized by taxpayers in cer-
derstand the growing power of our tain counties and gives a portion of
vote, and here we are again.
it to charter schools, many of whom
donate millions to the Republicans
Guns in schools: The National Rifle in the legislature who passed the
Association supports arming teach- law.
ers. And now, Florida Republicans
support arming teachers. Giving Unfortunately, most people don’t
teachers guns avoids the real prob- find out about this kind of hurtful
lem of gun violence and it makes us legislation this until it’s too late. We
less safe. African American Demo- want you to know Democrats are
crats in the legislature passionately fighting and we ask you to join us
argued that turning Florida schools to fight against the bills that defund
into armed camps makes us less safe our access to education. Florida Re-
and members of the NAACP, teach- publicans keep making these moves
ers unions, parent-teacher associa- because they recognize the power
tions, and black journalists have in- of our black and brown votes, and
dicated that students of color are at are passing bills that defund our ac-
greater risk by arming teachers. But, cess to education and restrict our
these arguments fell on deaf ears to rights to vote. Florida Democrats
most Republicans in the Florida are demanding change to make
legislature and they sent a bill put- Florida a better state for ALL Flo-
ting more guns in schools to Gov- ridians, not just those in power, and
ernor DeSantis. Now, it’s up to us to we will never stop working toward
stop arming teachers by making our that end. We don’t fear the future.
voices heard at the local level.
We will fight for it.
De-funding Public Schools: Legis-
lators who are in the pocket of un-
regulated private schools voted to
take hundreds of millions of dollars
from public schools and give those
funds to private schools that profit
off of our children and are unregu-
lated by local school boards. Ac-
cording to Florida NAACP Presi-
dent Adora Nweze, vouchers are
“a tool of segregation.” And she is
correct. There’s no disguising the
effort to allow white and affluent
students to exit the public schools
to attend private schools at the ex-
pense of Florida taxpayers. The
charter schools legislation is yet an-
other unconstitutional public dollar
funding private schools effort that
actually takes new property tax dol-
Juan Peñalosa is the Executive Di-
rector of the Florida Democratic
Party. Florida Democrats have
committed to registering 200,000
Democrats before the 2020 Presi-
dential primary and are investing
more than $4 million in 2019, in
hiring and organizing communi-
ties of color. This investment in-
cludes new programs like www.or-
ganizingcorps2020.com, which will
give 200+ Florida students of color
paid fellowships to organize their
communities and register voters in
Florida.