Jeb's Higher Education Plan Is Clearly Helping Minorities [One Florida works]

The Tampa Tribune, via www.jeb.org ^ | March 10, 2002 | Editorial Board, Tampa Tribune

[summer]

FL Gov Jeb Bush, always spending time out in the
field at FL schools, with students and teachers.

Monday, March 11, 2002

Tampa Tribune Editorial

Jeb's Higher Education Plan Is Clearly Helping Minorities [One Florida works]

Gov. Jeb Bush has taken a lot of heat over his One Florida plan to eliminate racial quotas. Critics said the plan would resegregate state universities.

Lost in all the ruckus was that the policy was aimed at defusing a referendum campaign to eliminate affirmative action, which would have stripped the state of any flexibility in aiding minorities.

And Bush stressed his plan would protect minorities. One Florida guarantees that the top 20 percent of every high school senior class is accepted into a state university if those students have taken preparatory classes. The administration believed this provision would ensure diversity.

The latest figures indicate the governor was correct. Some 1,250 more minority students entered the state university system this school year than in 1999, the year before One Florida was implemented.

Moreover, diversity in the university system remained virtually unchanged, with minorities making up more than 36 percent of the entering class.

The governor has taken a number of other steps to help minority students, including boosting financial aid, that appear to be working.

This does not mean One Florida is beyond debate. The program is still new and shortcomings may become evident later. But despite the continuing shrill complaints, the encouraging numbers support the governor's stand that diversity can be achieved without quotas.

[summer]

Great to see The Tampa Tribune editorial board - in swing voter Tamper - coming out in favor of Gov. Bush and his biggest education initiative to date during this election year.

"One Florida" may not make everyone happy, but it certainly is a far cry from what FL did before -- and what FL Dem leaders want to return to: a violation of recent court decisions, prohibiting giving one group (out of more than 150 minority groups in FL) the "benefit" of lower standards.

BTW, get your free "JEB!" bumper sticker<a href="http://www.jeb.org/volunteer.asp?Lang=1&TextMode=False>here!</a>

[summer]

LOL...make that: "in swing voter Tampa!"

[summer]

Also, make that:

"BTW, get your free "JEB!" bumper sticker here!"

[summer]

Bumping for index, mistakes and all! :)

[Bahbah]

I kind of liked the Tamper thing. Dems, Tamper, well, you get it. Thanks, BTW, of your posts on the Bro in Florida. Looks like he is doing a great job. Imagine Reno in that position. Yikes.

[summer]

LOL!!!! Thanks so much. I appreciate your kind words. And, I think the vast majority of FL voters are going to show Ms. Reno the door in a big way this November. Gov. Bush does a great job. Why fix what's not broken? :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[HockeyPop]

I for one was never happy with the "One Florida" plan as it is still an attempt to color code and otherwise makes race an issue. The focus must always be on merit. You will all recall Ward Connerly's attempt at getting the "California" style civil rights initiative on the state wide ballot. Unfortunately, Connerly had to abandon it when the Fla Supreme Court dragged their feet preventing any decision on the matter until after the election. Consequently, it was withdrawn. The rest, as they say, is history.

[summer]

I honestly think the focus now IS on merit. But, I do realize others see One Florida the way you do. However, I believe Gov. Bush's plan really does reward merit -- and not color.

[summer]

Also, FYI -- here's an op-ed column written by Gov. Bush about One Florida:

A Shared Vision for One Florida, by Jeb Bush

[summer]

And, LOTS more information available here, re: One Florida.

[Kryptonite]

Cool. Thanks for the info.

[summer]

My pleasure. :)

[summer]

PS --


:)

[mafree]

bttt

[mafree]

I forgot-- GO JEB!!

[summer]

Thanks, mafree. :)!

[gatorman]

summer . . . thanks for PING!

The One Florida Initiative prevents our state from being divided along racial lines, and, does not allow one racial group to be pitted against the other.

Go JEB! It is working . . . much to the dismay of the Dems and liberals.

FRegards . . .

 

[Kryptonite]

Got a link or info on the court decisions which struck down programs such as the prior quota/affirmative action program?