As a former teacher, I know many other teachers who felt isolated, demonized and powerless in Jeb's Florida.
Wayne Blanton, longtime executive director of the Florida School Boards Association, told the St. Petersburg Times that teachers and administrators now [that a new governor is in place] are "not afraid to express their opinion. And if they disagree, they're not afraid of being punished."
Maxwell remembers:
I will never forget what happened in January 2000 when two black legislators staged a sit-in at Jeb's Capitol office. Jeb told security: "Kick their asses out." The real bullying Jeb was speaking.
And let's not forget how Jeb Bush tried to shut down Florida's State Library causing hundreds of librarians to protest as in this letter from the President of the American Association of Law Libraries.
Governor Bush, the Florida State Library plays a unique role in providing essential services and access to current and historic collections that have well served the citizens of your state for over a hundred and fifty years. It is the crucial focal point for the coordination of all library services within the state and its elimination would severely impact these services. We urge you to restore the necessary funding for the State Library so that the lifelong learning opportunities of all your constituents will continue to be met in an effective and efficient manner.
But the people of Florida did rise up and fight Jeb Bush. The Library survived.
