Save Miami Dade College!

I have rarely used this blog to speak about issues facing my place of employment, but there are several bills in the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate that would negatively impact Miami Dade College's "open door policy."

The first is Senate Bill 1720. On March 2, 2013, Senator Bill Galvano filed Senate Bill 1720: Education, which would effectively defund developmental education in Florida.

The effect on MDC's budget would range anywhere from 18% to 30%.

I am therefore asking my readers to contact their representatives (I have) in support of HB 7057.

As one of my colleagues noted in a recent email: "Minority, low income, returning veterans, and those adults returning after many years of being out of school will be pushed to Adult Education. Most of our students are on financial aid. How will these students continue with their education?  Are we going to allow the Florida Legislature to segregate our colleges taking us back to the 1960's/70's where only the wealthy can attend?  What happens to our open access policies which allow all students the freedom of a continued education?  How are these students going to feel when they are told they are not good enough to attend "community" college?  We won't exactly be serving our "communities."

For the past fifty years, Miami Dade College, "democracy's college," as Dr. Eduardo Padron likes to call us, has been the gateway for success to the many brown and black students who have graduated with A.A.. A.S. and now B.A. degrees.

I am one of those students. I am MDC.

Here's the plan of action:

First find your senator or representative, http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/myrepresentative.aspx, and ask him or her to support HB 7057.

You can also make your voice be heard on Facebook and Twitter:

Florida House of Representatives on FB: https://www.facebook.com/MyFLHouse:

Florida House of Representatives on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyFLHouse: @MyFLHouse

Use the Hashtag #savemdc

Florida Senate on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Florida-Senate/105573599475603

Florida Senate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FloridaSenate

@FloridaSenate

Thank you for your support.