gatorman-uf
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Posts posted by gatorman-uf
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On 3/25/2024 at 2:29 PM, Ray Icaza said:
BINGO!! So one can extrapolate from your argument that teachers unions are not "Political Friends of the Hacks" in Tally. Rather they are political friends of the hacks trying to replace them there. Finally agree on something and best to leave it there as I am not trying to convince you to change your opinion while at the same time your explanations are falling on deaf ears. Mostly because I trust my EYES more so than my EARS.
Curious, but do you support police and fire unions, or is your disdain only for teachers union?
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On 3/19/2024 at 11:47 AM, Ray Icaza said:
Unions aren't about the teachers and working tirelessly for their compensation but most importantly the dues they collect, control and power, just my own opinion. Extracurricular activities whether band, athletics, debate teams, etc.. have a profound impact on the overall development of students thru relationship building, discipline, work ethic and other traits not learned in the classroom and should be compensated as such.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2024/03/19/teacher-shortage-crisis-explained/72958393007/
1st) Florida is a right to work to state, unions (most importantly for this conversation the Florida Education Association) have very little power. If they have so little power, what in the world are they controlling? I can give you countless examples of how the unions have done everything they could to try and stop bad educational/teacher policy, but still failed. And despite having little success, I can also point out to where the state legislature consistently only targets teachers' unions, where the exact same logic of their anti-union laws should apply to police, fire, and correction officer unions, but somehow they are always exempted.
2) Florida has more vacancies than any other state (see article). So yes, when the choice is raising pay for the special education teacher (which we lack) or the head football coach, I am going to continually say the special education teacher, this is basic business sense. If you get a qualified engineer for your business, you raise the pay until you get one. When certain people complain that government isn't run like a business, why is this not part of the conversation?
3) I am posting on a high school football site, I often post the openings/hirings of positions, and have numerous times posted the salaries of all coaches throughout Florida. I understand the value of a coach/club sponsor more than you can ever understand, but I also can understand that given the choice of putting the extra money towards a coach vs the math teacher, I would prefer the math teacher, because schools require math, not sports, despite the very important soft skills that extracurricular activities develop. -
On 3/14/2024 at 8:38 AM, Ray Icaza said:
The criteria used in this selection process could be used to rate teachers on a three-tier system of above average, average and below average with corresponding compensation. One can come up with all kinds of reasons why it won't work, but it really boils down to the union and teachers themselves.
Unions want their members compensated. Districts are slow to compensate teachers and coaches, period. Because ultimately coaches/sponsors are extracurriculars, and not the primary focus of the district despite what some on this board would have you believe. Make it easy, ask your local principal how many teaching openings they have this year in their faculty, ask how much turnover will exist in their ranks this summer, and when they replace them, how many will be highly qualified teachers. Ask the AD how many of their coaches are not highly qualified. The problem from the district and unions' perspective is that there isn't a coaching shortage, somebody always wants to be a coach, but few want to be a math teacher or special education and have their career tied to a test that they have no control over. So just like in the business world, you should pay more to get a person to do the job if nobody is willing to do it.
Now if you want to blame the unions, blame them and the districts for not being flexible in salaries for areas of critical needs/shortages. Despite their being a shortage, it isn't a universal shortage. Florida isn't struggling for social studies teachers, PE teachers, or elementary teachers, but secondary math, science, english, special ed (all levels), and world languages. Unions/districts have been reluctant to give extra pay to those subjects to entice people to enter the field, but notice, PE teacher isn't on that list.__________________
To give an idea of what will happen, let's use Madison County (since they were mentioned in an above post).
Madison County has 30 head coaches and JV/assistant coaches (including cheerleading). The total amount of salaries that they put to those positions is %66,706. Madison County had a budget of $24 million, so .27% of their total budget. If the proposed bill passes, Madison County would spend 322,500, which represents 1.34% of their budget, about 4.8 times more than current. Now, if the state legislature would simple just add the $260,000 onto the budget, the unions wouldn't care other than making sure that all assistant/jv/and non mentioned coaches from the PB Post article are included. But that isn't what will happen, instead it will be a specific line in the budget from the state legislature, similar to technology or textbooks, money will be required to be spent on the salaries and the state will offer no additional funding (or they will only do it for 2 or 3 years, and when there are new priorities, they will still require it but provide no funding for it). Now, if they offer no additional funding, what happens is that money comes from somewhere in the budget. Considering that that this be part of "teacher salaries", that means it will be pulled from general instructional salaries portion of the budget, which means less money for teachers. So yes, teachers will be upset when the state legislature yet again promises something and then underdelivers (see making the starting salary $47,500). -
Is there even a continuous supply of money to keep NIL deals for high schoolers going, even at well-funded programs?
I mean most programs in Florida seem to be barely surviving as is, the cost of running a program (just talking the basics) seems to be increasing each year with requirements by the state and counties. Security, referees, costs of uniforms, helmets, medical gear, travel costs. We aren't seeing huge increases in attendance at these games. I can't imagine a well funded booster group turning around and saying, "well we got enough extra money to bring in a stud QB and 2 OL for 5K a piece." Instead of making sure that the basics and the just barely beyond basics are covered. Or maybe, I am just too broke to understand ever giving that much money away for anything that doesn't benefit me personally.
Also when (not if) NIL becomes a reality, can the FHSAA finally admit that a promotion/relegation would lesson the blow of things like NIL/transfers? -
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Hiring
Lake Worth - Eric Lee (Twitter)
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I have said a million times that promotion/relegation system is the way to go, but I also understand that many communities/coaches don't understand the benefits of a system like that for the vast majority of programs. I feel like this is dipping their toe in the water of it to prove it is viable.
One of my contentions is that pro/rel allows teams to be competitive against likewise teams (based on previous years). The "B" division essentially is that (except for that year). Now, would I call this specific group "state" champions, probably not, but that is the least of my concerns. If they are doing seeding, of course there is greater # of mismatches. That is why you are doing seeding, so that the #2 doesn't play the #1 seed in the first round. I don't think the goal is to get 64 teams per class into the playoffs, I think the goal is to show that we can make a competitive system based on MaxPreps rankings.
Now, I do like the idea of taking the rural class as a whole and making it just the North and South and removing regions as a whole. That is something @DisabledAccount aka ColumbiaFan often promoted. -
Hiring:
DeSoto County - Cliff Lohrey (Story) -
Cypress Creek (Orlando) - Ryan Mills (Twitter)
Santa Fe Catholic (Lakeland) - Gabe Walker -
Hiring:
Oak Ridge (Orlando) - Anthony Smith Jr (per Team Twitter)
Melbourne Central Catholic - Willie Tillman (per Space Coast Daily)
Vierra (Melbourne) - Tony Gulla (per Space Coast Daily) -
It was becoming hard to remember all the hirings and openings when they were on so many different posts. I think I have all the hirings/openings correct now.
Hirings- American Heritage (Delray Beach) - Jonathan King
- Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville) - Bobby Ramsay
- Arnold (Panama City Beach) - Jason Griffin
- Auburndale - Antonio Thomas
- Baldwin - Don Velvet
- Blance Ely (Pompano Beach) - Terrance McFadden
- Braden River (Bradenton) - Eric Sanders
- Calvalry Christian (Clearwater) - Wes Safford
- Carol City (Miami) - George Stubbs
- Celebration - Jed Ebersole
- Chamberlain (Tampa) - James Wilder Jr.
- Chiefland - Adam Gore
- Citrus (Inverness) - John Capel
- Crystal River - Bill Vonada
- Cypress Creek (Orlando) - Ryan Mills
- DeSoto County - Cliff Lohrey
- Dr. Krop (Miami) - Vernon Wilder
- Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) - Willie Smith
- East River (Orlando) - Adam Chappell
- Eustis - Joe Burnett
- Fort Meade - Maurice Russell
- Freedom (Tampa) - Ron Perisee
- Glades Central (Belle Glade) - Omar Haugabook
- Godby (Tallahassee) - John Holston
- Golden Gate (Naples) - Nick Citro
- Graceville - Richard Koonce
- Hardee - Darren Bryan
- Hillard - Matt Yancy
- Innovation (Orlando) - Leroy Kinard
- Jackson (Miami) - Max Edwards
- Lake Howell (Winter Park) - Dazzie Morris
- Lake Placid - Jay Del Castillo
- Lake Region (Eagle Lake) - Jermaine King
- Lake Worth - Eric Lee
- Leesburg - Frank Scott
- Lemon Bay (Englewood) - Jason Mensing
- Leto (Tampa) - John Hurst
- Melbourne Central Catholic - Willie Tillman
- Northwestern (Miami) - Terry Bridgewater
- Oak Ridge (Orlando) - Anthony Smith Jr
- Pensacola - Wade Mckinney
- Pine Ridge (Deltona) - Greg Miller
- Plantation - Darell Strong
- Poinciana (Kissimmee) -Taron Mallard
- Ridgeview (Orange Park) - Marlin Smith
- Sandalwood (Jacksonville) - Brad Kessel
- Santa Fe Catholic (Lakeland) - Gabe Walker
- Sarasota - Anthony Campbell
- Southeast (Bradenton) - Curt Bradley
- Stanton Prep (Jacksonville) - Ryan Carter
- Tampa Catholic - Mike Gregory
- Taylor County - Jesse Braswell
- Vierra (Melbourne) - Tony Gulla
- Wesley Chapel - Bruce Patterson
- Wildwood - Lorenzo Fields
Openings
- Belen Jesuit (Miami)
- Bozeman (Panama City)
- Celebration (Part 2) -
- Everglades Prep (Homestead)
- FAMU DRS (Tallahassee)
- Fernandina Beach
- Florida Christian (Miami)
- Gateway (Fort Myers) - Marlin Roberts? Maybe, I read the ad wrong and t was for middle school or assistants?
- Gulf Breeze
- Gulf Coast (Naples)
- Mainland (Daytona Beach)
- Miami Beach
- Newsome (Lithia)
- North Florida Christian (Tallahassee)
- North Marion
- Santa Fe (Alachua)
- South Miami
- University (Orlando)
- Wekiva (Apopka)
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Windermere Prep
- Cat_Scratch and Perspective
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Openings:
Celebration High School (Again)
Hirings:
Braden River (Bradenton) - Eric Sanders (Article)
East River (Orlando) - Adam Chappell (School Twitter)
Eustis - Joe Burnett (Twitter)
Glades Central (Belle Glade) - Omar Haugabook (Twitter)
Godby - John Holston (Article)
Leesburg - Frank Scott Article
Leto (Tampa) - John Hurst (Twitter)
Pine Ridge (Deltona) - Greg Miller (Article)
Plantation - Darrell Strong (Twitter)
Poinciana - Taron Mallard
Sarasota - Anthony "Amp" Campbell (Article)
Taylor County (Perry) - Jesse Braswell (Article) -
6 hours ago, Longtime Observer said:
Eventually, there will be an elite tier set apart from the rest for the purposes you state. Currently, people are in denial about where the game is/is headed.
In regards to the way that will happen, there are some concerns about how best to determine who belongs in the elite tier. There are far too many variables impacting team quality from year to year to use a historically informed model.
Are there really? Of the top 32 teams heading into 2023 (I had made classifications sets after the 2022 season):
11 made the final 4
9 made the regional finals
7 made the regional semi-finals
2 made the regional quarter finals
3 didn't qualify for the playoffs.
I mean how teams were you really surprised made it to the regional finals, state semis, state finals. We already know who is going to make it. Not because of some vast football conspiracy, but because building a team in football takes time, we can see it happening. We know what teams generally get transfers and what team lose transfers, so it shouldn't surprise us. While, I get your point on doing it by a year by year top 32, I would hate to be that school that has that magical run of 10-0 and then gets put into the "Open" Classification. At least if it is from the beginning of the season you know exactly what you are expecting to be able to accomplish and not accomplish.
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1 hour ago, Longtime Observer said:
The game is moving towards fewer, but more powerful, teams that compete on a regional, state and national level moreso than a local level. Venice, Buchholz, Lakeland may not have interesting games against local opponents, but they have interesting games when they play. And, they sometimes are beaten soundly by national powerhouses.
I don't disagree with this sentiment. Back in the days of FlaVarsity, I remember a poster thinking that the traditional high school would soon be gone and that IMG Academies of the World would be the future (he was not happy about it as he saw a purity in the game).
But I ask again, if what you say is true, then why not go to a promotion/relegation pyramid system (similar to European Soccer) where good/great teams rise to the top and bad teams fall. We can do it so the 1st classes are set up based on how a school did over the past 4 years and then promote or relegate every year based on the same data (but we cycle in 1 new year and cycle out the oldest year). Would we care as much if Lakeland dominates Polk County with transfers as long as they then didn't turn around and use those transfers to play the schools they got the transfers from? -
Opening:
Fernandina Beach - Twitter -
I asked this earlier, but if public schools don't have to be members of the FHSAA or even if they do and decide to go independent, what stops schools from creating their own "state championship" similar to what SIAA has been doing. I know the SIAA has been mostly "small" schools and for the most part schools that can't really compete for state championships and this gives them something to compete for.
I truly believe this is a reaction to the state's meddling in the FHSAA and basically kowtowing to private schools and other favored interests. But please don't think for a second, that small schools aren't recruiting or trying to find ways around the rules. Look to Williston football and basketball, look to Bradford, look to Madison County.
I have said for years, create a promotion/relegation system that moves good teams up and bad teams down and allows mediocre teams to compete among themselves. Allow the teams that are bent on winning at all costs, compete against each other. It hurts to lose a player you built for 3 years to another school. It hurts twice as hard to have that player line across from you for a district or regional game on the line.- Go Bo Go and DarterBlue2
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Hirings:
Krop (Miami) - Vernon Wilder
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Hirings
Carol City (Miami) - George Stubbs per Article
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Hirings:
Golden Gate - Nick Citro Article -
Hiring:
Baldwin - Don Velvet (per School's Twitter) -
1 hour ago, Perspective said:
Former head coach Mike Gregory reportedly has been hired as the "new" head coach at Tampa Catholic.
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Maybe, just maybe, school districts and the state should get out of the high school sports business completely.
Let's go to 100% community based club sports.
If the community of Lakeland wants to create a football program by pulling all the kids from the local area onto 1 or 2, so be it, let them.
If Miami has the ability to support 10 of those teams, let them. Let them face off in whatever manner they please, but remove schools.
Travel Ball and AAU pretty much dominate basketball, volleyball. soccer, and baseball/softball already, so dropping it from the high school would be easy. Many of the high school coaches are also the travel ball coach already, we just eliminate the need for the school to sponsor it. Football can be the same, schools can repurpose the money spent on coaching stipends, salaries, equipment, security, ticket takers, to educational needs.
We don't have to care about recruiting any more, because every kid is a free agent. This works in Europe with their soccer and basketball leagues, the professional teams have a responsibility to invest in the youth set-up, so all of a sudden our colleges start investing in their local communities.I am not really serious, but I am tired of the recruiting stuff.
will they pay the coaches???
in The Huddle
Posted
And if that same newsletter asked the Osceola County Sheriff Department, what do you think the response would be?
If you asked, members of the Chamber of Commerce? (Essentially a union of businesses)
If you asked a group of nurses?
If you asked a group of lawyers?
Also a union cares about the working conditions of their members, but the working conditions of teachers are the learning conditions of students as well.
People are attracted to careers because of the values that come with those careers.
Political Parties attract people based on their values.
So it shouldn't be surprising that certain professions attract certain people in certain careers. You act as if the principal's first question when we have a 5,000+ teachers shortage in this state is "who do you vote for? And are you a member of the union?"