Red for Ed Wednesdays Return
(August 21, 2019) BROOKSVILLE, FL -- Hernando Classroom Teachers' Association is calling for all public education advocates to recommit to the Wear Red for Ed campaign through the 2019-2020 school year. Red for Ed is both a statewide and national effort to draw much needed attention to the funding crisis which is impacting classrooms across the country. Wearing red on Wednesdays throughout the year is a show of solidarity and a visible reminder of the ongoing struggle to appropriately fund public education.
In designating Wednesdays as our Wear Red for Ed day each week, HCTA is joining millions of voices in fighting for our nation's public schools and the students they serve. Here in Florida, the facts are alarming:
- Currently ranked 46th in the nation in teacher pay
- Nearly 50,000 education support professionals earning wages below the national poverty level
- Ranked 43rd in the nation in per pupil spending
- The 2019-2020 school year began in Florida with more than 3,500 teacher vacancies
The National Education Association has provided an interactive map to illustrate the funding disparities from state to state.
More than just a show of solidarity; Red for Ed is a call to action. Take a pledge to support the Red for Ed movement and sign up to receive mobile updates from NEA. Educators can elevate the conversation around funding by participating in NEA's #OutOfMyPocket social media campaign.
Public education advocates are banding together to remind our communities and our elected officials that the future is in our classrooms today. The time to invest in our neighborhood public schools is now. It's time to fund our future.