- June 22, 2026
Dear Editor:
I attended the Bryon Donalds forum at the VFW, which was a very informative event. I appreciated his vision for Florida’s future, especially his focus on education. During the question portion, School Board candidate Ron Long asked how local counties can compete with the mass exit of students and the loss of funding. He pointed out that parents’ main concerns are bullying and safety — both very real issues in our schools.
Mr. Donalds offered strong suggestions, including the importance of voting in School Board members who truly represent our voices and who are willing to hold the superintendent and district accountable. He also spoke about helping students find their path, which is exactly what we should want from our education system.
But there is a critical piece Florida is still failing to address: teacher pay and support. Florida ranks 50th in the nation for average teacher pay [according to the National Education Association]. Teachers are leaving because they cannot afford to stay, do not feel supported and are expected to manage increasingly out-of-control classrooms. If we do not invest in the quality of our teachers, our schools will never improve.
In recent years, the quality of education has plummeted. Districts are placing “bodies” in classrooms, and sometimes there is no certified teacher available for core subjects. Is that acceptable? My child had no consistent teacher for the majority of his freshman year, yet he was still held accountable for maintaining his GPA and required to take state testing. Why is the district not held to the same level of accountability as our students?
I pleaded with the district to think outside the box to support students, even suggesting that district employees spend a few hours at our local high schools to help. Their solution? Place a coach in the classroom and have students follow an online curriculum. And we wonder why parents are pulling their children out of public schools.
We have three open School Board seats on the ballot in August. I urge every parent and community member to take the time to learn about each candidate. Your child deserves better, and meaningful change has to start with you — in the voting booth.
Kathy Barnett
Palm Coast
