The embarrassment for Florida's education system just keeps on coming like the wind-driven waves from Hurricane Isabel.
Earlier this month, The Chronicle of Higher Education, a well-respected publication in academia, had this to say:
"When it comes to governance of its 11 public universities, Florida resembled a banana republic by the end of the 2002-2003 academic year."
A banana republic. Swell.
This week there were two more blows.
The Manhattan Institute, a New York-based think tank, released a study saying Florida ranked 50th in the nation when it comes to graduating students after four years in high school.
That's right. Dead last.
And the state released figures showing that 35,000 students who had expected to enroll in community colleges this fall couldn't because there was not enough money available to pay for the classes they needed.
All of this comes during the fifth year of Gov. Jeb Bush's administration. "Reports show Jeb Bush as education governor he isn't". See also "Colleges turn away would-be students" ("Florida's open-door policy at community colleges has slammed shut on thousands of would-be students, unable to get the courses they want, when they want because of budget constraints imposed by the legislature in May.") The Florida Times Union editorial page has a different view.
CLARK IN THE SUNSHINE STATE -Gen. Wesley Clark, striving to bypass nine rival Democrats, carried his new presidential campaign straight to Florida on Thursday with "tough questions" for President Bush in a state that Republicans count on carrying.
The retired four-star general and former commander of NATO forces chose to spend the second day of his late-starting campaign targeting the swing-voting state that handed Bush the White House in the bitterly disputed 2000 election.
"This is the right place to begin," Clark said in an interview. "The message is, we are going to hold the administration accountable -- for the economy, foreign policy, good open, transparent government."
AS FLORIDIANS GO WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE . . . Profits at Florida HMOs continued to rocket upward in the first half of 2003 as the health plans reaped the benefits from their customers paying higher premiums, co-payments and deductibles. "State's HMOs see profits surge in '03".
In the meantime, doctors go after the lawyers. In this, however, it seems that the "Doctors [are] wrong again?"
NELSON TO BLOCK APPOINTMENT - U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said Thursday that he'll block the appointment of a new Secretary of the Army unless the military redresses a new policy that lengthens deployments for Florida National Guardsmen and reservists. "Nelson: Will block Army secretary's appointment 'til satisfied on Guard return".