Lawmaker feels pressure to spend more on schools

March 10, 2002

Mar 8, 7:30 PM

By Zenaida A. and Paige St.

FLORIDA TODAY

Brevard Rep. Bob is feeling the pressure to support education, even

from his own family.

Last week, his daughter, a student at Jefferson Middle School on Merritt

Island, complained to her father about the cuts being made to the county's

public schools.

" My daughter told me, 'They've been turning the air conditioner off in my

math class because you've been cutting the budget,' " said during the

legislative session in Tallahassee. " I'm disappointed that she's feeling

that peer pressure. . . . They're picking on my kid. You know people are

well-intentioned, but . . . "

Brevard County School District spokeswoman Sara Stern said the school would

not target the representative's daughter.

Jefferson Middle School's temperature is controlled by Controls. The

company monitors and regulates temperatures at several schools and the

district offices in Viera.

" There is no way that someone in the classroom could override the controls, "

Stern said. " And in all fairness, there is no way we would jeopardize a

student's health and safety by doing that. "

However, there is a move to reduce utility costs in the district. All

schools have been asked to:

Turn off lights when rooms aren't being used.

Shut down computers.

If safe, turn up the thermostat.

" But we have to maintain certain air quality because of the problem with

mold, " Stern said. " We're not sacrificing air quality for budget

reductions. "

Brevard's elected officials working on the state budget in Tallahassee have

felt pressure from school officials, teachers and parents to spend more

money on schools.

Lawmakers are trying to balance the state budget while balancing the needs

of education, health and justice. All of those areas were cut during the

last session.

" These are tough times in a tough balanced-budget year, " said.

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