[Retiredcoach]

There are a lot of intelligent, insightful, and balanced posts to this thread, especially when when one considers all of our country is being affected adversely by this economic downturn. It is only natural that "the claws come out" when others criticize one's home, evident in others of the posts. Despite its many flaws, Florida is still a place that can be a great place to live. The problem is, however, too many want Florida to be what it was 25 years ago (and still firmly believe that it is). Despite what some may think, Florida can not turn back the clock and wish its present problems away. If Florida wishes to positively progress through this century with reverences to opportunity, jobs, youth, stability, education .... a vibrant & diverse place of safe communities.... then it has to attract the type of population that will allow this lifestyle to prosper. Houston is able to do this as no other major city. One who genuinely cares about the future of Florida needs to ask (and answer)..... Why can't any city in Florida move past living in yesteryear and strive to come close to emulating the vitality and positive (affordable) growth?

[crystalblue]

could be wrong, but one of the reasons might be all the retirees.

they moved here wanting a certain lifestyle, and my understanding is, as people get older, they are less comfortable with change.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by psouth

It is a fact that educated Americans leaving Florida are being replaced in droves by illegal uneducated Hispanics many of which do not speak English or care to learn. Hispanics now outnumber Americans in all of S. Florida up to Martin County. IMO they are holding the schools and teachers back to their levels which isn't fair to the school systems or American students.

lol. A whopping 8% of high school students in Broward County are learning English, out of those, I doubt all of that 8% learned Spanish as their first language. Blacks are actually the largest ethnicity in the school system followed closely by non-Hispanic whites and THEN Hispanics. There are maybe 6 Hispanic majority schools (elementary schools), and even there they make a weak majority and are some of the best performing schools in the county. See: Sunset Lakes Elementary School - Miramar, Florida - FL - School overview, Eagle Point Elementary School - Weston, Florida - FL - School overview, both which have some of the highest Hispanic percentages, and compare with Silver Ridge Elementary School - Davie, Florida - FL - School overview McNab Elementary School - Pompano Beach, Florida - FL - School overview which have some of the highest white percentages and weaker scores. To be fair, some of the more heavily Hispanic schools were lower rated and some of the more heavily white schools were higher rated, but the correlation has more to do with economic background and fact is the "illegals" who "refuse to speak English" make up an extremely minuscule amount of the population north of Miami-Dade. If it doesn't even extend into Miramar (which sits on the Miami-Dade line), how could it make it's way all the way up to Stuart? The struggling schools have struggled for years and mostly consist of poorer black American students. The fact is that uneducated Americans are leaving this part of Florida and being replaced in droves by legal and educated Hispanics who speak better English AND Spanish then I do. Entire communities such as Pembroke Pines became so much better ever since the post-Andrew white trash got blown into Tennessee. It's not a commonly accepted fact but it's true. Crime is down, the neighborhoods are cleaner, etc. A lot of communities did get more congested but that happens with population growth. Others where they haven't been replaced stayed slummy (Hollywood, Dania Beach, etc).

Bottom line is that I agree with you in certain circumstances, but there is usually some kind of ethnic agenda behind such sweeping circumstances, because that isn't really true.

[rachaelb]

In terms of all of the posts on education and teacher pay in FL, I will tell you that there is also a real level of public anger against teachers in some areas of FL. Read the articles in FL Today -- but pay attention to the public comments and I think all of you will be SHOCKED at the level of hatred against teachers in FL....this might help you understand also why teachers are leaving the state -- it's not just about the pay, but the level of respect given and there are some people who truly dislike teachers. Strange, but true.

[berryjuice4life]

they arent treated any better in NYC either or anywhere else we have lived to tell you the truth as my dad was a teacher, my friends are teachers as well....the only difference in NY is they are in a union...other than that, I cant tell you how some of them are treated by parents and that people have no respect for what they do...the pay is higher yes as my dad retired on a nice pension however its not all about the money, he loved what he did....

[rachaelb]

So odd, I don't understand it at all. It seems like nurses went through similar issues until we really hit a nursing crisis and then they became better paid (although I am sure it's still not even close to enough) and more respected. There are 'unions' in FL, but b/c they aren't allowed to strike, they aren't as helpful as they could be...

[tallrick]

Hyperinflation is going to decimate the retirement income of retirees so if they come to Florida they may not be enjoying their "golden years". Every person who leaves is a plus for an overpriced and overpopulated state. However, just like a drain in a sink Florida is where many seek their own level. I doubt that even a depression can keep the nuts from rolling downhill. Dreamers and schemers will always seek Florida as a place to make their own.