Gov. Rick Scott is expected to make an announcement today in Ocoee seeking a pay raise for Florida's teachers.
Just a couple of years ago, Scott spearheaded a successful effort to cut their wages by 3 percent through a retirement contribution.
"Teachers kind of do everything," said ninth-grader Julianne Woodward. "Firefighters and policemen had to come from somewhere. They came from teachers. So I think teachers should get a pay raise."
The Florida Supreme Court last week upheld a Scott-proposed law requiring the pension contribution from teachers, state and county employees and some municipal workers.
The Legislature last year approved Scott's request to increase public school funding by $1 billion but left it to local school boards to determine how much, if any, would go to pay raises.
That was a turnaround for the Republican governor, who in the previous year persuaded lawmakers to cut school spending.
