Florida Initiative has come into action and there have been many opposingopinions towards this plan since The Board of Regents approved it. Some mightsay the plan has split Florida in two. Many Florida citizens who support OneFlorida argue towards opposing positions to give the plan a chance. Thesesupporters believe this state needs a change because of the numerous problemswithin our school system.
Opposing sides argue that they might consider part of,which is the plan that grants schools money towards scholarships and mentoringbut their position is that affirmative action is not a problem. Supporter of OneFlorida Initiative believe that the plan could not have come about any laterthan it did because we needed some action done fast. While opposers believe thatthis plan was voted on too fast and the governor didn’t give citizens enoughinformation or time to do anything about it. The initiative to help diversityamong college admissions was a well thought out plan supporters argue. Theybelieve One Florida will work if we give it some time. Once we get used to theplan we will see how well it is working we while will learn more about.
Supporters are sure that this plan will improve the way Florida works and thatwe will influence other states to do the same. “Bush’s plan would replacethe state’s affirmative-action policies, which have been used with mixedsuccess, in university admissions”(Porter 1). Opposers of One Florida ask whatis he replacing it with? He is not replacing it, he has just eliminated it andthis is a form of equivocation. Citizens who oppose the governor’s plan arguethat “Affirmative action has only been around for 30 years.
It’s too soon toget rid of it”(Kennedy A1+). Affirmative action was a plan that opposing sidesdid not want to do away with, and they believe that this plan is not asbeneficial as affirmative action. Affirmative action grants equal rights tominorities and women in both education and labor, so it is not surprising that47% of women support it while 41% oppose it. A telephone poll was taken byMason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. on March 7th and 8th, and it asked 621registered voters in the state of Florida if they approved Governor Jeb Bush’sperformance. The statewide poll concluded that 54% support One Florida, 37%oppose it, and 9% are undecided (GriffinA1+).
I believe that those who opposethe plan should continue to fight for what they believe in, but if they are notheard then Florida citizens are forced to wait until there is some sort ofconclusion towards whether the plan works or not. The question is are Floridacitizens willing to wait around to see what is going to happen with minoritiesand women in Florida. Some say that if they do wait they might be too late to dosomething about it later. For those who are for the initiative, I hope it doeswork or they are going to have a big problem on their hands.
