The Palm Beach County based BizPac Review has sent out its August 26th primary endorsements. Jack Furnari sent out “Jacks 2014 Conservative Primary Voters Guide“. Furnari describes himself as “a conservative writer and political strategist in Boca Raton.” On Jack’s list is Karen Brill running for re-election for the Palm Beach School Board District 3 seat.

Many wonder why a conservative publication endorsed Brill, a liberal Democrat, over her conservative opponent John Hartman. Brill is pro-Common Core and was recently installed by the Florida School Board Association as President of the Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards.

The Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards’ 2014 Legislative Program has a “Priority Goal” to:

Support Common Core State Standards and Accountability, and develop a workable timeline for the implementation of accountability, but not before July 1, 2017, that includes student, teacher, principal, school and school district assessment, professional development, and evaluation.

Karen Brill, Democrat Palm Beach School Board, District 3.

Brill will be responsible to implement the Consortium’s legislative program, which includes:

• Repeal requirements for districts to adopt EOCs in every subject not covered by the state assessment program.
• Allow alternative ways for Post-Secondary Readiness Test compliance, such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AICE, or Dual Enrollment programs.
• Oppose any further expansion of the Florida Tax Credit and John McKay Scholarship Programs.
• Provide state funding for any increased costs to the employer’s contribution to the Florida Retirement System.
• Identify alternative revenue sources, including efforts to enforce the states existing sales tax on all internet sales made in Florida, and study a phase out of exemptions on non-essential goods.
• Extend the voter-approved operation millage authority from four (4) years up to ten (10) years.
• Provide state wide assessments in multiple languages for the first two years of testing.

Does this sound like a conservative legislative program? Is Brill, who will be pushing this program, a conservative? Many think not.

Brill’s campaign website states, “Prior to joining the School Board, I was actively involved in education locally, statewide and on the national level – most notably as an advocate for students with disabilities.” Yet, as President of the Consortium Brill will be working against further expansion of John McKay Scholarship Programs that help students with disabilities. Is this an oxymoron?

We will let you decide if Jack’s picks are conservative or not. Some may want to re-consider the Jack and BizPac Review 2014 Voter Guide?