A roundtable discussion on public radio

By Martin Merzer on 08/17/2010 @ 07:24 AM

Two steering committee members of The Children's Movement of Florida - Betty Castor and David Lawrence Jr. -- participated this week in a roundtable discussion about the dreadful state of early childhood programs in Florida and about the movement's objectives.

Castor, formerly a legislator, state education commissioner and president of the University of South Florida, told Florida Public Radio's Margie Mendel that the time has come to address these issues.

"We really have to get serious about the way we care for our children," Castor said.

Lawrence, co-chair of The Florida Children's Movement, founding chair of The Children's Trust of Miami-Dade County and retired publisher of The Miami Herald, spoke passionately about the responsibilities of a caring society.

"You have 6-year-olds and you see it in their eyes – 'I just can’t make it in this world.’ And then the teachers start triaging and we’re off to the races. It makes me cry. This shouldn’t happen in this country," he said.

"This isn’t about being a "nanny state." This isn’t socialism," Lawrence said. "This is about as American as you can get – to make sure that everyone has an opportunity."

The discussion was taped for broadcast by Florida Public Radio in Tallahassee as the Sept. 9 segment of the public affairs program, "It's About Florida."