Get on board the Children's Movement bus as it heads to Tallahassee

Florida is a lousy place to be a child.

Sure, we have abundant sunshine, amazing wildlife, neighborhood parks in which to play, world-renowned theme parks, wonderful beaches. What's not to like?

But, in almost every statistical measure, Florida ranks among the worst in the nation in how it treats its children. Almost one in five lives in poverty, the state ranks among the lowest in the country in spending for education, we have almost the highest percentage of uninsured children. The list is long and appalling.

But that can change. It can change if we really want it to change.

In September, I was encouraged when the new Children's Movement of Florida, a nonpartisan grassroots organization, brought a Milk Party rally to the Treasure Coast to spread the message that our children are in trouble and need concerned adult intervention. More than 900 people attended that rally in Fort Pierce and brought with them enthusiasm and optimism.

A spark became a flame, and that flame can become a beacon.

A few weeks ago, the Children's Movement announced its legislative goals for next year. They are ambitious, but this is no time for timidity when the stakes for our future are so high.

The five basic goals are:

Increase state matching funds to add 300,000 children to the state's child health insurance program. That's a little more than half of the state's currently uninsured children.

Provide online screening and referral tools for families with special-needs children.

Upgrade the state's voluntary prekindergarten program by encouraging better teacher training and curricula.

Implement a public awareness campaign to provide information to families on the importance of early development, nurturing parenting and parental involvement.

Restore Florida's national leadership in mentoring of children initially launched by Gov. Jeb Bush.

The cost to carry out those initiatives during 2011-12? About $300 million.

Before choking on that number, particularly as the state faces a $3.5 billion revenue shortfall, consider that it represents less than 1 percent of the state's annual revenues. Is 1 percent of state money too much to spend on our children?

And the Children's Movement isn't asking for new money. Rather, it's asking state lawmakers to reconsider priorities and shift funding around so that children become our first priority — not just in campaign rhetoric but in reality.

David Lawrence, former publisher of the Miami Herald and cofounder of the Children's Movement, said during the Milk Party stop on the Treasure Coast, "We have our priorities way out of whack in this state and nobody ought to stand for it. My God, this is not what we want for our children, for our state."

Am I optimistic the Florida Legislature will change course and begin to treat children like the precious resource they are? I wish I were more so than I am. The problem is that special interests with deep pockets have a hold on the Legislature. The same political leaders and their successors who for years have abandoned the needs of the state's children remain a force in Tallahassee.

But if anyone can change some minds in the Legislature, it's the committed leaders of the Children's Movement, such as Lawrence, and the movement's foot soldiers, who are in every region of this state. Children can't vote, but their parents and supporters of a better future for them can and do.

All who have been so frustrated by pleas to lawmakers to consider the children now have an organized mechanism to have their voices loudly heard. Many lawmakers may not listen. If they don't, they should find another line of work.

We must put our children first in Florida. We just must.

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