Why Does Everyone Hate Florida So Much??

Preeps · Dec 24, 2008

I lived in central FL for 15 years, raising 2 kids and working. The high school was like a third world country. It was total chaos, with very little attempt by teachers to control children. FL hates kids, really. They don't fund them, and the old folks who retire there could care less. The whole state is about image, dress, possessions and the glitzy life. People go broke so they won't look uncool. The wages are a joke and even no state tax can make up for that. For nurses, it's a pretty lethal state, too. They get sued a lot, and they have regulations out the yazoo. It's a great place to visit...and then go back home.

Sorry Gabrielle but I feel your post is very slanted and somehow bitter?

Frankly I don't know a single nurse at my large hospital that has been sued. And as far as school systems in the Orlando area for instance, there are good and bad (like most larger cities!). But are you able to get a good educ ation here? Absolutely. As far as high schools being like "a third world country" I highly doubt it. Have you heard of Lake Brantely High School? Winter Park? Boone? Just a few of the schools here that one is able to obtain a quality education, if the student tries and works hard. There are good teachers and bad.

I make a good salary as a nurse and live in a nice neighborhood in a modest house (so I will not go broke!). In fact my home is payed for. . So I am definately not going broke to "look cool". I could live in a much fancier/larger home if I wanted to use the credit available to me but I chose not to.

You paint a very broad stroke in your portrait of Florida. Just wanted to give the other side.

saarein · Dec 25, 2008

I lived in central FL for 15 years, raising 2 kids and working. The high school was like a third world country. It was total chaos, with very little attempt by teachers to control children. FL hates kids, really. They don't fund them, and the old folks who retire there could care less. The whole state is about image, dress, possessions and the glitzy life. People go broke so they won't look uncool. The wages are a joke and even no state tax can make up for that. For nurses, it's a pretty lethal state, too. They get sued a lot, and they have regulations out the yazoo. It's a great place to visit...and then go back home.

Gabrielle, I do agree about the schools being in chaos. The teachers cannot control these children because the parents won't let them! I disagree with you that FL hates kids. I feel as though their parents hate them! Remember, I'm in the school system and I want to tell you that 75% of these parents could care less what their children are learning in school and they don't encourage their children to be good students and to better themselves. FL has the highest dropout rate in America. It also has one of the highest teen pregnancy rate. I have two high schools and have 20 some pregnant girls in one high school and 44 in another. I also have a middle school who has 7 pregnant girls. Where are their parents and why in God's name do we have such an archaic system regarding sex- ed? So Fl isn't the one we need to point the hate finger at, it's the adults in these children lives!! :down:

csason · Dec 25, 2008

Gee.. I wonder why Florida has been one of the fastest growing states for several

years running, if it's so bad..?? This year, we did not make the top ten list, but regardless..the question still stands.. I love my state, and as for it's decline, it certainly isn't the fault of the very fine and hospitable people who have resided here for years..

My grandfather was very close personal friends with "Mr. Edison", and it sure was

Mr. Disney's place to grow..

If anything, I attribute the de-generation of Florida to the hordes of non-natives who have come here expecting to live an island life, or something..This state has ALWAYS been for the tough and mentally prepared, vis a vis the bugs, heat and hurricanes.

I guess I have posted a lot on this thread, because I take exception to all those who think they know Florida, but yet really are just passers through..

As for the schools..My daughters have attended private school, up until this year..They really wanted to go to a new public school that was just built..and it is just awesome. It sits on 143 acres, and has state of the art

EVERYTHING.. just unbelievable.. Of course, like every public school, it has it's share of kids whose parents have turned their children over to the state to raise.

saarein · Dec 25, 2008

I'm not trying to put down your state, I'm just stating the facts about things that need to change to make this a state that children will be able to get a great education. There cannot be education when parents will not be parents. You cannot be a friend and a parent at the same time. I have children in the middle school who smoke pot with their parents. I have 15 year olds who are counting down the days until they turn 16 so they can quit school. I have girls who have never been told about their periods, let alone told how they can get pregnant. Don't get me wrong, this happens everywhere in the US, but I live here and here is where I am interested in and want to help change things for these kids!!!

Lstcats · Dec 26, 2008

That is not true!!!! I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and I DO NOT pride myself on being angry, nor am I an angry person!!! I am not rude, unless someone is rude to me(and even then it depends on the situation)... That is a generalized statement, which is totally not true!!!!

If you reread my statement I did not say that NY people "pride" themselves on being angry. I said that Bostonians do and that it is a statement on a tv station in their commercial. WBZ TV channel 4 in case you are wondering. I have no idea about NY and what their TV stations say. And, because someone is rude to you doesn't give you the right to be a rude back. I do that at times and it is so unbecoming of who I really am and feel guilty when that happens. And, I feel that you were rude to me in your statement and using capitals. Word of advice. I used caps in a different context (not an angry tone) and was called on it by one of the moderators here. They don't like to see us using caps and further more being angry towards each other. :redbeathe

Lstcats · Dec 26, 2008

i lived in central fl for 15 years, raising 2 kids and working. the high school was like a third world country. it was total chaos, with very little attempt by teachers to control children. fl hates kids, really. they don't fund them, and the old folks who retire there could care less. the whole state is about image, dress, possessions and the glitzy life. people go broke so they won't look uncool. the wages are a joke and even no state tax can make up for that. for nurses, it's a pretty lethal state, too. they get sued a lot, and they have regulations out the yazoo. it's a great place to visit...and then go back home.

hi gabrielle,

i have stated this before but will restate concerning education in fl. my uncle is 71 yrs old and has an 11 yr old and 13 yr. old daughter from a 2nd marriage. he is from "glitzy" ct and long island, ny. he took his family down to fl in 2002 after 9/11 and never went back. he brags (too much sometimes) about the great education that his daughters are getting compared to up north. he is not rich at all and his wife got the house. they don't pay for the schools that my cousins go to. they live in spring hill (yes a little nicer area but he lives in a small apt.) and each go to outstanding schools. they have their choice of schools:up: something that is unheard of in ma (don't know about ct or ny). one of the girls goes to a school that is for those who excel in math & science. my other cousin is being hounded by highschools because she does the pro-golf circuit. she can have her pick of high schols not colleges but highschools. i know this is unusual as not all kids are atheletically inclined or a wiz at math. but, there are choice that there are not other places. :up: a third world county doesn't have much in the way of books and some students don't have shoes or much clothing. they don't even have classrooms. so are you telling me that this exists in fl. :confused: my aunt makes $20k a year and lives in a nice mobile home. she lives near ocala and not "glitzy" anything. i don't personally know anyone that has this life style that you speak of.

funny you talk of wages, i made $42,300 this past year in ma (granted it was part time). what did you make? my living expenses for a run down crime/drug infested area near boston run me $1400 per mos and that doesn't include amenities like phone/cable/internet/electric/auto payment/auto& home insurance/ and even more. there are not as many nursing opportunities in boston as there are in the tampa area. boston being the way it is...is so picky about nursing. can't get a job in a hospital if you have been out of hospital nursing for more than 4-5 years. they will take a new grad over you everytime. and, most higher level jobs including teaching (which i do) and management all require msn's or bsn w/ a waiver for clinical adjunct (which i do). i guess we all can't stand where we live and always looking for soemthing bigger and brighter. why don't you move from fl like i am going to move from ma? maybe you would like it up here. although there are drawbacks it sure is interesting and lots of culture to see and things to do. :up:

nursegreen · Dec 28, 2008

To the OP, keep in mind that others comments only reflect their personal experiences. If you are unhappy with your current living situation, and you move to another place, chances are you will still be unhappy (this is not in every case). As for Florida's educational system, it has it's flaws just like any other school system in other states. My son is 13 and in the public school system with A's and B's in all his classess. This is because his education is ultimately my responsibility as his parent. There are many things that I am unhappy with in our school systems here, but I am very grateful that my son has never had to walk through a metal detector to go to school. It is very possible that this could happen in the future but I hope it wont, and I will deal with it appropriatly when and if it ever does. As for schools in Florida being referred to as "third world like" is absurd! Any person that would compare anything in the US to a third world country should be ashamed of themselves. Even the worse situations in schools located throughout the US could never compare to that. As for people wanting to live beyond their means (the glitzy, upscale life), many of the people living in Florida are transplants from other states. Therefore, how can this be an exact reflection of Floridians. I find this a little insulting. There are many areas in Florida that are wealthy and have many celebrities that have multiple homes around the state. We are a tourist state, a vacation state and always have been. The further South you go the better you will get paid. North Florida doesn't pay well at all for nurses. I personally would never live up there because I'm not going to work for $22/hr. I was born and raised here my entire life and love what Florida has to offer. Living in a tropical climate and having access to so many different beaches and the activities it provides all year around is great. It's definitly not for eveyone though. If you have visited here and like it then by all means go for it. You wont have the same lifestyle you currently have because Florida is truely a different lifestyle. I don't know if I would make that move with the economy currently the way it is but that is a personal decision. Keep in mind that nursing positions are at a minimum in a lot of places do to the economy. Many facilities are cutting back right now and preserving their budgets. For those that are unhappy, leave when the economy is better. Good luck!!

saarein · Dec 29, 2008

To the OP, keep in mind that others comments only reflect their personal experiences. If you are unhappy with your current living situation, and you move to another place, chances are you will still be unhappy (this is not in every case). As for Florida's educational system, it has it's flaws just like any other school system in other states. My son is 13 and in the public school system with A's and B's in all his classess. This is because his education is ultimately my responsibility as his parent. There are many things that I am unhappy with in our school systems here, but I am very grateful that my son has never had to walk through a metal detector to go to school. It is very possible that this could happen in the future but I hope it wont, and I will deal with it appropriatly when and if it ever does. As for schools in Florida being referred to as "third world like" is absurd! Any person that would compare anything in the US to a third world country should be ashamed of themselves. Even the worse situations in schools located throughout the US could never compare to that. As for people wanting to live beyond their means (the glitzy, upscale life), many of the people living in Florida are transplants from other states. Therefore, how can this be an exact reflection of Floridians. I find this a little insulting. There are many areas in Florida that are wealthy and have many celebrities that have multiple homes around the state. We are a tourist state, a vacation state and always have been. The further South you go the better you will get paid. North Florida doesn't pay well at all for nurses. I personally would never live up there because I'm not going to work for $22/hr. I was born and raised here my entire life and love what Florida has to offer. Living in a tropical climate and having access to so many different beaches and the activities it provides all year around is great. It's definitly not for eveyone though. If you have visited here and like it then by all means go for it. You wont have the same lifestyle you currently have because Florida is truely a different lifestyle. I don't know if I would make that move with the economy currently the way it is but that is a personal decision. Keep in mind that nursing positions are at a minimum in a lot of places do to the economy. Many facilities are cutting back right now and preserving their budgets. For those that are unhappy, leave when the economy is better. Good luck!!

"This is because his education is ultimately my responsibility as his parent."

That is what I have been stating! The education system down here does not work unless the parents decide it is their responsibility as a parent!!! The schools are NOT third world schools. They are very good and the teachers are by far the best I have seen, so the question is why are there so many drop-outs and so many pregnancies? I have noticed over the last 10 years the hordes of people coming down here from up north and I think they are looking for a utopia that doesn't exist. They come here thinking there are jobs galore and when they cannot find a job they become disillusioned and are unable to return to their original state because they have no money. I have commented many times to my husband about the many poor, unfortunate children who are homeless. At my elementary school alone, there are 80% of the children who have free or reduced school lunches. This is not a new phenomenon that would accompany the bad economy. This has been going on for nine years since I've been a school nurse. So if you have children in the public school system and they are flourishing, then pat yourself on the back because you are definitely doing your job!!!

Sharon

NRSNFL · Dec 29, 2008

Wow I was interested to see how many pages were on this post. I think there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Sunny year round, fabulous for outdoor activities.

2. Sunny year round, no you won't pay much for heat but the other 9 mos of the year you'll blow out the electric paying for air conditioning.

3. You can see winter storms coming, you can see hurricanes coming, but tornadoes exist here as well.

4. Education system, unless you are in a "richer" community, or private school pretty much sucks. I can say this not only as a parent but as a student of the system.

5. If you perform well in the sucky school system, you can qualify for scholarships towards an incredibly cheap college education (compared to other states).

6. No income tax

7. Lots of old people, I mean LOTS

8. It is incredibly transient in nature. And I've found Florida, unless you live in a very well established neighborhood, to be one where you are on your own, no leaving the doors unlocked no matter where you go or any of that trusting behavior I grew up with in NH.

9. All kinds of cultures to draw from.....hispanic culture, African American culture, Asians.....which I think was a great thing for me, being that I grew up in NH for the most part of my childhood and for me...there was white and more whites. So it is good as a child to be exposed to different people and learn flexibility and understanding.

10. Hardly any seasonal changes, something I completely yearn for and every Christmas is a struggle for me because well, it doesn't feel like it. I've overcome that though...I crank down the A/C and pretend it is freezing and actually have started a fire before just to get the "emotion" of the holidays in my house. That and Yankee Candle make it happen for me.

I am one of those who really doesn't like Florida, I've left out some of my more personal opinions. But I will say, if you uproot your children and take them from extended family I hope you really really love Florida. The things that you really hate, may be those things you grow to miss. None the less, do your homework, and really research where you want to move to. Florida has been hit hard by the recession and foreclosures abound....so just keep that in mind. It is a nationwide problem, but Florida is harder hit than others because we rely on tourism so much and well, we had a really shabby real estate market going here. I wish you luck, make choices that are best for YOU. And you and your family only.

csason · Dec 29, 2008

We never locked our doors till all the people from other states started moving here.

My girls attended a private school until this past year, and we just could not afford it any longer..fortunately, they now attend a brand new (first year) school that is on 143 acres..That's right, the school is almost as big as a military installation.

My daughter made All State chorus first year. Their are problems as with any school, but I have noticed that some areas of the country tout famously how advanced they are, but when you visit, it is evident that not many people move there..or have left there, for hundreds of years...

That brings us back to the original concept I am quite familiar with..being that

since I sat at my Grandpa's knee and listened to his horror stories of 'new' people coming here, then again, listening to my Dad say the same thing..and now my children listen to me say the same thing..

So, actually..I am glad people find Florida disdainful. Maybe they will go back to the tundra land and stop trying to tell us how we are supposed to be living.

Then we can have our beaches back..and the aquifer will heal itself..

Florida was a magic land once upon a time..now it looks more and more like Detroit as the days go by...yuk

saarein · Dec 29, 2008

Preach it sister!!LOL You're right, even though I am one of those people you speak of. But when we first moved here exactly 10 years ago yesterday it was beautiful. We'd go to the beach and it would be pristine and the air had that salty clean aroma. I just went to the beach two days before Christmas and I couldn't believe it was the same beach. Trash everywhere! I think I spent the good part of my time there picking up the trash. Traffic is another problem. WOW! Maybe it's just the holidays, but I haven't seen this much traffic since I've been here. And rude on top of it. I do think it's what you make of it. There isn't an in between feeling for Florida. I must admit I don't hate it as much as I used to. I don't cry everyday to go back to Indiana. Just every now and then I get this overwhelming feeling of loneliness for the familiar smells, sounds, sights, and people of my "home". There's no going back for me because my husband has his own business down here now and starting another, so I have to give up the dream of going back "home" because in reality this is my home, now. So to the original person who posted this question, I don't think anyone really hates Florida, I think they thought the grass was greener and found out it wasn't. There are no four seasons here, but there is sunshine 98% of the time. There are an abundant of elderly persons, but remember we are the baby boomer generation and there are a lot of us (I'm at the end of that generation). The traffic goes in cycles. The summer months are good because the snow birds have all gone and no school buses on the roads. The heat is bad in the summer and fall, and the bugs are bad, but there are always trade-offs when you live in paradise!! The schools are not the problem, it's the parents who are not being parents that is the problem with our schools. Parents don't discipline at home and schools are not allowed to discipline, so there is chaos. Electric bills are high in summer, but very low in winter. Hurricanes are tracked and you know when to leave, unlike tornadoes (which I experienced one up north) that come from nowhere. So I'll quit rambling and I really think this thread has outlived it's usefulness.

Sharon

csason · Dec 29, 2008

My wife doesn't know what to make of the "sister" comment.. and I cannot edit, or I would change

'their' to there...oops..

Me, I LOVE :heartbeat hurricanes.. yes I know, it's stupid.

Several years ago, I installed a generator that I can kick in for the whole house..(after one or two three week

periods of spam...and MRE's) and it serves as a reminder that the weather can be testy here in the sandpile.

Actually, I think Florida suffers fromt he same fate as any fast growing state, inadequate planning for

traffic, utilities, etc.. I have seen an upsurge in 'planned' communities, like Harmony near St. Cloud,

Celebration, near Disney..and one we drove through this morning on our way home from Jax., Nocatee.

But if you have tried to be a resident of Miami..Tampa..or Orlando, over the last ten years..it is worse than

Atlanta as far as construction goes..It took them forever to reconfig Malfunction Junction..and it is time to do

it again, and they all but just finished.

To be perfectly honest, some days.. I hate my home state..but I guess I am dysfunctional in some weird sort

of way..

Here is one of the reasons I stay.. (btw the feller standing next to me is from Indiana..great guy)