Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar on the latest in the fight for Florida's public schools

Stand Up! with Pete Dominick

Pete Dominick

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4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 1 September 2023

⏱️ 26 minutes

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Andrew Spar is president of the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest association of professional employees.

Spar was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, attending public schools. A violinist since age 6, he earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Ohio State University, graduating in 1994.

That same year, he went to Daytona Beach to teach at Turie T. Small Elementary School, where more than 90 percent of the students lived in poverty. The music teacher soon found his voice as an advocate and has worked ever since on behalf of public school students, schools, teachers and education staff professionals.

“I could not read when I was in first grade,” Spar recalls. “I struggled in school. But the educators in my life were empowered to make my success a priority, and that’s just what they did. I want the same world for my family and for all of Florida’s children.”

At Turie T. Small, Spar served as school-improvement chair for two years and as a union steward for seven years. He would go on to become president of his local union in May 2003 and led Volusia United Educators until he was elected FEA vice president in 2018. In September 2020, he was named FEA president after the previous president, Fedrick C. Ingram, was elected secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers.

During his 15 years leading the Volusia union, Spar negotiated 14 contracts, handled numerous grievances and arbitrations, and spent many long hours advocating for members and working families.

In 2017, he led the merger of the Volusia Teachers Organization and the Volusia Educational Support Association to create Volusia United Educators(link is external). The new union has nearly 3,800 members and represents more than 6,000 teachers, paraprofessionals and office specialists in Volusia County Schools.

Throughout his career, Spar has served on committees and task forces for the AFT. At FEA, he spent eight years on the executive cabinet. He also has served on the executive board of the Florida AFL-CIO(link is external) and was secretary-treasurer of the organization from January 2016 until September 2020.

Spar’s wife, Vernell, is also a public school music teacher. The Spars have two daughters; both girls attend public schools.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Well, most of you probably heard that Florida has tried to get rid of African-American history
0:09.2	in terms of getting rid of the advanced placement class offered at high school students
0:13.0	and even college students, but did you know that they also tried to get rid of the psychology
0:16.9	class offered to high school students because it had some talk about sexuality because
0:21.2	you know, sexuality is part of psychology.
0:23.3	I didn't until I talked with my friend Andrew Barr, who is of course the president of
0:29.6	the Florida Education Association, the best part of Florida.
0:33.6	I always learned so much from him.
0:35.1	He is such a passionate, amazing leader and he is my guest on today's episode of Can
0:40.0	You Talk Real Quick.
0:41.3	I reached out to Andrew yesterday.
0:43.0	He updated me and filled me in on a whole bunch of issues.
0:46.5	I really appreciate his perspective on all of these things and I highly recommend you
0:51.3	follow him on TikTok and all of the social media support this organization if you are
0:55.7	in Florida, definitely make sure you are getting all of their updates.
0:59.4	There are so many amazing people down there, I have gone down there and spoken with them
1:02.2	and campaigned with them and activists with them, the teachers of Florida, amazing people.
1:08.8	And today we get to talk to the leader of so many of them, the head of the Florida Education
1:13.0	Association, Andrew Spar, a tiny little issue with his microphone that I thought I could
1:17.8	fix.
1:18.8	Maybe I should have mentioned it.
1:19.8	Maybe I should have.
	...

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