Teachers are undermined and experience constant deception.
Pros
A sheriff lives in a trailer on the school sites which makes it pretty safe for teachers and students. The chances of someone taking a child unlawfully from any school are slim to none. The students are well protected by the teachers, administrators and office staff. The business community donates to students in need and during the holidays.
Cons
If you don't interview and choose the school you want to work at they will "Voluntarily FORCE" place you where no one else wants to work at (ex. Immokalee City, Everglades, low performing schools with extended hours, etc.) DO NOT take a POOL Teacher position because even though HR and the Union say you can apply and interview at any school you'd like; doesn't mean that they will make it easy for you to get a position at a school of your choice. The health insurance plan the county offers its employees is the worst I've had in my teaching career. The deductible, co-pays, pharmacy deductible and co-pays are outrageous. Furthermore, if you want to add more than one child to your insurance plan your cost will be more than 3 times what you will pay for just one child. MINORITIES BEWARE!!!! This is mainly a white city/community/school board. Therefore don't expect to be treated equally or fairly if you are black, Latino or any other race or ethnicity that doesn't originate from a "white" culture. The board only honors up to 9 years of teaching experience, so if you have more than 10 years of teaching experience you will not get paid for anything more than 9 (look at the pay schedule for the school board). Most of the administrators are white, I don't believe they practice the "Equal Opportunity Employer" philosophy. Of course, the cafeteria, custodial, office staff and a few teachers are "minority employees", but don't expect to see many "minorities" on the administrative role positions. BYOD - "BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE", is the worst thing ever incorporated in any school board. Whoever came up with this concept (BYOD) hasn't been in the classroom as a full time teacher in the past 10 years. The students feel they have the right to use their cell phones, iPads, iPods, laptops, etc. whenever they feel like it. This all causes more disciplinary classroom disruptions and teachers have to be troubled by taking away the devices, writing referrals, interrupting the class lesson or lecture to redirect those students who obviously don't use the devices for anything that has to do with education. The students are constantly hiding the device from the teachers and most of them use it to go on Instagram, check their email, Facebook, take photos of other or selfies, take photos of the tests their taking to pass it on to the other students who will be tested later on that day or when they return from an absence, field trip or indoor suspension. As soon as I get another job I am out the door and will never look back