293 Hon. Ginny Brown-Waite

January 7, 2009 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 155, Pt. 1 293 [From the St. Petersburg Times, Jan. 3, 2009] Mr. Moore was known in Pinellas and Hinesley, Moore was persuaded by a former BOISTEROUS AND FITTING FAREWELL across the state for his knowledge of Flor- PCTA president to lobby School Board mem- (By Thomas C. Tobin and Donna Winchester) ida’s budget and politics. He took tough bers for the four votes necessary to remove stances, including pushing for a teacher raise Hinesley. He failed, and to the day he passed CLEARWATER.—He loved roses and Broad- way musicals. He stunk at golf, though he this year even as the district plunged into a away he seemed to regret what he had done. had a whale of a time playing it. deep economic hole. But he maintained a Guerrilla politics were never Moore’s style, He was an optimist, active in his church, collaborative style and an optimistic out- and the failed attempt nearly severed his re- strong in his views. He was a reader and a look. lationship with Hinesley. ‘‘I’ll never go there smiler, a pundit, a partier, a people lover. ‘‘All of us knew that Jade meant what he again,’’ he would say. ‘‘I won’t do it.’’ And when it came to teachers, Jade Thom- said, that ... his views were in support of the The lesson was never lost, and Moore even as Moore—the executive director of the many, not of the few, and that he would al- found himself taking friendly fire as a result. Pinellas teachers union for 34 years—was no ways, no matter what, stand by his beliefs,’’ A splinter group calling itself TUFF-Teach pushover. said the Rev. Victoria ByRoade, a local Pres- emerged in 2001, condemning what it saw as ‘‘He fought hard for them and he loved byterian pastor who eulogized him Saturday. too much coziness between PCTA and school them,’’ Tim Moore said at a memorial serv- ‘‘Jade Moore was a man we could trust.’’ administrators and state lawmakers. But ice for his brother Saturday. ‘‘If you want to [From the St. Petersburg Times, Dec. 20, Moore was unyielding and argued that co- remember Jade, remember that love for 2008] operation, not confrontation, is more pro- teachers.’’ ductive in the long run. In his characteristic A TOUGH, FRIENDLY ADVOCATE Pinellas County’s education and political style, he said: ‘‘You don’t score points by communities turned out in force to remem- (By Jon East) taking a dump on these guys.’’ ber Mr. Moore, who died Dec. 18 at age 61 What made Jade Moore such an institution What I always saw in Moore was an after suffering his second stroke in a year. in Pinellas public education was also what unfailingly sentimental view of public edu- More than 700 people jammed Trinity Pres- made him such an invaluable source to those cation. He would speak wistfully of his own byterian Church in Clearwater for an of us who watched from the sidelines. Moore, days at Clearwater High School and the way hourlong service that recalled his success as who died Thursday after suffering a stroke, such schools can be a gathering place for a family man, his long career as an educator knew his stuff. He believed in what he was children from different walks of life. Nothing and the outgoing personality that endeared doing, and he would never let education ide- got him more emotional than to talk about him to allies and adversaries alike. ology cloud his plain assessment of right and a teacher who had made a difference in a The congregation included state and coun- wrong. And, yes, Moore would speak his child’s life. That was the Sunday school ty officials, legislators, judges, lawyers and mind, usually with blunt, sometimes pro- teacher in Jade. He honestly believed in sav- school system employees of every stripe— fane and often comic effect. ing one soul, one child, at a time. from support workers and teachers to top ad- Moore ran a union with 8,000 teachers and f ministrators and school board members. could throw a punch with the best of them. In keeping with Mr. Moore’s love of food He retaliated to legislative cutbacks in 1991 and celebration, hundreds of mourners recon- RECOGNIZING ROSE RUSSO OF by stuffing what was then called the Florida. vened at union headquarters in Largo for an SPRING HILL, FLORIDA evening of eating, drinking, tears, laughter Suncoast Dome with 15,000 educators and and toasts. supporters holding signs imploring, ‘‘Don’t Guests arrived to a massive potluck $hortchange our Kids.’’ He skewered a HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE spread, a full bar and a chance to talk about Pinellas School Board that in 1998 voted to OF FLORIDA Mr. Moore for up to three minutes. seek an end to the federal court order on de- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A DJ played Broadway hits, popular songs segregation, and then fought a choice plan from the 1950s and ’60s and Mr. Moore’s fa- for student assignment that he viewed as a Wednesday, January 7, 2009 vorite, Blue Moon by the Marcels. retreat. But Moore became a force in edu- Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. ‘‘The noise is what Jade would want to cation policy for three decades in part be- Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Rose have happened,’’ his wife, Sue Moore, told cause conflict was not really in his genes and the crowd. ‘‘He would want us talking to was never his first impulse. Russo of Hernando County, Florida. Rose will each other and drinking a whole lot.’’ School boards and superintendents from do something later this year that all of us She offered a toast: ‘‘To the best man I’ve other locales would marvel at the relation- strive to do, but that very few of us will ever known and the best man I will ever know.’’ ship between the Pinellas Classroom Teach- accomplish, celebrate her 100th birthday. Said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D–Tampa: ers Association and the school administra- Rose Russo was born April 11, 1909 on ‘‘He believed in the power of education. He tion. Most contracts through the years were 63rd Street and 1st Avenue in New York City, believed in the power of teachers. He be- signed after friendly collaboration, not New York. Following her schooling in Brook- lieved we could take this state forward.’’ threats and mediation. Moore came to re- lyn, Rose went on to work at the New York Kim Black, president of the Pinellas Class- spect most of the superintendents with room Teachers Association, said Mr. Moore whom he worked, though he remained par- Health Department as a tab-operator. served with her and 12 other presidents dur- tial to Scott Rose for his inspirational style Marrying Anthony Russo, Rose went on to ing his tenure. through the 1980s. Moore managed to develop have two daughters and is now the proud ‘‘Jade has adapted to every one of us,’’ she such strong bonds with school officials that grandmother of nine grandchildren. Her said. ‘‘He has been the constant. When we former superintendent Clayton Wilcox made happiest moments include her 50th wedding were weak, he was strong.’’ the unfortunate mistake upon his arrival in anniversary and touring our beautiful country. She said his favorite part of the job was 2004 of seeing Moore as part of a good ol’ boy visiting schools. Black and Mr. Moore had Rose’s proudest moment was seeing her network that needed to be rooted out. Moore daughter and her grandchildren graduate from been to 40 so far this year and planned many remained as Wilcox left. more visits in the upcoming semester. The Moore persona was a tapestry of color college. In fact, Rose’s youngest grandson ‘‘He was about bringing joy to the work- and contradiction. He would cuss enough to now has his PhD. place,’’ Black said. ‘‘He was about bringing make the timid blush. But he also was a Eventually moving to Hernando County, joy to everybody he knew.’’ County Commissioner Susan Latvala re- Sunday school teacher who really did live by Rose decided to live with family because her called her time on the Pinellas School Board the Golden Rule. Nothing got him angrier daughter and son-in-law didn’t want her to live from 1992 to 2000. than to see teachers be made scapegoats for alone. Today she enjoys relaxing with a book ‘‘I don’t know if I would have survived political causes or to be publicly humiliated and knitting. Her advice to young people is to those eight years without Jade,’’ she told the for private and personal transgressions. But stay in school and get a good education. crowd. ‘‘He would call me to say, ’Susan, he would avoid like the plague defending any teacher who he believed didn’t belong in the Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me in why don’t you come over to the office and honoring Rose Russo for reaching her 100th we’ll have a drink.’ It was never a 15-minute classroom. He was an unabashed liberal conversation.’’ Democrat, but he befriended so many Repub- birthday. I hope we all have the good fortune Upstairs at union headquarters Saturday, licans that he even managed an appointment to live as long as her. from Gov. Charlie Crist to a constitutional Mr. Moore’s office remained as he left it on f Dec. 15, his last day of work. taxation review panel.

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