As an Illinois Conservative, this is one of the few things the Guv did that I can support. Whether for personal political purposes or for ideological reasons, I'm certainly not going to get bent out of shape about the educational bureaucracy whining about funding.
The truth is that public education is one of the most over funded and underperforming "services" the government (state or local) provides.
Public Education needs a haircut, in both money and clout. If Rod does part of that job, more power to him. Some examples from the article...
___ 1.
"The new board hired a 24-year-old chief of staff who previously had driven Blagojevich's press van through rural Illinois. It approved a Downstate charter school at the governor's urging, even though the previous board had denied it four times." ___
Bruno's comment: The public ed sector's hatred of charters is well known. The Trabant hates to forced to compete (even if with a Chevy). Score one for Rod. __ 2. Critics charge that Blagojevich also has silenced another voice on education, the Education Funding Advisory Board.
By state law, the five-member board composed of business leaders and educators is supposed to recommend, every two years, a minimum per-pupil spending level. Using state and national research, the group is supposed to send lawmakers a report on Jan. 1 in odd-numbered years.
Since Blagojevich took office two years ago, four members have either resigned or their terms have expired. The governor has not replaced any of them. As a result, no report was sent to lawmakers this year as required by law. __
Bruno's comment: The "Advisory Board" sounds like another one of those entities whose only job is to rubberstamp continual increases for a bloated education system.
By short circuiting this process, Rod is forcing some responsibility on the process while taking it upon himself. Regardless of the motivations behind this, it is called "governing", which the entire education system is designed to circumvent while growing more bloated.
Score 2 for Rod. ____
He's looking pretty good for a Democrat. The zombies in the Republican party don't have the backbone to fight the education lobby.
But then, only Nixon could go to China, I guess.
Nan
· 4 years ago
Illinois gets a report card: The Government Performance Project released state report cards today on how well each state is managed. See Illinois state report card to find out how the state manages money, people, infrastructure, etc.
All Comments
The truth is that public education is one of the most over funded and underperforming "services" the government (state or local) provides.
Public Education needs a haircut, in both money and clout. If Rod does part of that job, more power to him. Some examples from the article...
___
1.
"The new board hired a 24-year-old chief of staff who previously had driven Blagojevich's press van through rural Illinois. It approved a Downstate charter school at the governor's urging, even though the previous board had denied it four times."
___
Bruno's comment: The public ed sector's hatred of charters is well known. The Trabant hates to forced to compete (even if with a Chevy). Score one for Rod.
__
2.
Critics charge that Blagojevich also has silenced another voice on education, the Education Funding Advisory Board.
By state law, the five-member board composed of business leaders and educators is supposed to recommend, every two years, a minimum per-pupil spending level. Using state and national research, the group is supposed to send lawmakers a report on Jan. 1 in odd-numbered years.
Since Blagojevich took office two years ago, four members have either resigned or their terms have expired. The governor has not replaced any of them. As a result, no report was sent to lawmakers this year as required by law.
__
Bruno's comment:
The "Advisory Board" sounds like another one of those entities whose only job is to rubberstamp continual increases for a bloated education system.
By short circuiting this process, Rod is forcing some responsibility on the process while taking it upon himself. Regardless of the motivations behind this, it is called "governing", which the entire education system is designed to circumvent while growing more bloated.
Score 2 for Rod.
____
He's looking pretty good for a Democrat. The zombies in the Republican party don't have the backbone to fight the education lobby.
But then, only Nixon could go to China, I guess.