Tag: schools (page 4)

It seems we are always looking at ways of reducing the cost of operating our schools in Michigan, so lets be especially ingenious and put additional burdens on the schools themselves.  That ALWAYS works:

4179 of 2011:

February 1, 2011, Introduced by Rep. Nathan and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled  "The revised school code," by amending section 1278 (MCL 380.1278), as amended by 2004 PA 596, and by adding section 1164.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

Sec. 1164. Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy shall ensure that all pupils in grades K to 12 are provided with instruction in at least 1 foreign language.

Cause kids are just too big..  Like some cities.

Remember all of those wonderful scholarships that once upon a time had funding through 'promises' and 'pledges' and earmarked tobacco cash?  

Oh My.. THOSE were the days.

$300 Million dollars a year dedicated to whatever the state wanted to do.  Completely fungible money, paid for by the health issues that state's attorneys argued cost the taxpayer in the first place.  $300 Million to pay for Johnnie and Suzie's college tuition once, and later, maybe 4100 million for a state police post that was not needed.  Gosh happy days, and dollar signs in the eyes of anyone who thought they could tap into the 'free money' promised by the settlement with big tobacco about 12 years ago.  Money so stable, that even spending it ahead of time was not out of the question.

Umm  Folks?  Put the credit card down for a minute.  We seem to have hit a snag. It seems the agreement by attorney's general of several states, (GUESS WHO OUR AG AT THE TIME WAS? - Haha fooled you .. it wasnt YET the drooling over those funds JG to the right.) and some tobacco concerns represents an illegal compact between states, which is seen as unconstitutional.

The background: The case was brought by the Competitive Enterprise Institute on behalf of a tobacco company, S&M Brands, a tobacco retailer and a cigarette consumer. The group sued the Louisiana Attorney General in 2005, claiming, among other things, that the Louisiana legislation which effected the terms of the 1998 settlement represented an illegal "compact" among states.

Detroit schools apparently have some gaping holes to fill, and they would like to do it with money that the state doesn't have yet. So to make ALL schools feel like they have failed as badly as the best laid liberal plans in Detroit, they have proposed using $400,000,000.00 in [future] tobacco settlement money to plug a couple hundred million of that leak. From the Detroit news:

Rep. Fred Durhal, D-Detroit, sponsored the legislation in response to a request by Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager of the Detroit Public Schools.

In an interview Monday with The Detroit News Editorial Board, Bobb said the district was asking for money from the state's settlement with tobacco companies to alleviate DPS' $327 million deficit. In return for the aid, DPS and other districts would implement reforms based on the federal Race to the Top initiative.

It's almost as if schools follow a script when trying to get a tax increase passed.

First, they try to persuade people there's some kind of crisis, an urgent crisis.

Next the board puts a tax proposal on the ballot.

Any board members expressing reservations are told that putting the proposal on the ballot is just "letting the people decide."

Supporters push the millage using standard arguments. It's for the kids. Or they minimize the increase. Rather than calling it a $2 million tax, they equate it to cups of coffee, cans of pop, doughnuts whatever - a pittance. If they can find any possible way to characterize the tax proposal as a "renewal" or an "extension," anything, but an "increase" they do that.

Then there's a spring election with nothing but school issues on the ballot. This normally means a small voter turnout. With a small turnout, a few hundred people can pass a tax increase that thousands will pay.

Before voting on May 4, Inland Lakes voters should analyze that process and think about whether they really want things to play out that way.

She lost the budget battle, and is now attempting to scare the foot soldiers of an ever growing government with words like "CUTS," and "Eliminations.."

In the classic movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Jimmy Stewart plays the naive Jefferson Smith, who is appointed a U.S. Senator. Lacking any political experience, he goes to Washington and is rudely confronted by machine politics and a culture of corruption, with other senators, including one of Smith's heroes, passing legislation to pay off their backers.

Here in Michigan, we are either accustomed to this culture or worn down by its relentlessness or simply unable to keep up with it all. As a public service, therefore, let's look at one state representative pushing the agenda for those who are responsible for her election, rather than looking out for the people of her district and the state.

Shanelle Jackson is the representative for the 9th District in northwest Detroit. This is the district in which I grew up. On March 26, Jackson introduced House Bill 4712, which amends the school code by imposing a new requirement if a school is not meeting expectations:

If the school is an elementary school, the superintendent of public instruction shall issue an order requiring that the maximum class size in the school for grades K to 3 shall not exceed 17 pupils per classroom.

Read more...

Ever since John Cherry told the Detroit Free Press that he was proud to run on the record he'd racked up along with Jennifer Granholm in maybe the most catastrophic administrative run in any state government's history, nationwide, I've seen opportunities everywhere.  Not opportunities for economic stimulus or recovery or anything as high minded as that.  Opportunities to highlight the record Cherry defends as "strong."  

That's why I'm seriously considering sending my resume to the Cherry for Governor folks and applying to become the Lieutenant Governor's press secretary for the 2010 campaign cycle.  

Governor Jennifer Granholm has "laid a strong groundwork for the state's future, and he'll be happy to run on the Democratic governor's record," he told the Ivory Tower the week before last.  I take the man at his word.  Now take me at mine... no one in the state of Michigan would be happier over the next two years to point out the Granholm-Cherry administration's record than me.  See?  Perfect fit.  It'd be a match made in fever-dream-heaven.

Let's be honest... here at Right Michigan we've sort of been doing the job these last few years anyways.  Might as well make it official.  I can start today!

And since many interview processes include a skill assessment I'll give the Cherry team a taste of what they can expect right here right now.

Read on...