The Washington charter school bill passed the Senate this evening, 27-22. It passed the House earlier this afternoon. Gov. Locke is expected to sign the bill.
The people of Washington owe thanks to the governor and the legislators on both sides of the aisle for putting the interests of children above the wishes of employee unions and school administrators; and to Jim and Fawn Spady of the Education Excellence Coalition for devoting the last ten years to bringing school choice to the state.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at March 10, 2004 10:07 PMCompetition: 1
Protectionary Unions: 0
Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, D-Seattle, argued that the bill would create a "separate and unequal two-class system."
Is she too stupid to see the irony in what she said? Far better, in her reasoning, to keep the status quo of a failed school, it's more democratic, than cut the kids a break.
Too bad the allotment was only 45 schools.
Posted by: onecent on March 11, 2004 07:34 AMStefan,
Thanks for keeping us up-to-date on this.
Here's what my Senator said:
"The charter schools bill passed the Senate tonight and since it passed without amendment, it now will go to the Governor for his signature, which I understand he will do. Frankly, *I think we need to focus more on how to make all schools successful*, rather than begin a whole new system of charter schools. But, after years of debate, it appears that this issue has been dealt with."
(Emphasis, mine.)
Posted by: cornflux on March 11, 2004 08:03 AMThere has existed a "separate and unequal two-class system" for years. The esteemed Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos is just deliberately blind to it.
This curmudgeon submits that there's no sharp dividing line between the two classes, because it was established over a period of time. It began in the Universities of the 60s when activists began demanding 'relevance' in the curriculum: the displacement of unbiased subject matter by current events issues promoting social change.
As resources were increasingly diverted from scholarship to crusading, the primacy of a liberal education slowly yielded to political correctness. After a couple of generations of this effect on education majors, we see the results: modern schools can't even convey the 3Rs, and spend even more resources fighting the testing that reveals that lack of conveyance.
The two classes of education that Ms. Santos is blind to are those from before, and after, the educational pursuit of social 'relevance'. While she is suffering the agonizing process of waking up (she may never succeed), the rest of us can cheer the Legislature for taking the first step toward the relevance of a disciplined and useful education.
Posted by: Insufficiently Sensitive on March 11, 2004 08:56 AMCongratulations on a positive result for your (and many others') efforts!
Posted by: Irene on March 11, 2004 10:33 AMAll three of my elected representatives (44th - Dunshee, Lovick, Schmidt) voted against, despite my input on multiple occasions.
It would be interesting to know (particularly for Democrats) how many have spouses that are teachers or administrators. I know that both Dunshee and Lovick's spouses are. Wouldn't effect their position though ;-)
Posted by: TimF on March 11, 2004 12:22 PMInsufficiently Sensitive
A sufficiently excellent post.
Posted by: onecent on March 11, 2004 01:51 PM