Are you a teacher or other employee in a Colorado public school? Is your friend or loved one? Then this post is especially for you.... Most Colorado public schools are back in session now. And with the school year underway, it's time for teachers to be reminded of their professional membership options -- in many cases, while they still have time to decide whether and how to spend their hard-earned money on dues. Check out the new post on Ed Is Watching about the Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE) and, of course, the Independent Teachers website for all the information you need. … [Read more...]
Denver Post Editorial Sunday: The Good, The Good, and The Far-Fetched
I can only imagine very few readers of Sunday's Denver Post opinion page shrugged their shoulders with a ho-hum. All stacked together on good old page 3D of the Perspective section, the collection of pieces had to evoke some wholehearted assent, some serious disagreement, or both. Let's go with the bad news first, the lead fantasy-ridden editorial "Public option is critical to reform":Opponents also say the public option is a ruse meant to facilitate a government takeover of health care. On the contrary, we think it will give the insurance industry every incentive to innovate and find efficiencies, best treatment practices and ways to make their rates more attractive to businesses and policy holders. Based on what, the wishful … [Read more...]
School Reform News September Highlights: Choice in Indiana, Tennessee, and Colorado
Most readers probably don't know that I am a contributing editor and regular writer for the Heartland Institute's monthly publication School Reform News. But the September issue just came out, in which I wrote two stories and was quoted in another. Without further ado here they are: For all my Hoosier friends, "Indiana Joins Growing List of School Choice States" Doesn't sound like a Volunteer thing to do, but "Tennessee Lifts Charter School Cap After U.S. Threat" From our own backyard, "Private Choice Program in Colorado Beats State Graduation Rate" Happy school reform reading! For the 3 or 4 of you who actually care, I may start this as a regular feature. … [Read more...]
Oh, the Times, They Are a-Changin’: Education Reform, Latest Edition
No time to blog in depth today. I invite you to check out my youthful alter ego Eddie's blog, especially yesterday's very interesting post titled "Teachers Union Hearts Voucher Group? Hatfields-McCoys Kiss and Make Up?" Oh, the times, they are a-changin'.... … [Read more...]
Dead Guvs’ Anti-TABOR Crusade Exposes Ignorance, Anti-South Bigotry
Talk about betraying your ignorance in service of political posturing. Looking for a way to cling to the idea that Colorado ranks 49th in something and bash the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights over the head, the Dead Guvs jumped on one particular set of rankings in the latest U.S. Census Bureau school funding data -- with an attempted one-two punch on supporters of government spending limitations and on the Southern states:We like to imagine that it's Mississippi, Alabama, or another stereotype Deep South state that saves Colorado every year from ranking dead-last in education spending as a percentage of income. Okay, Florida then. Close enough. The problem is threefold, and bears out when you look at the actual rankings (PDF). First, … [Read more...]
On Amy Oliver Show at 10:00 AM: Teachers Unions and Ed Reform Politics
For those who are interested and have the time to kill, I will be appearing as a guest at 10:00 this morning (Wednesday, July 15) on News Talk 1310 KFKA's Amy Oliver Show. The topic will be the shifting politics surrounding national teachers unions -- as explained in somewhat greater length in this recent blog post I authored for Ed News Colorado. While the National Education Association is embracing the labor union image more than it has in a long time, prominent liberal critics are making a strong statement to their NEA political allies, telling them to stop blocking effective reform and get out of the way. Click here to listen live at Noon Eastern / 10 AM Mountain. … [Read more...]
Josh Penry Hits the Stump: A Promising GOP Candidate for Governor Emerges
Earlier this evening I got the opportunity briefly to attend a Josh Penry for Governor meet-and-greet session in Broomfield. The campaign is just out of the gate, and the Grand Junction native is busily plowing his way around Colorado. No doubt he's been on a hectic schedule, but Penry demonstrated a good stump speech delivery, staying on message. I am pleased to see him make no bones about the national Republican Party's failure to govern according to fiscally conservative principles, and his clear decision to run against that failing as well as against incumbent Bill Ritter's weak leadership, misguided philosophy, and misplaced priorities. … [Read more...]
Josh Penry Off to Great Start as Bill Ritter Kicks Door of Opportunity Open
The big local political news for the weekend, of course, was the worst-kept secret: Republican Josh Penry officially threw his hat into the ring to run for governor in 2010. By all honest admissions, Penry's entry into the race has been well-executed and well-timed. First glimpses on the campaign trail indicate the strong delivery of a clear, consistent message: 1) incumbent Democrat Bill Ritter's misguided philosophy and lack of fiscal leadership have contributed greatly to an unfriendly economic climate and pain in the wallet for many average Coloradans, and 2) Penry's own record of effective leadership in the areas of fiscal responsibility, expanded energy options, and education reform qualifies him to take Ritter's place. If he … [Read more...]
A Critical Mass Awake to the Destructive Effects of Obama’s “Stimulus”?
Remember all the pomp and circumstance of four months ago when President Barack Obama flew out here to Denver to sign the "stimulus" bill? The legislation that had to be rushed through? The legislation that was supposed to prevent "irreversible decline" in our economy? While anyone with decent sense knew the "stimulus" was long-term poison, I can't say I anticipated how badly it would flounder even in the short-term. The Competitive Enterprise Institute's Hans Bader put together a well-documented Open Market blog post noting that public opinion clearly favors canceling the $787 billion spending spree. How many of them have watched this unforgettable video? A few days ago, Mr. Bob posted up the now well-circulated graphic showing … [Read more...]
‘Noble Pride’ Lives On: A Principled Lesson for the ‘Hillsdale of the East’
Unbelievably, a few weeks ago I passed the 10th anniversary of my graduation from Hillsdale College with a bachelors degree. But the spirit of school pride lives on, and my heart smiled when today I read William McGurn's Wall Street Journal column "How Hillsdale Beats Harvard". After explaining how Hillsdale's principled stand of not accepting any federal funds fits right in with the school's warm welcome of military recruiters on campus, McGurn concludes:If Harvard believes that our Armed Forces are inconsistent with its values, surely the honest thing to do is to stand on principle and accept the funding consequences. The folks at Hillsdale would be glad to show the way. Back in the good old college days, there was a running quip … [Read more...]
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