Neal McCluskey at the Cato Institute Blog has a must-read post on how universal vouchers or tax credits could be used to end the high-stakes political creation-evolution debates. This is an argument I've made before, and I'm glad to see it "up in lights," so to speak: Of course, the creationism conflict in Kansas – and, indeed, across America – isn’t a prize fight. It’s a battle between the deeply held values of regular people, and unlike Mike Tyson or Evander Holyfield, Kansas children, parents, and other citizens aren’t being richly compensated for the punishment they’re taking. They’re fighting because they have to. They all have to support one system of public education, and they all, rightfully, want their beliefs and morals … [Read more...]
Exposing Illicit Teachers Union Activity
The election law complaint filed by two Fort Collins parents against the teachers union, a story I have covered off & on here for the past 18 months, recently featured an important appeals court decision - namely, that the Colorado Education Association (CEA) and its local affiliate the Poudre Education Association (PEA) stepped over the legal boundaries by coordinating with the campaign of state senator Bob Bacon in 2004. I wrote it up in an op-ed for the Independence Institute last week. Personally, my favorite tidbit to share from the op-ed is one of the CEA lawyer's main arguments in defense of his clients: [Attorney Mark] Grueskin argued not only that CEA and PEA acted independently but also that their involvement was … [Read more...]
Pot Stirring in Senate District 22
Almost two weeks after I first highlighted Kiki Traylor's contribution from the teachers union - and her clarifying remarks a few days later - the Rocky Mountain News reported on a legal complaint filed via a friend of her opponent Mike Kopp. (HT: ToTheRight.org, Colorado's newest conservative blogging voice.) The News story indicates that the candidate followed my advice: Traylor said she didn't report the $1,000 check because she had torn it up. Inquiring conservatives want to keep an eye on Traylor's campaign funding after the primary, but this inquiring conservative prefers not to see her candidacy continue after the primary. So let's leave it a hypothetical. Any candidate who draws enough favorable interest from CEA to merit … [Read more...]
Is the Case for School Vouchers Dead?
The answer to the question above: hardly. While the news pages of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal (subscription required) made hay out of a recent government study that allegedly shows private schools really aren't outperforming public schools, the bigger point has been missed. Some good and thorough responses have come from respected and knowledgeable voices on the free market side of the debate. … [Read more...]
Taking Both Sides on Education?
Kiki Traylor, a Republican candidate in Senate District 22, may have some explaining to do. While it is clear she has raised much more money recently than her two party rivals - conservative alternatives Justin Everett and Mike Kopp - one source of funding gives cause to raise some eyebrows among political insiders. On June 19, the small donor committee for the teachers union - the Colorado Education Association (CEA) - contributed $1,000 to Taylor's campaign. (To see for yourself... 1. Go to the Secretary of State Campaign Finance page 2. Click "Search Committee Reports" 3. Execute a search for Public Education Committee 4. Scroll down to click on "Data-Entered Reports" 5. Click on the most recent report dated 6/28/06 6. … [Read more...]
Good Grief
One too-cute Associated Press reporter, writing about the American Illiteracy Council's advocacy of "simplified spelling" or "moron-o-speak," thinks the balanced approach to the story requires writing every other paragraph in the absurd and improper style. Take this brief section, for example: Those in favor of simplified spelling say children would learn faster and illiteracy rates would drop. Opponents say a new system would make spelling even more confusing. Eether [sic] wae [sic], the consept [sic] has yet to capcher [sic] th [sic] publix [sic] imajinaeshun [sic]. Shucks, I wonder why. My imagination tends not to be captured by people who have lost the capacity to communicate clearly and to spell simple words. Buried … [Read more...]
The Teachers Union and Child Sex Trafficking
Say what? That's the typical response to a story highlighted at GOPUSA today: The Washington Education Association recently denied a Christian teacher's request to have her dues diverted to a charity that opposes sex trafficking. The teacher objected to funding the WEA's support for abortion and same-sex "marriage" with her dues. The controversial group that the union didn't want the teacher's money diverted to? Shared Hope International. As you can see here, Shared Hope's War Against Trafficking Alliance is hardly some sort of a narrow, right-wing project. In states where public school teachers are required to pay union dues in order to work, federal law allows legitimate religious objectors to divert their dues money to a … [Read more...]
Teachers Union Complaint Appeal Hearing Today
On a Colorado day when the insider political buzz revolves around Governor Owen's impending call of a special session to address illegal immigration and a last-minute brokered deal between Democrats once on the opposite side of the question, there is another story to keep your eye on. The appeal of a well-documented but inexplicably dismissed complaint against the teachers union is scheduled to be heard in the Colorado Court of Appeals this afternoon. At this point, I haven't a clue about what will transpire. But there is a small potential for a decision that would have a significant impact on the conduct of Colorado's elections. Stay tuned. I will be following whatever developments there may be. … [Read more...]
Mark Hillman on Education Funding
From Peter Blake's Saturday column in the Rocky Mountain News: Hillman, who served as interim treasurer while incumbent Mike Coffman was in Iraq, is running against Cary Kennedy. She's best known for spearheading the campaign for Amendment 23 in 2000. It substantially boosted state spending on public schools and made sure it couldn't be cut for years. Indeed she likes to make funding for education a major platform in her campaign. In addition to promising fiscal responsibility and effective management of the state's investment portfolio - the usual issues in a treasurer's race - she talks about the importance of not cutting school funding. "People all over the state respond to that," she says. And she likes to point out that she … [Read more...]
Progress Now and Commissioner Moloney
The Left-wing propagandists at Progress Now have returned to doing the bidding of the teachers unions and their legislative cronies, as they are now calling on Colorado's Commissioner of Education William Moloney to resign. In his nine years as commissioner, the eminently experienced and qualified Dr. Moloney has been a champion for parents and students in his ongoing work to promote sensible and effective reforms. At the last State Board of Education meeting, a group of superintendents showed up to present a newly published report that said the Colorado Department of Education was not providing sufficient leadership. The next day the Democrats on the State Board of Education went a step further and called on Moloney to resign. It … [Read more...]
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