A curious approach (Kansas Board of Education)

[kweerwolf]

An editorial from the Sunday Kansas City Star:

First, they scoffed at evolution; next, sex education was a no-no.

The latest bad idea from certain members of the Kansas Board of Education? They want to pick a new state education commissioner without focusing on education credentials.

That would be unfortunate. The education commissioner runs a department of professionals with experience in academic standards and testing, school accreditation, teacher licensure, and federal educational mandates. The commissioner needs to be knowledgeable in these areas, too.

The board majority appears to be looking hard at Bob Corkins, one of the five finalists. A lawyer and lobbyist, Corkins is known for opposing adequate funding for public schools and has endorsed taxpayer-funded vouchers. He has no background in education administration and would be a poor choice both because of his backward views and his lack of appropriate qualifications.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/opinion/12674180.htm

[wtmusic]

1. Kansas' new motto:

"Forward to the Past"

[NoQuarter]

2. Every day I grow more

embarrassed by my birth state. I'm so glad none of the young people in my family attend schools there.

[RC]

4. I know how you feel...

I grew up in Kansas.

[beyurslf]

8. My Con Law Prof was talking about before KS had liquor by the drink

and the AG of the state wouldn't allow drinking on airplanes even once they were airborne. So if you took off in a plane in KS, they would say they could serve alcohol once they were out of KS airspace because it is illegal in KS.

He laughed and said "See, it hasn't always been science, sex ed, and women's voting rights that we are made fun of."

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. That was Vern Miller

He was an ass. He also conducted random drug raids on college campuses and took the press along. I had several friends who were awakened in the middle of the night by a knock on the door followed by bright lights from cameras while cops yelled 'Raid!' And guess what? None of my friends ended up being arrested or charge with drug possession. Vern Miller's drug raids really were 'random'. And he really was an ass of an AG.

[atommom]

10. Kansans sure can pick 'em.

:banghead:

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. But we also can claim

Langston Hughes poet, Lawrence

Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle actor, Smith Center

Clarence D. Batchelor political cartoonist, Osage City

Gwendolyn Brooks poet, Topeka

Walter P. Chrysler auto manufacturer, Wamego

Clark M. Clifford secretary of defense, Fort Scott

John Steuart Curry painter, Dunavant

Amelia Earhart aviator, Atchison

Milton S. Eisenhower educator, Abilene

Dennis Hopper actor, Dodge City

William Inge playwright, Independence

Buster Keaton comedian, Piqua

Emmett Kelly clown, Sedan

Stan Kenton jazz musician, Wichita

Hattie McDaniel actress, Wichita

William C. Menninger psychiatrist, Topeka

Gordon Parks film director, Fort Scott

Charles Buddy Rogers actor, Olathe

Barry Sanders football player, Wichita

John Cameron Swayze news commentator, Atchison

Vivan Vance actress, Cherryvale

William Allen White journalist, Emporia

[atommom]

12. Thanks for the reminder! I have strep throat, and it's making me

(even more) cranky tonight! :hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. I'm sorry you don't feel well

and hey, no biggie. You can be cranky all you want here on DU :)

[hobbit709]

3. They're learning from FEMA

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Please explain how

a lobbyist with no experience in education would qualify to head education for an entire state.

No, never mind. I don't even want to imagine the rationalization for this stupidity.

This crap just gets more and more ridiculous. We absolutely positively have to get these idiots off that state board.

[atommom]

7. Silly liberal. All of the Arabian horse judges were taken, so we

went for the next best thing! :crazy:

[atommom]

6. This has been their plan all along ... it's why the conservatives

on the board insisted on making actual experience in the field count for so little in the ranking process. They didn't succeed in making political/business experience count as 5x more important in the candidates' rankings (as Connie Morris wished), but they did make business/political experience count for 50% of the candidates' rankings. Ideology counts for much more than actual knowledge of the subject ... it's the Bush hiring method all over again.