You gotta see the Idaho education deform plan...

[jmowreader]

Our esteemed no-education-training Superintendent of Public Instruction (he has a bachelor's in Measurement Science, whatever that is, that he earned from an online college) has decided to Reform Our Public Schools.

Oh god.

Well, it's right here (http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/studentsComeFirst/) and this is what it contains:

1. Increase class size by terminating teachers.
2. Issue a laptop to every student then require them to take six online courses to graduate.
3. Get rid of tenure.
4. Use parent input on all teacher evaluations.

Superintendent Luna has become a uniter, not a divider--EVERYONE hates the plan, from the guy with a whole box of teabags stapled to his hat to the farthest-left Democrat in the state (I think that's me).

[snappyturtle]

1. That's just stunning! I hope Idaho can get their money back on this one! nt

[Lifelong Protester]

2. Hey, looks like Wisconsin is joining you in that race to the bottom.

We have just about the same cockamamie stuff going on here. I sympathize with you and stand in solidarity with your teachers.

[Lithos]

3. No contest

With Perry at the helm, Texas has you beat. Really wish it were not so, but he seems to be the epitome of anti-education.

[roguevalley]

4. this is the state that birthed Sarah Palin. I like Idaho in spite of the stoopid

that it sometimes does.

[jmowreader]

Follow-up one...

Last night after school a bunch of kids from one of the high schools went down to protest. The news story follows...

http://cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_4887ef52-715c-5635-94f0-4922bc8dc12a.html

"efromm" has a wonderful comment--"public education is not a right, it is a privilege. And if the taxed public cannot afford to fund it, then it goes away." A bunch of our other correspondents responded with the exact paragraph from the Idaho constitution that mandates free public schools.

[jmowreader]

5. Dupe, sorry

[Major Hogwash]

6. Replacing teachers with online courses. Great balls of fire!!

I had heard Luna's plan was looney, but this is just fucked up.
They want to get rid of tenure to break the teacher's union.
They want to increase the class size to get rid of teachers so it will be easier to get rid of the teacher's union when it is smaller.
They want parents who are bible pounders to evaluate teachers who aren't.
They want parents without a high school degree to evaluate college graduates who became teachers.

Idaho used to be proud of their public school system.
In 2001, enter George Bush as President, talking like a country bumpkin on tv every night, and the dumb hillbillies in Idaho throw out the idea of even graduating from high school.

[Lifelong Protester]

7. You are unfortunately so correct.

Let's face it, the entire US used to have a school system for public education that was the envy of the world. Not anymore.

If the leaders and teachers are constantly under threat, your plan to undermine the whole system is guaranteed.

[jmowreader]

8. Union busting is the 2011 Idaho Legislature's theme song

Check this out:

http://www.stoelrivesworldofemployment.com/2011/02/articles/states/idaho/companion-antiunion-bills-slated-to-pass-idaho-legislature/

Basically, they're trying to overturn the Davis-Bacon Act. Oh, and there's a Nullification Bill in the works to get rid of the Health Care Reform bill, even though the Attorney General has told 'em it's illegal.