Sound Politics: Education Quagmire

November 26, 2006

Education Quagmire

The P-I interviews former Mayor Norm Rice, who wants to be the Superintendent for exactly 18 months, so he can reverse decades of deterioration.

Danny Westneat on the District's U.S. Supreme Court case to defend race-based school assignments.

A private non-profit wants to teach math, science and technology at a failing, mostly minority high school in south Seattle. The government school monopolists feel threatened.

Jim Vesely on "Why Seattle must control its schools"

Prediction: there will soon be a "community summit" on schools involving a suitably diverse group applauding politicians who look concerned, display "leadership" and promise accountability. Parents of schoolchildren are prudently ignored. Editorialists praise the summit and exhort us to join together and vote for the upcoming $887 million levy. The levy passes. The Establishment congratulates itself. The quagmire deepens. Repeat in time for the next levy.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 26, 2006 03:52 PM | Email This

Comments

1. The next levy -- that won't require a supermajority, thanks to thhe solid D-controlled legislature.

Posted by: Joe Waldron on November 26, 2006 04:35 PM

2. Yes Stefan.

"Prediction: there will soon be a "community summit" on schools involving a suitably diverse group applauding politicians who look concerned, display "leadership" and promise accountability. Parents of schoolchildren are prudently ignored. Editorialists praise the summit and exhort us to join together and vote for the upcoming $887 million levy. The levy passes. The Establishment congratulates itself. The quagmire deepens. Repeat in time for the next levy."

Rinse and repeat every 4 or 5 years. And another generation or our children are lost as fodder in low paying, dead-end jobs. How long must Seattle citizens wait for a reasonable education? How many decades is it OK to wait?

Vouchers now and cure the problem virtually over night.

Posted by: G Jiggy on November 26, 2006 04:46 PM

3. Yeh the Democratic tax happy machine will find that a few extra Billion will fix the problem, and hire 20 to 30 new $180k administration people to assure none of the money goes to the teachers, schools or children.

Next year same problem...

But it is Election year...!

Posted by: GS on November 26, 2006 04:55 PM

4. Caprice Hollins

Posted by: Tyler Durden on November 26, 2006 05:09 PM

5. A supermajority will still be necessary until the citizens ratify the state constitutional amendment so there is hope.

But certainly we need to work towards a Rossi win in 2008!

Posted by: SVC Cardinal Blogger on November 26, 2006 05:14 PM

6. After this next year session of uncontrolled massive new taxation by the democrats, Rossi will have all the ammo in needed to plaster the screen full of Gregoire and her Tunnel decision, massive taxation, and massive expenses decisions. I am sure they will ram their 9% income tax plan through to add further frosting to Rossi's cake.

Posted by: gs on November 26, 2006 06:46 PM

7. GS, I sure love our state dearly but I hope you're right. Any further tax increases by Gregoire will be of great service to Rossi 2008.

BTW, I had to reenter and update my id info from SVC Cardinal Blogger to simply SVC Alumnus. I don't post comments here often, I probably should.

Posted by: SVC Alumnus on November 26, 2006 08:08 PM

8. OF course, there is always Washington Learns and its failure to address education funding in its final report which now means they get a new lease on life of a year according to what I've read.

Folks, this is madness what passes for governance. Until such time as we the folks are able to have governments actualy fire the Nicole Ways and other flunkies of government, we are doomed. Government employees should be told to perform or leave, just as is with the private sector.

Posted by: SVC Alumnus on November 26, 2006 08:20 PM

9. I am not expressing an opinion regarding whether the levy should pass. I generally agree with the Shark's analysis except I am not so sure the levy will pass. Many of the involved parents who vote are out of the system or on their way out. They may or may not vote for the levy. Then, there is the issue of turnout. Many of the young "progressives" may or may not actually show up at the polls or even vote by mail for a levy. This summit is an attempt to put lipstick on a pig, but I think the general public is beginning to see it that way, even if they don't know what the solution is. I think the odds are 50/50 for passage and that is why the activity among the establishment.

Posted by: WVH on November 26, 2006 10:05 PM

10. Gag; Normie shouldn't be in charge of anything.

Where's the press on him getting canned by the FEd bank; ran it into the ground and got axed.

Posted by: righton on November 27, 2006 07:00 AM

11. Stefan--dead on target as usual.

i saw your prediction & M.O. many times on public trains back east--it was called "keep your eye on the pea in the shell"; i'd smile as out-of towners would part with their $ with a smile and an "oh well.."; they actually LIKED being played.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on November 27, 2006 07:33 AM

12. Rice is in charge of the State Retirement System. Horrible job if my experience with him and his staff are anywhere common.

Posted by: swatter on November 27, 2006 08:30 AM

13. darn--

why did we ride Dean Logan out on a rail? maybe he can be 'reinvented' as an education reformer? talent is talent--

how about that retiring Port of Seattle guy? can we affford the 750+K salary? ya get what ya pay for...quality...results..world-class whatever...

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on November 27, 2006 10:14 AM

14. This is what Norm Rice and Greg Nickels wrote about the failed I-88 Referendum:

"We all care about education, but it is the state's job to fund it, according to the State Constitution. This initiative asks Seattle homeowners to pay more, instead of asking the
state to fulfill its duty. Governor Gregoire's state task force, Washington Learns, is about to make recommendations on education funding across the state. Voting for this initiative will send a message to the state that we don't need more money and will hurt our chances of getting more."

of course the Governor's task force totally punted, but other than that glaring failure of clairvoyance, how is this statement in opposition to I-88 any less a statement in opposition to the levy? How is it any less true about PTA fundraisers? The Mayor of Seattle is clearly opposed to the levy or any other effort to raise local money for schools. As of this moment Hoss is not among the list of folks who have endorsed it on the SchoolsFirst! web site. Neither is Norm Rice.

I think the movers and shakers in Seattle - the Seattle Times, the Mayor, and all of the others who have been running around like Chicken Little squawking about a "crisis in school governance" actually want the levy to fail to bolster their fabricated crisis. They will blame the Board and use the levy failure (that they promoted) as evidence of Board incompetence to help the City's takeover of the District through an appointed Board.

It's all very creepy and Machiavellian.

Posted by: Charlie Mas on November 27, 2006 08:59 PM