The CACR-12 Contest: What Does It Do?

Further hints: (4.00 / 3)

These clarifying question may help.

"Would state school funding of $0.00 be allowed under this amendment?"

"Would a parent in a town with truly bad schools -  huge class sizes, tiny curriculum, lousy graduation rate, high teacher turnover, have any grounds to ask the courts to intervene?"

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by: elwood @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 05:54:24 AM CST

Two thoughts: (4.00 / 3)

One. This jumped out at me:

he general court shall have the authority and full discretion to define reasonable standards for elementary and secondary public education

Does this eliminate the NHDoE, and/or nullify federal standards?

Will what New Hampshire children learn be subject to the transient whims of a hobby legislature of retirees, real estate agents, etc..., whose composition changes every two years?

This year's body of edu-experts in the Hobby Legislature already tried to define adequacy down, and repeal kindergarten.

Two:

to mitigate local disparities in... fiscal capacity.

Hanover resident complains to Hobby Legislature that his taxes that go to paying for education are higher than his friend's taxes in Claremont.  Hobby Legislature "mitigates local disparities" and cuts Hanover down to size? Is that how that works?

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker

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by: Dean Barker @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 06:44:49 AM CST

On 1, I don't think it eliminates the NHDoE (4.00 / 2)

I believe the intention is to assert the state's authority without an option for judicial review. The legislature can then delegate the specifics and implementation to the DoE or other executive agency. (For example, the legislature might declare fluency in English as a reasonable standard and delegate to the Department, the task of translating that into actual curricular requirements).

By itself that language seems "normal" to me.

(But IANAL.)

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by: elwood @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 06:51:09 AM CST

[ Parent ]

It's ironic that (4.00 / 5)

someone who created a committee named "Redress of Grievances" would take away that right via a constitutional amendment.  

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 06:47:07 AM CST

Untrustworthy circus clowns (4.00 / 1)

Can you imagine the partisan political games this current group of clowns would play if such an amendment were to pass? They have proven themselves untrustworthy of making honest decisions. Given their "elections have consequences" and "we can do anything we want because we have the majority na-na na-ma" childish behavior they would be able to zero out an entire community as political punishment. I could imagine any number of them saying to voters before an election "You better vote republican or we will raise your property taxes by 20%". I wouldn't put it past this gang.

Here is the opening two paragraphs of the UL story:

CONCORD - House Speaker William O'Brien proposed a constitutional amendment to target education aid, to end per pupil distribution of state funds and to remove the courts from future education decisions.

O'Brien told the House Special Committee on Education Funding Reform Friday his proposal will end the "cycle of chaos" surrounding education funding every two years, "spread sheet politics," and "the endless run to the courts" for towns who feel slighted under any new aid distribution formula.

He said the amendment will end the statewide property tax and allow communities capable of providing a good education for the students to do that while the state provides aid to the communities most in need.

Here is what O'Brien is really saying:

CONCORD - House Speaker William O'Brien proposed a constitutional amendment to target education aid to the districts of those legislators he favors, to end per pupil distribution of state funds and to remove the courts, the governor or the taxpayers from future education decisions.

O'Brien told the House Special Committee on Education Funding Reform Friday his proposal will create the permanent "circus of chaos" surrounding his leadership every day, "spread back room politics," and "the endless run toward improving public education" for towns who care about their future.

He said the amendment will end the statewide commitment toward adequate education and allow him to punish those who elect Democrats or communities unwilling to provide him a Republican legislator willing to march lock step following his orders by withholding education funds for the students in those communites while the state provides aid to the communities who sends legislators who vote for his extremist agenda.

 

Thank you for helping Bob Perry win his special election and sending a message to O'Brien and crew?

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by: Ray Buckley @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 07:00:54 AM CST

link (0.00 / 0)

http://unionleader.com/channel...

(apologies for the typos)

Thank you for helping Bob Perry win his special election and sending a message to O'Brien and crew?

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by: Ray Buckley @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 07:04:29 AM CST

[ Parent ]

You're WAY to optimistic. (4.00 / 1)

If the Tea Party Tribunal can lower the budget and fire workers by eliminating ALL school aid in EVERY town, it will do that.

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by: elwood @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 07:06:48 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Adding: complete failure of state news media (4.00 / 8)

The impact of this amendment is clear: the state is no longer obligated to spend one thin dime on schools.

But NONE of the state media - not the Monitor, or the UL, or NHPR - have reported that. Instead they report that it takes the courts out of the picture - which really is a secondary issue.

Do your freaking jobs!

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by: elwood @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 07:23:12 AM CST

And they let him get away with ... (4.00 / 5)

... his malarkey about how his amendment will "end the cycle of chaos" without noting how it creates a cycle of permanent chaos every year because the standards for what is reasonable spending will be set by whoever happens to be in the majority that session.

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by: Mike Emm @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 15:58:09 PM CST

[ Parent ]

When the legislature has "full discretion to determine the amount of... (4.00 / 2)

and methods of raising and distributing, State funding for education", and they can change their  minds every year, how are we eliminating the dreaded "cycle of chaos" in education funding? It seems like any time the legislature meets, education funding is in play. O'Brien wants to eliminate 'the endless run to the courts' over funding? What does he think he is replacing it with?

Forget about the first sentence of the CACR, the second one is the only thing that matters. If the legislature has full discretion for determining all aspects of education funding, there is nothing anyone anywhere can do to prevent them from, say,  sending every dime of education money to GOP controlled districts as a reward for voting 'right'.  

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by: Mike Emm @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 07:51:33 AM CST

Objective (4.00 / 1)

Isn't it a Tea Party objective to end public education in favor of privatized for profit education in which those who can afford to pay the tuition send their children to school, and those who don't clean the streets?  

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by: mevansnh @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 14:18:06 PM CST

What is the purpose of (0.00 / 0)

CACR-9, regarding parental rights.  Why is this necessary, anyone?  When I see Itse's name anywhere, I get scared.

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by: mevansnh @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 16:09:41 PM CST

The Abolish Education Amendment (4.00 / 4)

Let's call this amendment exactly what it is. The campaign to defeat this needs to start today. I believe the people of New Hampshire will vote it down if they know what it does, but, we need to tell them what it does. Starting with getting the boards of aldermen and city councils voting to direct their state reps to vote against this proposal. There is a provision in the state constitution (part I article 32) that gives the people authority to instruct their representatives, so the people need to start instructing away. The reps can ignore it, but, if they think they may lose their seats over this in 012, those thing might not make it to the ballot.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Sat Mar 05, 2011 at 16:59:42 PM CST

The 'Access to Education though Political Patronage Amendment' (0.00 / 0)

might be an alternative name as well.

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by: JimWilson @ Wed Mar 09, 2011 at 08:22:00 AM CST

[ Parent ]