A sort of historic day on many fronts at the Louisiana Legislature yesterday as Governor Jindal's education package went through it first hoop yesterday. That is the House legislative committee . No matter if you like the plan ,or not its is pretty revolutionary.
The hearing lasted a practical non stop 16 hours amid protest from Teacher Unions. I stayed up watching it till after shortly midnight when they had the final votes. The subject yesterday were vouchers ,and the tenure system. Today we shall see action on the Senate side.
On the voucher question the Catholic Bishops through their reps came out in full support. A support that I bet is going to be critical in the end. This article slightly touches on the Church's testimony.
This following right now had a running commentary on the action yesterday. Let me excerpt that reporting from Times-Picayune reporters Bill Barrow and Jeff Adelsonas to the Church's testimony:
Times-Picayune reporters: The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, which participates in the scholarship program in New Orleans through its schools there, is in favor of the voucher program and Danny Loar, the group's executive director, is addressing the issue of the number of spaces there would be for voucher students. "We can't save everybody, but we should save as many as we possibly can," Loar said.
Times-Picayune reporters: Dr. Jan Daniel Lancaster, superintendent of New Orleans Archdiocese Catholic schools, “Parents know what’s good for their kids. I implore you: expand this program. It’s working, and it’s the best thing for our children.” Principal Dionne Frost of St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, with 135 voucher students currently enrolled: “All children have a right to a better education. I implore you to increase this program statewide.”
It moves to the Senate Committee today , and I will keep a continued eye out for Catholic issues.
James, I hate to say this, but this isn't good. These so-called reform bills are deeply flawed on so many levels. I can just about guarantee they will make the overall quality of this state's education system *worse*. I would even suggest that Catholic schools won't benefit as much as they think.
ReplyDeleteSo this is a kind of Faustian bargain, similar to earlier Catholic support for Obamacare. Indeed there are disturbing parallels between Jindal's proposals and Obamacare, in terms of substance, probable results, and process. I am troubled that such excellent bishops are so fixed on what they see as the potential benefits that they don't recognize the plethora of problems with these proposed reforms.
It is nigh impossible for me to conclude these reform bills aren't overwhelmingly about money and power. Money for the charter school industry, along with many currently existing private (and parochial?) schools, which in turn means more money for the politicians who vote for these abominations. And power for Governor Jindal. I voted for Jindal, and think so far he's done a good job. But he has forever lost my respect and support because of this.