SC

SC Education Monopoly: “Minimally Whatever”

MORE “HIGH QUALITY” BULLSHIT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA’S FAILED STATUS QUO S.C. Rep. James Smith (D-Columbia) wants to change South Carolina’s constitution to reflect what he believes would be a deeper commitment to our state’s failing government-run school system. You know … because the nearly $12,000 per child taxpayers spend each…

sc education oversight committee

MORE “HIGH QUALITY” BULLSHIT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA’S FAILED STATUS QUO

S.C. Rep. James Smith (D-Columbia) wants to change South Carolina’s constitution to reflect what he believes would be a deeper commitment to our state’s failing government-run school system. You know … because the nearly $12,000 per child taxpayers spend each year propping up this anti-competitive abomination apparently isn’t “deep” enough for him.

Seriously … we’ve given our “public schools” more money than God. We’ve also tried government’s definition of accountability (a.k.a. moving the goalposts for them). We even created a brand spankin’ new state agency to “better prepare” children to enter kindergarten. And guess what … our state’s academic achievement STILL sucks.

And it’s getting worse …

James Smith
James Smith

Anyway, Smith’s bill – H. 3255 – would ask voters to amend the current language of the constitution, which requires the state to provide a “minimally adequate” education. In place of “minimally adequate,” Smith would substitute “high-quality” education – one “allowing every student to reach their highest potential.”

Yeah … that ought to do it.

Frankly we would strike the whole damn thing. And replace it with “nada,” which for those of you educated in one of our state’s government-run schools means “nothing.” Our government-run schools aren’t terrible because of a century-old definition, they’re terrible because they lack any incentive to become something better (i.e. competition).

Why do we say this? Because government has conclusively demonstrated it has no business whatsoever running an education system. Don’t believe us? Check Exhibit A: South Carolina … which is falling further behind the rest of the United States, which itself is falling further behind the rest of the world.

So … how do we fix that?

Not with more money … or more government-run programs. And certainly not by subbing out a few words in our state constitution in a backdoor effort to justify additional funding increases. If our leaders were serious about providing a “high quality” education (or for that matter a minimally adequate one) to this state’s future generations, they would take every penny of the $12,000 they appropriate per pupil and give it directly to parents and scholarship granting organizations.

This way the ultimate accountability – the accountability of the marketplace – would be allowed to take hold the way it has everywhere else expanded parental choice has been implemented.

We’ve been conditioned over the years to believe there are no “silver bullets” in public policy – no guaranteed fixes to what ails us as a society. That’s not true. The power of the marketplace is a silver bullet – and at this point it’s painfully evident our state needs to fire it sooner rather than later.

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28 comments

CNSYD January 14, 2013 at 4:07 pm

I thought Sic Willie had already got his check from Howie this month. Well maybe all his Christmas bills have come in and he needs some more cash.

For info, which state(s) in the union do not have “government run” schools?

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Smirks January 15, 2013 at 9:54 am

I’m just waiting for Louisiana’s model of “school choice” to be the failure it is destined to be.

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baker January 14, 2013 at 4:16 pm

“Because government has conclusively demonstrated it has no business whatsoever running an education system.”

So, you’d have no public education at all??

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Howie Rich's Neighbor January 14, 2013 at 4:34 pm

Dont know about Fits but Howie Rich did.

Attended a public high school and did graduate work at New York University

Not that any of this matters of course.

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interested January 14, 2013 at 4:34 pm

When you want to run for Governor, among a hundred other things, you’ll need an argument of why you want to be governor — to do the things you could not do as house member. So since he and Sheheen are very close, who’s argument will this be in 2014?

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CNSYD January 14, 2013 at 5:03 pm

Quiz for Sic Willie. In order to be licensed to practice medicine (and other professions that require licensure) you have to take an examination. On what construct are these examinations built? That would be to determine the MINIMUM COMPETENCE of the examinee.

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Sarge January 14, 2013 at 5:20 pm

Shouldn’t we pass a law to get rid of all the “Lillian McBrides” in the South Carolina Department of Education and hire qualified professional educators first?

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shifty henry January 14, 2013 at 5:58 pm

Rahm has an opening in Chicago—–

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Charleston Voice January 14, 2013 at 6:12 pm

Get the govt out our schools COMPLETELY!

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baker January 14, 2013 at 6:53 pm

Will,
Haven’t you mentioned that your child goes to a public school?

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Blind Squirrel Looking for Inter_nut January 14, 2013 at 7:08 pm

This is a false argument. Even worse, it will result in the courts again taking decades deciding the definition of whatever terms are used to describe the level of education to be provided.

Section 3, Article XI of the SC State Constitution does not contain the phrase “minimally adequate.”

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/scconstitution/a11.php
ARTICLE XI. PUBLIC EDUCATION
SECTION 3. System of free public schools and other public institutions of learning.

The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a system of free public schools open to all children in the State and shall establish, organize and support such other public institutions of learning, as may be desirable. (1972 (57) 3193; 1973 (58) 44.)

Instead of changing the State Constitution, the Legislature should articulate the legal definition for the terms “maintenance and support” and “desirable” that are currently in SECTION 3. Otherwise, we will have this in the courts taking 20 years to define the term phrase “high-quality “ and “highest potential.” (As with Abbeville School District v. State of South Carolina filed in 1993 over “minimally adequate” that came out of a 1999 Supreme court ruling.)

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Charlemagne, King of France January 15, 2013 at 10:31 am

and then another 20 years creating focus groups and standarized tests that tell if the child is meeting that potential, and then another 10 years proving its not racially biased, so by the time anything is implemented public schools as we know them will be a thing of the past and we will have online primary schools kinda like we have online coleges now

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reasonable January 14, 2013 at 7:13 pm

I would LOVE to see what would crop up in the place of the public school system if some of the knuckleheads who pick this issue apart were in charge. South Carolina has some amazing public schools. I’ve seen some recent grads go on to schools like UVA, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, Dartmouth, MIT, Juillard, Penn, Cooper Union and Chapel Hill…just to name a few. There are certainly some really poor schools, but we will never pull ourselves out of the ditch by ditching the current system. James is one of the best legislators we have. It amazes me that someone so lacking in scruples and good taste that he would wish the assassination of a government official ever feels free to weigh in on the fitness of other people to do the jobs they’ve either been hired or elected to do.

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Old Bike Dude January 14, 2013 at 10:02 pm

He will learn that Karma’s a bitch.

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Soft Sigh from Hell January 14, 2013 at 8:01 pm

Other states, North Carolina for example, look at education as an investment in the state, South Carolina considers it merely a cost.

The results show.

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robertroberts January 15, 2013 at 6:54 am

yes…so agree.

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BIN News Editorial Staff January 14, 2013 at 11:35 pm

sic(k) willie, “…you ignorant slut.” :)

Our Funding Editor dearly loves that famous quote from SNL because it fits FITS and sic(k) willie perfectly.

And, it drives him crazy that she was the first to recognize that he is just a voucher pimp for Howie the Voucher Clown’s voucher scam.

Vouchers would do nothing for those who need help the most except leave them further behind. Vouchers are a scam.

sic(k) willie and Howie the Voucher Clown “can’t stand the truth.”

But, truth can be found here:

http://www.corridorofshame.com/

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toyota kawaski January 15, 2013 at 8:35 am

Yesah I agree lets not post your pic anymore Mr.Rich i dont want anyone getting ideas about stealing my Honey away from me. Yessah Im ready for my salad tossing

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BigT January 15, 2013 at 8:51 am

I just got an e-mail from a freind who is a teacher. His check is $130 less a month thanks to Obama’s latest Tax increase.

This F*&%in Idiot voted for Obama…

And FITS told you Stupid Mother-F*(@#rs theree is no difference in Obama and Romney…and you Dumb@$$ bought it…

I’m down for the Struggle. I’ll suffer and make do. I came up that way…

But to see these Guilt-ridden Cul-d–sac FITS yuppies $#!**ing all over themselves, while Obama Rapes them…is HILARIOUS….

They have to tell their child NO…while Obama feasts on your dime…and tells them to CRAM it…They GET What they DESERVE…

Enjoy Idiots….

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Smirks January 15, 2013 at 10:05 am

The “power of the marketplace” will fix everything! Promise!

oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2013/01/oregon_charter_school_founders.html

Err, whoops! Well, at least the quality of education is definitely better, what with all that competition and stuff, right?

rt.com/usa/news/loch-ness-monster-louisiana-creationism-evolution-790/

D’oh!

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Isotope Soap January 15, 2013 at 10:16 am

Lol!

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BigT January 15, 2013 at 11:22 am

What’s funny (even though Liberally educated Smirks is too F*^kin’ Stupid to properly post a link)…you leftwingers P!$$ all over yourselves, worried that the very flawed THEORY of Evolution may not get pushed down the throats of students..yet your F%^&in Constituents are too G.D. stupid to read….

You are long on Indoctrination…and Dumb as H#!! on the mere basics…

No wonder you think money fixes your Ignorance and banning guns stops Criminals…

And look at who you Stupid A-Holes put in the white House ……AGAIN!!!!…Despite his record of failure..

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Isotope Soap January 15, 2013 at 12:29 pm

Don’t tell me you can’t copy and paste, Bigums. We’ve seen you work it like a crack whore from Drudge…

Very flawed theory? Lol, lol!

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scsince60 January 15, 2013 at 11:57 am

“Allowing every student to reach THEIR highest potential”? Should be “his” highest potential. If you said, “Allowing ALL students to reach THEIR potential”, that would be correct. Just schoolin’ Missa Smiff, yea.

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scsince60 January 15, 2013 at 12:04 pm

Heathwood grad missed his grammar class. “Q” would be so disappointed.

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Soft Sigh from Hell January 15, 2013 at 6:46 pm

“Allowing ALL students to reach THEIR potential”

Why wouldn’t “potential” be plural?

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Evangeline Moore April 6, 2013 at 2:27 pm

Read about vet court– funds and freedom for violent criminals – don’t educate the kids! Support your law-breaking veteran !!!

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Evangeline Moore April 6, 2013 at 2:27 pm

Read about vet court– funds and freedom for violent criminals – don’t educate the kids! Support your law-breaking veteran !!!

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