SC

SC Speaker Praises Supreme Court’s Retreat

JUDICIAL BRANCH BACKS DOWN ON CONTROVERSIAL EDUCATION RULING … S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas is praising a decision by the S.C. Supreme Court to back off of its previous demands regarding a controversial school funding lawsuit. “Today’s order by the Supreme Court is a victory for South Carolina…

JUDICIAL BRANCH BACKS DOWN ON CONTROVERSIAL EDUCATION RULING …

S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas is praising a decision by the S.C. Supreme Court to back off of its previous demands regarding a controversial school funding lawsuit.

“Today’s order by the Supreme Court is a victory for South Carolina students, our Constitution, and the legislative process,” Lucas said.  “It proves that judicial overreach will not prevail in South Carolina.  All branches of government should collectively work together within their constitutional authority, not overstep bounds in an effort to exert political clout.”

Last fall, the court issued its long-awaited “minimally adequate” ruling – which determined that the state’s government-run education system (an effective monopoly in most corners of the state) was not fulfilling its constitutional duty to provide a “minimally adequate” education in poor, rural districts.

It also stated – explicitly – what we’ve been saying for years, namely that throwing more money at this failed system has not worked.

“Spending fails to provide students with the opportunity to obtain a minimally adequate education,” the court found. “Rather, the evidence demonstrates that there is a clear disconnect between spending and results.”

Exactly … and that’s coming from a court dominated by liberal justices.

While we won’t argue with that particular conclusion, there were legitimate questions surrounding the constitutionality of the ruling.  In fact we were the first website to address those questions.

“The court is creating a new standard, arbitrarily defining that standard and then demanding the other branches of government follow this standard,” we wrote in the aftermath of the ruling.

Whatever their motivation, that’s out of bounds …

Specifically, the court imposed a February 1, 2016 deadline for state lawmakers to come up with a plan to address their newly defined standard.  They also mandated the creation of a “super panel” to recommend changes to bring the government-run system into compliance.

Legislative leaders balked at those demands, referring to the court’s ruling as a “complete usurpation of the legislative and executive branches’ constitutionally conferred rights.”

Now the court has decided to back off – rescinding its deadline and revoking the panel.

Lucas isn’t letting the Justices off the hook, though.

“After avoidable legal proceedings that wasted valuable time and effort, it is apparent that the Supreme Court has finally agreed that their arbitrary deadlines and improper super panel stand in the way of real education reform,” Lucas said.

Damn …

Don’t get us wrong: Nobody in this situation deserves to pat themselves on the back.

Lawmakers in the S.C. House deserve a modicum of credit for some modest expansions to the state’s existing parental choice program – which offers tax credit-funded scholarships to children with special needs – but they haven’t done nearly enough to inject market pressure into the equation.  And even the modest expansions to this minuscule program are under attack by the educrat establishment.

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: Fixing our worst-in-the-nation government-run system requires bold, broad and long-overdue reform of the free market variety – not more money.

“The only thing that will save our schools is the accountability of the marketplace,” we wrote at the beginning of this drama.  “Accompanied by a long overdue recognition that our loyalty belongs not to the status quo forces profiting from this failed system, but the children and parents who continue to be failed by it.”

Indeed …

Pic: Travis Bell Photography

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13 comments

Rocky Verdad November 5, 2015 at 4:01 pm

You gotta keep un-educated!!!

Reply
shifty henry November 6, 2015 at 12:40 am

DESTROY ALL FRACTIONS!
LEAVE NO REMAINDERS!
———————————–

There is a fine line between a NUMERATOR and a DENOMINATOR

Reply
shifty henry November 6, 2015 at 3:08 pm

Here’s some more for the weekend:
———————————————
Q: What do you call an excited square?
A: An erectangle.

Q: Why is the obtuse triangle always upset?
A: Because it is never right.

Q: What does a three dimensional square have on its genitals?
A: A cubic hair.

Q: Why was 6 afraid of 7?
A: Because 7, 8, 9.

Reply
ELCID November 5, 2015 at 4:26 pm

With a crooked Court and a more than crooked Legislature, this will not be solved until it reaches the Federal Courts. This entire mess is just a way to enrich local lawyers. The Schools need to immediately go to the Supreme Court for a ruling on why SC uses unfair methods to fund schools. Dealing with these fools is just a complete waste of time and taxpayer money.

Reply
Bible Thumper November 5, 2015 at 4:41 pm

— go to the Supreme Court for a ruling on why SC uses unfair methods to fund schools.—-
Does the state constitution say anything about fairness?
This is a legislative issue not the courts. If they wanted fairness, money would go to the student in the form of a voucher based on his/her educational needs and not the school district.

Reply
ELCID November 5, 2015 at 5:09 pm

Vouchers are just another way to destroy public education. It takes money out of the system and gives it to crank schools. Just look at Charlotte for a good example.

This is a Federal issue as their are numerous Federal Laws that cover child education requirements. Most of which, SC is not meeting along the I-95 corridor of shame.

Reply
Lone Ranger November 5, 2015 at 6:25 pm

Wrong on ice and we’ll tell you now twice that private and home-schooled students every year are
Driving around the world in achievement scores and higher ed success before public students find the car !!!

Reply
Elfego November 5, 2015 at 5:47 pm

Court is the Gold Mine for Lawyers. It is run from beginning to end by lawyers and when you seat a jury the Judge can always over rule it and the Judge is a lawyer. Lawyers have no skin in the game and nothing to lose so it is all about lawyers and money. The word Justice when it comes to a court is an Oxymoron!
The Court is all about Just-Us!

Reply
Sic Semper Tyrannis November 5, 2015 at 4:38 pm

Looks like them ” good ole boys ” are having a good ole time, reckon they care about anyone in SC?

Reply
Lone Ranger November 5, 2015 at 6:21 pm

TRANSLATION: When she finally sobered up enough it got explained to DUI-Hit-And-Run-Toal that as far as LAW ahem goes
It would take even the SC Payday-Grubbing-Flag-Ripping-Legislature just one federal court shopping to shove it up her nose !!!

Reply
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Reply
CorruptionInColumbia November 6, 2015 at 2:06 pm

Meanwhile, I hope voters in Jay Lucas’ district remember how he lied when he promised to bring the better of two Constitutional Carry bills to the house floor in its final days in session, this year. Instead, Jay-Jay, adjourned early each day to “go play golf, or like foolishness.

Reply
Roger November 8, 2015 at 6:35 pm

This lawsuit needs to go to federal court these crooked fucks will never fund the poor areas of our state as far as education goes
There is no money or votes in ot for them.

Reply

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