[Vision2020] Letter from Rep. Trail to Governor Kempthorne on public education

[Tina Cunningham]

GOOD WORK MR. TRAIL.......FINALLY A PERSON THAT
ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE!!!!!

...and another thing......why is it that our state
government is so determined to rob from our
future.....yet they cannot give up a couple thousand
dollars a year of their salary to support education?
Stop spending like a spoiled rich kid and be
CONSERVATIVE.

(no....I'm not bitter! )  :)

Christina Cunningham
Moscow




--- Tom Trail <RepTrail@infotrail.com> wrote:
> Visionnaires:  I sent the following letter to
> Governor Kempthorne today.
>  
> Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 6
>  
>  
> March 10, 2003
>  
> Governor Dirk Kempthorne
> Capitol
> Boise, Idaho
>  
> Dear Governor Kempthorne:
>  
> In the past I've greatly appreciated your support
> for public education.
> Our teachers are responding to the increasing
> demands that the State is
> requiring of them in the public school classroom. 
> In addition to their
> regular teaching duties, we are now requiring
> teachers to carry out
> additional responsibilities in the fields of
> technology, the Idaho
> Reading Initiative, Idaho Achievement Standards and
> Assessment, realign
> the curriculum to meet the standards, and all of the
> added facets of
> Leave No Child Behind.  In addition, the percentage
> of children
> identified for special education programs is
> multiplying demands on
> teacher's time with their students.  They are doing
> all of this in a
> time of decreasing resources.  Their dedication and
> commitment needs to
> be recognized.
>  
> Instead, I find that this legislative session is one
> of the most
> anti-teacher/education oriented sessions in the
> history of the State of
> Idaho.  With decreasing resources for education at
> all levels, all of
> the stakeholders including the Legislature and your
> office should be
> working together to strengthen our commitment to the
> children of the
> state.
>  
> President Bush articulated his admiration and
> support for our teachers
> when he signed the Education bill last fall.  He
> stressed that teachers
> need to be supported and treated as professionals. 
> The President
> indicated that the average teacher spends more than
> $400/year in
> out-of-pocket money to purchase classroom supplies. 
> His response to
> this situation was to support a $250 tax credit for
> teachers to use when
> they file their federal income tax to reclaim some
> of the money they
> spend for class activities.  We should look at our
> President's example
> as an inspiration on how elected officials should
> view and work with our
> teachers.
>  
> Instead, I find a mean spirited and vindictive
> Legislature attacking
> teachers and the education community on all sides. 
> The first blow was
> denying teachers a simple $15 Idaho tax credit to
> pay for out of pocket
> supplies for their classrooms.  I've talked to one
> local Moscow teacher
> who has personally paid out more than $2,000 for
> supplies in the past
> four years.
>  
> HB329 is almost the last straw.  In the House Human
> Resources Committee,
> there were only three people who spoke out in favor
> of the bill  --
> Rep. Lake, Sen. Davis and Mr. Deide from your
> office.  There was no
> "local" or grassroots support for the bill.  The
> current statutes allow
> a union member to request that a check-off or
> deduction be stopped in
> terms of his/her paycheck.  Under current statues
> any union member who
> is dissatisfied can fie a complaint with the
> Secretary of State's
> office.  In the past 10 years not one complaint has
> been filed.  So
> where is the problem?
>  
> Abraham Lincoln whom you've spoken about in terms of
> admiration once
> told a colleague that the laws of the land come from
> the ideas,
> thoughts, and of local citizens.  This is the basis
> of good policy.
> Does HB329 meet Lincoln's standard?  Certainly not!!
>  This is top down
> policy supported by vested interest groups at the
> wrong place and the
> wrong time.
>  
> HB72  --  a.k.a. the union busting bill, is another
> clear signal in
> terms of how the Legislature views the teaching
> profession.  The list of
> anti-education legislation now being proposed goes
> on and on -  at both
> the public education and higher education level.  I
> suspect that the
> tenure system at the Higher Education level will
> soon come under attack.
>  
> Teachers and constituents in District 6 have deluged
> me with communiques
> this week all critical of what they view as attacks
> on the teaching
> profession and education.  Many local Republicans
> indicated they were
> thinking of changing party affiliation.  Rep. Steve
> Smylie best summed
> it up on the House floor in his debate against
> HB329.  He indicated that
> the punitive actions of the Legislature will, no
> doubt, make it possible
> for major Democratic gains in the 2004 elections. 
> The seeds have been
> planted and the Republican party will reap the
> windfall.
>  
> I urge you to come out in public and provide the
> leadership to bring all
> of the stakeholders involved together and to help
> create an atmosphere
> and climate more conducive to ensuring excellence in
> academic programs
> for our children.  Following President Bush's
> example when he spoke out
> for his admiration and support for our teachers when
> signing the
> National Education Act would be be good place to
> start.
>  
> Respectfully,
>  
>  
> Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 6
>  
> 


=====
"Would you not like to be.....sittin on top of the world with your legs hanging free....."  **Dave Matthews Band

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