[Vision2020] Vandalism blamed on politics

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (February 16, 2011) Spokesman-Review.

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Vandalism blamed on politics
Luna’s truck damaged amid debate over schools plan

BOISE – Vandals slashed two tires and spray-painted the truck of Idaho’s
public schools chief as the furor over his proposed education reforms
appeared to grow uglier.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said he woke up early
Tuesday and found the word “Luna” painted on the truck with a slash
through the letters.

“I’m not pointing any fingers at any individuals or groups, but there’s no
doubt in my mind” the vandalism involved the reforms, Luna told the
Associated Press.

Nampa police were investigating and have not yet determined a motive or
identified any suspects, Deputy Chief Craig Kingsbury said.

Luna’s sweeping overhaul calls for introducing merit pay and eliminating
tenure for new teachers while expanding online courses. Idaho would
increase class sizes to pay for a bulk of the reforms and cut about 770
teaching positions as more courses are taught online.

Hearings on the education reforms were expected to continue Tuesday in the
Idaho Senate, where the legislation was introduced earlier this month and
is being reworked amid opposition from teachers, parents and some
lawmakers.

Luna was heckled Tuesday morning after a live newscast in a downtown Boise
coffee shop, and he said he filed a police report after an angry teacher
went to his mother’s house over the weekend. Police were investigating but
have not found any suspects.

Luna denounced organizers of the opposition to his reforms, saying e-mails
have been sent out that included the home addresses and phone numbers of
elected officials. Actions that resulted in someone going to his
71-year-old mother’s home amounted to “union thuggery,” he said.

The Idaho Education Association has denied sending any e-mails with home
addresses or phone numbers.

“The IEA condemns vandalism and urges that anyone found to be responsible
be prosecuted for their actions,” association President Sherri Wood said.
“We do not resort to violence or harassment to solve problems.”

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Gov. Butch Otter and state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna call for
civil discourse on school reform Tuesday, after Luna’s vehicle was
vandalized the previous evening and Luna was heckled at a coffee shop and
confronted by an angry teacher outside his mother’s house.

http://media.spokesman.com/photos/2011/02/16/cop_newotter16_t620.jpg

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown