GOVERNOR SNYDER DISASTER FOR EDUCATION IN MICHIGAN

Governor Rick Snyder’s “special message on education reform” delivered on April 2011 is a blue print for disaster. (http://www.michigan.gov/documents/snyder/SpecialMessageon Education Reform_351586_7.pdf)

It reeks with educational platitudes as a cover for an extreme politically driven bias, a huge leap toward privatization of public education. For example, in the state of Michigan they created the Early childhood investment Corporation (ECIC) to be, and I quote, “. . . more flexible and nimble than government . . .” That should read “to allow business to have more power in school business decision”. The Governor goes on to explain the ECIC will, “. . .  maximize public and private investment in the service of Michigan’s children”. Clearly, the program is designed to enable private corportations access to taxpayer’s dollars.

Will children benefit equally independent of family income? For politicians, meritocracy in public education into a misnomer; schools in rich districts succeed and are rewarded for doing  so out of a dwindling pot of taxpayer money, while schools in poor districts become worse for lack of funding. This generous governor said “a portion of the state foundation allowance” be allocated to school districts “that pay no more than 80% employee health care premium or control costs in other ways”. OMG! In other words, if a school district is paying health care costs or other benefits for teachers, that the state foundation should punished district.

Gov. Snyder also called for lifting restrictions on charter schools—the restriction date from 1994. He recognizes that charter schools “play an important role by offering an alternative education option to parents and students, particularly in our struggling districts”. That is the problem. Cut taxes to create an excuse for not funding [private schools in low-rent districts. Once the schools are in a sorry state of repair, the parents complain and the “heroic” state leader comes to the rescue by shifting money from the public schools into privatizing education corporations—creating a vote-getting situation. As an aside, he did not once use the controversial expression “voucher program” in his 13-page discourse.

The final blow; they have 23 school district with over a $1 million in debt.  The governor will announce shortly that he will invoke his Michigan State emergency management law for public school districts and take over the assets of those districts over to the banks. Of course, every teacher knows a bankruptcy nullifies all union contracts, judges turn over all teachers’ pension funds to creditors, and the Governor appointed manger can sell all school buildings to the highest bidder for pennies on the dollar. In the eyes of this cynical old man, Governor Snyder is a disaster for education; but he promises to cut your taxes so you will vote for him no matter what.

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