Carol York: 65% truth

Over at OlsonOnline, retired Oregon teacher Terry Olson takes note of the claim in the voter's pamphlet by State Senate candidate Carol York (R) that she's a "certified teacher".

Technically, she's not. She was at one time in New York, but I assume in New York, as in Oregon, you have to renew your license periodically to keep it valid.

York, by the way, is running against Senator Rick Metsger (D-Welches). (More info, volunteer, donate.)

Going further, though, Olson digs in to the 65% "solution" that so many Oregon Republicans are running on this year. Their "idea" is that we should spend 65% of all education dollars "in the classroom." But the definition of "in the classroom" is a bit odd:

[The 65%] definition does not include transportation --the busing issue again-- or librarians, counselors, curriculum deveopment, teacher training, maintenance, and administration --that means school principals. It does however define athletics and athletic supplies as classroom instruction. Bracey sums it up this way:

"Under FCE's interpretation of this classification scheme, expenditures for football uniforms count as instruction, expenditures for librarians' salaries do not."

In short, the 65% solution is a shell game. What goes into the classroom must be taken from other areas included in the traditional understanding of what constitutes education.

Head on over to OlsonOnline to read the rest - and discuss.

Oct. 09, 2006 Posted in elsewhere.