Community Update

Are Oakland County Republicans running out of teacher and public education firewood to burn for political warmth?

For years, the supply seemed inexhaustible -- like a rain forest. We can always blame the teacher unions! -- but they are really down to some precious kindling.

Their state friends want Pontiac Schools gone. And, when Pontiac District violates its consent agreement the Governor can appoint an EM to do just that. Bloomfield and other districts couldn't possibly turn away all those kids at Thanksgiving, the Governor knows.

How cruel. How racist. How elitist -- the Gateway guru with his kids ensconced in  Greenhills could say. Will say.

Yesterday, Governor Snyder's "Democrat" state treasurer Andy Dillon was cleared of his current legal troubles so he can sign off on this racially charged issue when the time comes.

In the meantime, groups like the Great Lakes Education Project, a for profit that likes to tell local school districts what they should do -- which is mainly create markets for cyber schools in their opinion -- called for Pontiac High School to close.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2013/08/23/news/local_news/doc5216a55004a55371299914.txt

But, again, the firewood is getting scarce.

Mr. Barrett of GLEP, like Rep. Tom McMillen, or other state Republicans, can't conceal anymore the real intent of all this. The proverbial cat is out of the bag on education reform and time is short between now and 2014. Close Pontiac, flood functioning Districts and bring down their scores, and then close top Districts in a few years. "Any where, any time, any place." But do it fast, because people are catching on. This isn't your father's "pay less taxes" for schools situation. This is for the whole enchilada.

Oakland County pols are realizing their burning of public education has now come home to their forest and it would be very difficult, indeed, to explain to Oakland County voters why they collapsed BHSD, Birmingham, and Troy schools to "save" Pontiac (or Chuck Moss's favorite district "Hyland Park") and open a few crappy cyber schools.

Senator Pappageorge is termed out. Chuck Moss and Tom McMillen -- two of the state's leading anti-public education advocates -- will stand to take his seat in 2014.

How very weird. On top of the burned piles of Bloomfield, Birmingham, and Troy Schools will be the political leaders that helped create the ashes.

Mr. McMillen wisely has decided to create a smokescreen before the fire. He is stopping the imposition of Common Core, gaining favor with many teacher groups who don't like imposed curriculum or the tests they bring.

In a stroke of political genius and hutzpah, Mr. McMillen called for legislation that all lawmakers have to take the tests they are insisting on.

This is sideshow legislation, of course, but potentially effective. Mr. McMillen got the info into Livingston because no one in Oakland could believe he would agree with teachers on anything (many of whom love the idea of Phil Pavlov or Lisa Lyons having to say or write anything without a Mackinac Center script).http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20130823/NEWS01/308230017/Bill-wo...

Don't be duped. Oakland County Republicans will have to find another way on public education. And they know it.