Posted on 05/18/2007 5:41:19 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
Rosen: Education's union label
May 18, 2007
Back in February, I wrote in this space about Senate Bill 73. Sponsored by a freshman Democrat, Sen. Chris Romer, it would have required Colorado public schools to adopt competency in the English language as a graduation requirement for high school students starting in 2012.
The merits of this are so obvious, it's a sad commentary on our public schools that such legislation would even be necessary. But remarkably, the knee-jerk reaction to Romer's bill by Democrats who represent the interests of the teachers' unions in the state legislature was nothing short of scorn. Senate Education Committee Chair Sue Windels dismissed Romer as a "wild-eyed newbie," who just doesn't understand the way the game is played.
Nonetheless, under public pressure, the bill was rescued from the Appropriations Committee graveyard and was ultimately passed by the Senate 33-1 (Windels being the sole dissenter). That's when the teachers' unions circled the wagons and applied the brass knuckles.
In the final weeks of the legislative session, SB 73 was killed by Democrats in a party-line vote in the House Education Committee, preventing it from coming to the floor for a full vote in the House. Their lame excuse was that the bill would be an "unfunded mandate" on public schools.
What utter nonsense!
(Excerpt) Read more at rockymountainnews.com ...
Great article. A spot on description of the state of education in the formerly Great State of Colorado.
When I graduated in 1970, a requirement was 4 years of high-school English. I had to attend an entire year of school because I had fulfilled all other graduation requirements but had to have that final English class. Nobody complained on my behalf.
If my memory is correct, I had to pass three years of English in Missouri, in the early 60s,I believe I had about 6 years of it in 4 years time.
Two years of math, a year each of American history, world history and Missouri history, two years of science, four years of P.E.
Now, you don’t even have to speak English?
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