Smith will not support voucher proponent's appointment to State Board of Education

Gov. Matt Blunt's continuing efforts to stack the State Board of Education with educational voucher proponents ran into another obstacle Tuesday when Sen. Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis, said he would not support the governor's appointment of former Rep. Dario Gambaro, D-St. Louis. Gambaro, whom Smith defeated for election to the senate, is a longtime voucher supporter and has been serving on the board since Blunt appointed him during the Senate recess:

State Sen. Jeff Smith announced late yesterday he opposes keeping former opponent Derio Gambaro on the State Board of Education.

The move should come as no surprise: Smith expressed misgivings when Gov. Matt Blunt made the appointment in June. But, because the appointment came when the legislature was not in session, there was not much he could do about it.

Now that lawmakers have reconvened, the Senate – keeping with tradition of deferring to a nominee’s home senator – will follow Smith’s lead and undo the recess appointment.

Though Smith and Gambaro, both Democrats, tussled in the 2006 primary election, that doesn’t appear to have played much, of any, role.

Rather, it’s ideological differences: Smith is a fan of school choice, but only so far as charter schools go. Gambaro supports using tax credits to send children from failing districts to private or parochial schools.

Also, according to a release from Smith, Gambaro believes in the “consideration of religious theories of human origin in public school settings.”

“While I continue to support public school choice, “ Smith said in a statement, “I fear that the aforementioned positions may breach

the separation of church and state, and I cannot sponsor nominees who advocate them.”

Gambaro marks the second voucher proponent, following Donayle Whitmore-Smith that Smith has refused to support. Blunt has also nominated Debi Demien, who has a long history of supporting public money for private schools and Rev. Stan Archie, who also has a history of connection to private school interests, to the board.