Legislation that would eliminate teacher tenure and require teachers to be paid based on their students' scores on standardized tests is not going to succeed this year, Speaker of the House Tim Jones, R-Eureka, said on the Randy Tobler radio program and he blamed it on rural legislators who didn't have the courage to buck the "powerful" educational establishment.
In the Joplin area, the legislators who voted against requiring 33 percent of teacher evaluations to be based on test scores were Rep. Bill White, R-Joplin, and Rep. Charlie Davis, R-Webb City.
Those votes that were considered "courageous" by Jones, were cast by area legislators Bill Lant, R-Joplin; Bill Reiboldt, R-Seneca; Mike Kelley, R-Lamar, and Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage.
"The major big, courageous bills on education will have to wait another year," Jones said. "The educational establishment is too powerful, the superintendents, the teachers' unions, especially in the rural areas."
"We're just speaking for the kids," Jones said, "and I guess the kids need a more powerful lobbyist."
Eliminating teacher tenure to make it easier for administrations to "get rid" of teachers whenever they want is SOOO much better for the kids. Yeah, right! I'm proud of Bill White and Charlie Davis (my brother) for standing up for what they believe in, and being on the side of the teachers!
ReplyDeleteLet me se....Tim Jones got huge contributions from Rex Sinquefield and Students First and those "reforms" he wants align with the interests of Students First and Rex Sinquefield. As you have previously pointed out, who does Jones represent? I think Bill White and Charlie Davis are standing up for local control of schools and not allowing their takeover by a spoiled brat of a bazillionare and some carpetbaggers from California who want to make money on Missouri kids. Tim Jones has been taking money for practicing "law" so long he can justify any position as long as he is well compensated. We need him out. He does a dsservice to politics and shames Missouri.
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