The Private Schools of Politicians?

GRASS IN REVIEW

GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAII

Nurturing the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a civil society.

WEEKLY GRASS IN REVIEW -- April 2, 2008

The Private Schools of Politicians?
By Paul Jacob

Years ago, Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley voted against Oregon’s charter school legislation. His was the losing side.

Later, he and his wife applied to send two of their kids to a newly forming charter school. The school was late in starting up, so he lost again as the application wasn’t acted on.

But now that Willamette Weekly leaked the application, it’s getting lots of attention.

Merkley first denied the report. Then, when the actual applications were produced, well, he stopped denying.

It’s funny how politicians who vote lockstep with teachers’ unions and the establishment monopoly school system keep on undermining their own publicly espoused positions. They keep voting with their dollars and good sense in their private lives... against the bad sense of their official loyalties.

It’s a revelation of attitude: Merkley and other such politicians believe that choice is only for the few: themselves.

Steve Buckstein, a founder of Oregon’s Cascade Policy Institute, puts the story in perspective. He quotes a famous Supreme Court judgment from 1922, about an Oregon law to outlaw all private schools. The justices overturned the law, and insisted that “the child is not the mere creature of the state.”

Too many politicians agree with this only when it comes to their own children. We could use their help making education better for all children. Schooling should be made to fit kids, not the needs of politicians seeking reelevtion.

Paul Jacob is a member of the GRIH Board of Advisors and is Senior Advisor at the Sam Adams Alliance and Foundation.

IN THE NEWS - HIGHLIGHTED COMMENTARIES
Grassroot Institute is regularly featured in news articles and broadcasts around the state. Here is a sample of some of our recent articles, research stories, and other articles of interest.

Congressional Hypocrisy on School Choice
By Evan Feinberg

In his final State of the Union Address, President Bush called on Congress to rescue disadvantaged children from failing public schools. Unfortunately, most politicians on Capitol Hill continue to deny poor children the same opportunities they support for college students and, most importantly, their own children.

(To read more, click here.)

Leap Year for UC Categorical Imperative
By K. Lloyd Billingsley

In 2008 the University of California will increase the number of officially recognized Asian categories from eight to 23, nearly a three-fold increase. UC administrators and various student groups hail the move as a milestone of diversity and aid to outreach. That remains dubious but the plan confirms that the UC system is more ethnically obsessed than it was in 1996, when Californians voters passed Proposition 209.

That law bars the use of racial quotas in state education, employment and contracting. Some UC bosses are openly contemptuous of Prop 209 and look for ways to avoid it by downplaying the SAT, giving points for special life experience, and so on. Strictly speaking, the new UC plan is not admission by racial quota but the emphasis on ethnicity violates the spirit of that statute. The new categories seem a rather odd tactic since, in the politically correct ethos that prevails on UC campuses, Asians are not exactly an accredited victim group.

(To read more, click here.)

HONOLULUTRAFFIC.COM
The mission of HonoluluTraffic.com is to seek cost effective ways to reduce traffic congestion on Oahu. Add your name to the list of supporters. Here are the most recent posts/additions to the site:

Council must be careful in what it funds in the new budget
ABC News: “The Rebirth of Buses: N.Y. to D.C. for $1”
This is what you might call HOT Coffee
Star-Bulletin: "Council wants review on transit"
Council should also question bus ridership data
Waikiki Residents detail their opposition to rail
Council Executive Matters Commiitte to hear TOD bills
Council's Transportation Committee to hear Bill 80 CD1 FD2
A new tab added for the route alignment
A little needed humor for today
Prevedouros hits one out of the park

You can read these and more at HonoluluTraffic.com.

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Opportunity for Young Adults:
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii created the Fresh Perspective column exclusively to publish the work of high school and college students. In addition to work appearing on GRIH’s website, their work is also submitted to Hawaii Reporter. Submissions are welcome from any interested young adult, and we will publish work that is clearly written and grammatically sound. For earlier Fresh Perspectives please click here.

Contact: wendy@grassrootinstitute.org for more info.

TRY OUR BLOGS
Use these links to access various topics.

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>The Polar Bear and the Endangered Species Act

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>Collective Action Leads to Collective Disaster

The Mystery of Hawaiian History>>>Blog Archives>>>Anti-American rhetoric by Obama's pastor accepted as normal in Hawaii

Read what others have written or add your own thoughts by clicking here.

LIBERTY NETWORK

New GRIH president Jamie Story has arrived and is in the office. Feel free to call her at (808) 591-9193 or email Jamie@grassrootinstitute.org.
Dick Rowland is now President Emeritus and working on selected programs. You can reach him directly at (808) 864-1776 or via dick@grassrootinstitute.org.
Brandon Bosworth, GRIH's Publications Editor, had an article published in MidWeek on March 25: "Why Gas Prices Won't Fall".
The www.LUV-Hawaii.org website was the subject of the main message of the January 16 Grass in Review. Since then, over 215 people have signed the petition and over 150 have posted comments. A few of the comments were published in Hawaii Reporter on 2/8/08, 2/23/08, 3/1/08, 3/11/08, and 3/29/08. Please read them and sign the petition if you have not already done so. The comments are anonymous and cannot be viewed on the LUV-Hawaii website at this time.

If you have not already signed the petition or gone to the website to learn more about it, please do so today.

UPCOMING EVENTS

All of the Institute’s events, research publication dates and speaking engagements are available on our website.

1. The Small Business Hawaii Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, May 9th at the Waialae Country Club. The awardees include:

SBH Business Person of the Year -- John Garibaldi, Hawaii Superferry, Inc.
Civic Leader --Victor Lim, McDonalds’ of Hawaii
Young Entrepreneur – Bernadette Baraquio, Just a Girl Productions

The banquet will also celebrate the new SBH Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. There will be a silent auction, prizes, entertainment and a special speaker. Tickets are $100 per person and are tax-deductible in part. Call Darlyn Evangelista at (808)396-1724.

2. The 2008 Preserving the American Dream conference: "Preserving Freedom and Mobility"
May 16-18, 2008 in Houston, TX

GRIH will be co-sponsoring the sixth annual Preserving the American Dream Conference in Houston (Omni Hotel near Galleria District) on May 16-18, 2008. Registration is $249 regular or $175 student and low-income. There is an optional lunch and tour of Houston on Friday the 16th (8:30 am – 4:30 pm) for $25. Last year’s attendees really enjoyed the tour of San Jose.

For more information or to register, please visit the American Dream Coalition website.

How fast does the state spend your money?
State spending is out of control. Watch the dollars fly out the window.....

Have an Institute speaker at your next meeting!
From taxation to education, from health care to transportation, the Institute’s staff is ready to address your group regarding the important policy issues facing all citizens of Hawaii. Call (808) 591-9193 to check availability and make arrangements, or e-mail us at wendy@grassrootinstitute.org .

Grassroot Institute is a proud member of the State Policy Network and Townhall.

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