Tell Inslee that Sundquist was a Mistake for the Charter Commission
Here's the link to the Governor's e-mail page should you want to weigh in on the appropriateness of Sundquist's appointment.
Steve Sundquist on KUOW on the Charter Commission yesterday. Naturally the host of the show did not ask why Steve had been against charters when he ran for his second term and now is for them. (I like KUOW but boy, they don't do their homework before they interview education folks.)
Sundquist dodged the question about the conversion schools. He said, over and over, that the performance criteria would determine who would open a charter school.
When asked about the argument that charters would take money out of public schools, he said "no,
that charter schools are public schools." Which, of course, did not answer the question. As a former Board member, he should well know that districts will be losing dollars.
He said "objectivity" would be very important for the CC.
He also said - and this was surprising but at least realistic - that he didn't see how any charters could be approved and up and running before Fall 2014.
Update: just so there is proof, here's the link to the King County Democrats 2011 General Candidate questionnaire that Sundquist filled out prior to the election in 2011. He says no to charters.
Steve Sundquist on KUOW on the Charter Commission yesterday. Naturally the host of the show did not ask why Steve had been against charters when he ran for his second term and now is for them. (I like KUOW but boy, they don't do their homework before they interview education folks.)
Sundquist dodged the question about the conversion schools. He said, over and over, that the performance criteria would determine who would open a charter school.
When asked about the argument that charters would take money out of public schools, he said "no,
that charter schools are public schools." Which, of course, did not answer the question. As a former Board member, he should well know that districts will be losing dollars.
He said "objectivity" would be very important for the CC.
He also said - and this was surprising but at least realistic - that he didn't see how any charters could be approved and up and running before Fall 2014.
Update: just so there is proof, here's the link to the King County Democrats 2011 General Candidate questionnaire that Sundquist filled out prior to the election in 2011. He says no to charters.
Comments
SavvyVoter
All of the charter school commissioners are appointed to serve four year terms - except for the first ones. To stagger the turnover, the initial commissioners are only appointed to one-, two-, or three-year terms.
From the text of the initiative:
"Members shall be appointed to four-year, staggered terms, with initial appointments from each of the appointing authorities consisting of one member appointed to a one-year term, one member appointed to a two-year term, and one member appointed to a three-year term"
I asked the Governor to make Mr. Sundquist his one-year appointment and then replace him after his one year term is complete.
But it will put the Governor on notice that people DO pay attention to his appts and he better start reviewing those resumes better.
It's early in the game for him and he needs to have support.
Charlie's suggestion is also right.
Why do they call themselves Democrats anymore? It's beyond Orwellian that we're supposed to be thrilled that Dems stand for the hip causes like Gay Marriage and Clean Energy. Meanwhile they join hands with Republicans to screw teachers, disparage unions, thrash the environment and addict everyone to computer toys instead of human beings.
It is still worth writing a letter to Inslee objecting to Sundquist's appointment. Sundquist is incompetent and we know it.
It is going to be tough listening to Sundquist sidestep questions and babble nonsense.
Quite different from an election- don't you think?
I think each official picked their own people and that was based on who applied to them (I don't believe they considered anyone who applied to the other two officials.)
I guess to me it's part of that old adage "silence equals consent". I don't expect anything to come of it, but if we all just swallow our discontent with something like this, then how do the powers that be know what the "everyman" is thinking?
Trust me, I used to work for the State and constituent letters/emails DO get read - they may not of changed any minds, but there was someone assigned to make sure each and everyone got read, and anything "troubling" responded to. I personally researched answers to more than one question from a legislator or the Governor's office that was generated by citizen comments/requests.
This is our democracy too - and everyone has the same rights to make their concerns/beliefs known. I may be cynical about ever getting good answers, but I will always ask the questions ;o)
ya know what, though? Mary is sooooooooooo far removed from the non-leafy neighborhood world that she probably thinks it is fine that Inslee picked such a reformie doublethink liar as Sundquist.
I've seen her at ... 8 ? 15 ? events over the last few years, and I get her emails full of complicated excuses and full of missing information on what the spawn of Gate$ are pulling, and I still think she's more of a political dunce than a sell out.
Maybe I need to
StopBeingAnIdealist