Len Munsil » Education

MY TURN

Len Munsil — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:02:49 +0000

Thanks to the Arizona Republic for allowing me a brief opportunity to present an unvarnished response to their editorial endorsement of Janet Napolitano. Please read it and send the link to others!

WHEN FAILURES COLLIDE

Len Munsil — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:06:39 +0000

We held a press conference today highlighting the reality that I have a plan to secure our borders that will save Arizona taxpayers billions of dollars. By contrast, Janet Napolitano has done nothing for four years, has no current plan to secure the border, and doesn’t even believe it is possible.
Some Janet Napolitano staffers were there, one of them wearing a gargantuan cat costume and holding a sign. The purpose of the cat costume escapes me; a giant chicken costume might be a better fit for Napolitano supporters given her refusal to keep her promise for a third gubernatorial debate.
But the cat creature was holding a sign on which the word “immigration” was misspelled. If she can’t spell immigration, how can we expect her to do anything about it? Then I remembered that under Janet Napolitano’s leadership we have become last in the nation in education.
And suddenly it all made sense.

THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST

Len Munsil — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 14:50:28 +0000

We already were aware that Janet Napolitano has presided over Arizona’s decline to the worst crime rate in the nation.
Now we learn that Arizona, while first in the nation in crime , is last in the nation in education. The article talks about “smartest states,” but in reality is measuring 21 elementary and secondary education factors.
The illusion of competence surrounding Janet Napolitano’s tenure as Governor is shattered by the hard, cold reality of these facts.
Add to that an unwillingness to address border security and an inability to effectively reform CPS, and it’s time for a change.

JANET’S END-RUN BLOCKED

Len Munsil — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 18:52:46 +0000

Today even the liberal U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit could not go along with Janet Napolitano’s efforts to work with a federal judge to get around the people’s elected representatives. The Court rejected a federal judge’s decision to fine Arizona $21 million for supposedly not providing sufficient funding for English Language Learners (ELL).
No federal judge should dictate legislative expenditures in Arizona’s public schools. The fact that Janet Napolitano, rather than negotiate with legislators, was willing to go around them and try to find a friendly judge to take her position shows her lack of respect for the legislative process and our constitutional scheme.

NO THANK YOU

Len Munsil — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:07:50 +0000

Janet Napolitano came into office promising to improve education in Arizona, making it the centerpiece of her administration. Despite being given massive funding increases, Arizona’s standing in national rankings has deteriorated under her leadership. That is no surprise, given her persistent opposition to true education reform and her commitment to protecting the status quo.
Now she claims she wants to “reform” education across the nation.
Do we really want Janet Napolitano to do for the nation’s educational system what she did for education in Arizona?

YOU CAN’T OUTBID LIBERALS ON SPENDING

Len Munsil — Sun, 21 May 2006 16:40:20 +0000

Republican control of the presidency and Congress has accomplished two significant things — an aggressive war on Islamic terror, and judges who understand the rule of law. Those accomplishments are significant.
But President Bush and Congress have ignored conservative principles on spending, trying to curry favor with the media and liberal Democrats by going along with their desire for increased funding. The result — influence-peddling scandals, a growing deficit, and guess what — the attacks on President Bush and Congress by liberal Democrats are more vicious than ever.
Here in Arizona, Janet Napolitano proposed a completely irresponsible budget with a whopping 23 percent spending increase. According to Republic columnist Bob Robb, the Republican budget is a 19 percent increase. And how will this battle play out? The Republicans will be presented as cheapskates who don’t care about education or children. Democrats will be presented as compassionate and caring. The two sides will compromise and we will have a budget deficit next year. And just like in Washington, Democrats will blame Republicans for the deficit.
Republicans in Arizona could propose doubling the budget for education, and Democrats would scream it is not enough. And the media would present it the same way — Democrats care about the children, Republicans don’t. Republicans here must learn from Washington — prepare a budget that makes sense, that is commensurate with the state’s population growth, that funds the state’s legitimate priorities, and no more. Return the excess to the taxpayers.
Because no matter how much you spend, liberal Democrats will do two things: accuse you of not caring about the children, and demand that you spend more. So you might as well get it right.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER VETO

Len Munsil — Wed, 17 May 2006 17:26:31 +0000

On Tuesday Janet Napolitano vetoed a bill that simply made it easier for employees to have a portion of their paycheck withheld in support of tax credits for gifts the employees wanted to make to public schools, to organizations that work with the poor and to organizations that provide tuition scholarships. Everyone is sort of scratching their heads to figure out what motivated this veto. Since it was entirely voluntary for businesses, there was no burden on them, as she claimed in her veto message. It appears the bill was a casualty of Napolitano’s utter contempt for anything that would empower parents and children with more school options. The public schools and charities that work with the poor were just collateral damage.

TWO OUT OF THREE AIN’T BAD

Len Munsil — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:55:59 +0000

Under our constitutional system, the legislative branch controls the government pursestrings. The executive branch has an opportunity to weigh in on spending issues through the power to sign or veto legislative bills. But in Arizona, the executive branch — led by Janet Napolitano — has given the judiciary the authority to spend state money. She has done so because she can’t get the legislature to do her bidding on the issue of educating English Language Learners. So she has acquiesced in allowing an unelected judge to make spending decisions for the state of Arizona.
This is not about whether you agree with Janet Napolitano, Judge Collins or the legislature about the best way to teach English in our public schools. This is about a Governor who is happy to go along with a judicial power grab so long as she gets the result she wants. This ends-justify-the-means approach to public policy is a serious threat to the liberty provided by our constitutional separation of powers.
I am thankful for Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, who has challenged the notion that a federal judge can take away spending authority from the elected representatives of the people of Arizona.

ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION

Len Munsil — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 12:43:47 +0000

Today’s news that Arizona ranks 49th in education spending is a classic example of asking the wrong question. When you ask the wrong question you get the wrong answer. Stephen Covey, in his famous 7 Habits book, says we should “begin with the end in mind.” What is the “end” or goal of Arizona’s education system? Is the goal simply to see how much money we can spend? Or is it to turn out well-educated students who can compete in the 21st century economy? I think it is the latter. But today’s report is typical — in no way does it even address the issue of educational performance in our state.
If the only measurement is how much money is being spent on education, then Washington D.C.’s schools should be our model. But educational performance in Washington D.C. is awful. Is that what we want? Lots of money spent for no results? Until we begin to focus on doing what it takes to educate students well, we will continue throwing more and more money at the problem without any idea how to actually improve student performance.

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT 101

Len Munsil — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 00:57:45 +0000

Our constitutional separation of powers — the notion that governmental power is divided between three branches, and divided again between the state and national governments — is not irrelevant, arcane political theory. It is an essential element of protecting our liberty. A Tucson federal judge – with the active help of Gov. Napolitano and Attorney General Goddard — has taken the issue of state spending to educate English Language Learners out of the hands of our elected representatives.
Janet Napolitano has handed over her authority, and that of the legislature, to a federal judge because that was the only way to get the outcome she wanted — more money thrown at the problem with no accountability. Whether you agree or disagree with the outcome, be concerned any time a state official is happy to surrender authority to a federal judge. Ultimately, it is your right to representative government that is diminished. Arizona Republic columnist Bob Robb makes this point in today’s column as he examines who is actually being represented in this court case.