A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Canceling school trustee elections undermines democracy. Once again, most of the Flathead’s school districts did not have competitive elections, so, as per state law, the elections were canceled, and the candidates declared elected, to save money. It also saves candidates the costs of running campaigns, as well as the bother of asking people for their votes. That can’t possibly be a good thing for democracy in general and our schools in particular. School boards are becoming self-perpetuating.
My solution:
Properly proctoring tests eliminates cheating scandals. Several “educators” in Atlanta are going to jail because they falsified the scores of the standardized tests they administered to their students. Now critics of standardized testing and performance based pay for teachers are using the Atlanta cheating scandal to bash standardized tests and performance based pay.
Too much already. This never would have happened if an independent organization had administered, proctored, and scored Atlanta’s tests. Don’t trust teachers who stand to gain if their students receive high scores: put a firewall between the teachers and the tests.
Nancy Ballance’s raw milk legalization bill is still alive. HB-245 goes to its second reading in the MT Senate today. Because HB-245 was amended in the Senate, it must clear the Senate no later than Monday, 20 April, so that the House can consider the amended bill, which is now racing against the clock.
It’s just as irresponsible a bill as it was when the House approved it. Producers of pasteurized milk are required to carry a $3 million liability policy. Producers of raw milk are not. HB-245 places the risk of drinking so dangerous a liquid on the consumer.
Legalizing the sale of raw milk will weaken our public health system. If HB-245 comes to his desk, let’s hope Gov. Bullock vetoes it