How to Improve Utahs Report Card

This was taken from the SL Trib by Breck England.  I could not say it any better!

Now that our legislators are junketing to Arizona to study how to execute the war on cleaning ladies and landscape workers, may I suggest another junket to study an even more pressing problem?

The nation’s report card, the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), shows Utah’s educational attainments smack in the mediocre range, while Massachusetts leads the nation. Utah’s fourth-graders score 240 in math, one point above the national average, while Massachusetts tops the USA at 252. Our reading and science scores lag at about the same rate. Alarmingly, our writing scores are 8 points below the average and fully 25 points behind Massachusetts.

• Readers’ forum: Utah starves education
  – March 17, 2010

Perhaps a trip to Boston is called for. Our representatives will discover that Massachusetts does two things we don’t do in Utah.

Massachusetts spends what it takes to achieve excellence. They invest almost exactly twice as much per pupil as Utah does: $11,545 to our $5,964 (the least in the nation). From 1993 to 2003, Massachusetts increased school funding by 12 percent a year for tutoring, teacher training and lowering class sizes. The result was a 113 percent improvement in math proficiency over that decade (so much for those who say money doesn’t matter). The teacher/pupil ratio in Massachusetts is 13.6, one of the lowest in the nation; in Utah, it’s 22.4, the highest in the nation.

Massachusetts maintains the highest academic standards. To qualify for a high school diploma, students must pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment, among the most rigorous in the nation. As a result, their fourth and eighth graders outperform students in every other state in reading and mathematics.

Massachusetts does all this with twice the percentage of minority students we have in Utah.

If Massachusetts can get such superb results, why can’t we? Are our students less talented? Are our teachers less committed? Do parents in Provo cherish their children less than parents in Boston do? Are we satisfied to watch our children fall further behind every year while Massachusetts consistently leads the nation?

Are we so dumb that we can’t see the direct correlation between educational and economic performance? With 2.4 times our population, Massachusetts pulls down $365 billion GDP a year while we limp along at $92 billion, which means we are underperforming that state by about 65 percent.

Or is it that we just don’t care? That’s the troubling but inescapable conclusion, ironic in a state where the majority religion teaches that “the glory of God is intelligence.”

Our complacent Utah legislators unaccountably brag that Utah is “the best managed state” and “above the national average” in educational results. But one point over the mean is hardly a bragging point. What kind of management is that? With the start of yet another school year troubled by cutbacks and overcrowding, may I respectfully suggest that our legislators spend at least as much energy on improving our educational results as they do on defending us from migrant workers?

Canvasing West Haven

We had a great time this weekend talking with neighbors around West Haven.  I appreciate all of the good words and encouragement that I heard from many people.  Please tell all of your neighbors and friends about us and encourage people to get out and VOTE!

Campaign Donation Ethics in Utah

I have been more than a little incredulous over the recent “campaign donations” that have been thrust in the media spotlight this week.  Since this has been my first foray into politics and the public spotlight, I am a little naive still at what actually goes on in campaign races.  Even so, I as a normal citizen, have been completely floored at the amount of money that Republican politicians accept as campaign contributions.  I say Republican for the fact that they are the overwhelming majority in Utah.  Let’s start at the top of Utah with the Governor. 

It is no wonder that most people feel disenfranchised in the voting process.  It does seem that Utah has developed a very real pay to play process.  If you cannot come to the table with your hat and a bag full of cash in hand, don’t bother showing up.  With the revelations of the  accepting $10,000 from a mining company, then the  very next day having a contract fast tracked and approved.  Next, the governor accepted contributions totaling over $82,000 dollars, and then that construction company was awarded an I-15 contract totaling over $1.5 Billion dollars.  Then we the taxpayers had to pay another company $13 Million dollars to settle a lawsuit brought by that company, because of irregularities in the bidding process!  Next, the governors office gave Merit Medical about $4Million in tax breaks, after Merit gave the governor right around a paltry $50,000 in contributions.  As reported by the Salt Lake Tribune http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50276689-76/herbert-corroon-campaign-state.html.csp                           Is anyone else seeing a pattern here??  

Then we have our outgoing  State Representative for District 6, Kerry Gibson.  Kerry is having a fund raiser as I write this, that has raised no small amount of controversy as well.  http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50276913-76/gibson-county-candidate-facilities.html.csp  Kerry is using the City owned Salomon Center to host this event.  He is getting a reduced rate for participants, and it is unclear who is even paying the usage fee for the people that show up.  It looks to be a PAC that the Ogden Mayor is a part of.  What disturbs me though, is that Kerry Gibson is asking for donations of either a minimum of $250.00, $500.00, or $1,000.00 per person.  Seriously.  How much money does Kerry need to run his campaign?  It is my feeling that the appearance of impropriety is as important as the actual impropriety.

In my view, for what it’s worth, Utah must have an actual 2 party system.  The majority of the Republican Candidates feel that they can do whatever they want and it does NOT matter.  Who is going to challenge them?  The Democrats?  Independents?  Libertarians?  Voters?  Not so far.  They figure that in Utah if they win the Republican nomination, they have won the office and are free to do whatever!  It honestly pisses me off!  This is why I chose to run initially.  I am sick and tired of people getting elected and doing whatever they wanted, instead of trying to better our society.  Yes I am now ranting but I could no longer in good conscience sit by and watch this happen year after year after year.  When will enough be enough?  When will voters actually look  at peoples actions and not just their party affiliation?

6 Schools 6 Principals Same Message

After meeting and talking with many of the principals in Western Weber County, their message came through loud and clear.  The Utah Legislature needs to appropriate additional funds to Education.  I was appalled at what many of the class sizes will be this year.  I honestly don’t know how a sixth grade teacher babysits 33 eleven year olds, much less actually being able to effectively teach.  I am amazed how dedicated our teachers are, and the amount that they can get done with  minimum help.  The message that came through from every educator was they need more support.  Help with some additional funding, and funding to hire additional teachers to reduce the average class size.  Utah educators have been able to keep our kids test scores right in the middle of the pack, even though we spend less money per child than any other state.  I have to wonder how well our kids would do, if we actually fully funded their education?

Weber County Fair

I would like to Thank everyone who came over and talked to us at the booth for a few minutes.  Public Education and the  lack of funding that All of our kids have received from our Legislators is a big deal. I would like to say Thank You to everyone who gave us encouragement on keeping up the fight to provide more funding for Education in Utah!!

Hooper Parade

Thanks to everyone who helped out at the Hooper parade, we had an absolute blast doing it.  I sure appreciated all of the cheering that we heard as we went down the parade route.  It really makes me feel that we have a great shot at changing the political landscape of Utah politics.

West Haven Parade

Join Ben at the West Haven parade this Saturday!  We’ll be walking in the parade and welcome you to come and say hi!

When:   Saturday, June 26
Time:    9:00 am
Where: starting 2700 W. 3600 S, ending 2700 W. 3300 S.

West Haven Ice Cream Social

Organizing for America and Weber Democrats invite you to a Neighborhood Ice Cream Social! Come socialize, enjoy great conversation, and meet your Weber County Democratic Candidates.