Posted on 05/18/2006 6:17:03 PM PDT by neverdem
ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF
ALBANY - Republican William Weld accused GOP gubernatorial rival John Faso of having an "Irish problem" - resurrecting a 10-year-old case in which Faso was against having public schools teach about Ireland's 1845-49 potato famine.
During a 1996 debate, Faso, then an assemblyman, said incorporating it into the statewide curriculum was "silly," arguing, "I suppose if we had a large Cambodian population, we could expect a law mandating lessons about the horrors of Pol Pot."
Weld went after Faso on the issue, saying, "Teaching about genocide and other human rights violations, including the Holocaust during World War II, as well as the Irish potato famine and other tragedies, is tremendously important."
He added, "If we do not study the mistakes of history, we will be condemned to repeat them."
Faso spokeswoman Susan Del Percio replied, "I guess this is the way they run a campaign in Massachusetts when the candidate is desperate." Weld is a former Bay State governor. She also noted, "And by the way, John's mother is Irish."
The Irish famine curriculum bill did eventually become law.
The tempest came a day after Faso postponed a Manhattan fund-raiser aimed at "Irish-American Republican" supporters. Faso aides said it was canceled because of scheduling conflict.
As Weld and Faso battled, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Rensselaer) suggested they run together on the same ticket - but wouldn't say who he thinks should be on top.
"I think what they'd have to do is flip a coin, and I'd be happy to flip a coin, and see how it works out," Bruno said.
Faso and Weld have both said they aren't interested in being lieutenant governor.
I'm of Irish descent. Faso is definitely 100% right on this.
State legislators pile on these requirements for teaching that are irrelevent to making kids competent in basic subjects, and these piled-on reqts just distract from education.
Yes, it might be a good idea for a teacher to consider it, but requiring it is State lege micromanaging school curriculum and pandering to special interests. (At least it isnt the insertion of gay history, like Cali is attempting!) Let the school boards deal with such matters.
See the report today about NY spending $18,555 per student per year to achieve a > 50% graduation rate? What a waste.
Many people (and sadly, a number of non-leftists as well) do not realize the rot is much more than "insufficient fundings". A senior teacher from my old high school in NZ got a sabbatical leave for one term many years ago. When he came back he gave us a story of seeing what a public/government school in a well-off neighbiourhood in New York City proper/Nassau County was like. He said the school resources were fantastic, buildings new, many then-in-infancy IT teaching equipments etc. But the students were not taught much.
The rest of the State should secede from the city and Albany.
Many of us have a William Weld problem. The CFR is calling you Mr Globalist. As it stands right now Faso's got my vote.
I believe that Faso's wife is of Irish descent. Let Weld argue with her about it. This is such a silly non-issue.
It's a desperate attempt on his part. It probably means he's not doing very well in the polls.
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