Posted on 08/07/2007 12:35:34 PM PDT by Aquinasfan
Gov. Deval Patrick envisions free education for every Massachusetts resident from age 3 through community college.
To help him make that vision a reality, Patrick on Monday appointed an 18-member panel to draw up blueprints for the 10-year plan.
"We need to change fundamentally the way we think about and most of all deliver public education in this commonwealth," the Democratic governor said. "Everything is on the table."
The leadership team will work under former Boston Public Schools superintendent Thomas Payzant, EMC Corp. chairman and CEO Joseph Tucci and Wheelock College President Jackie Jenkins-Scott.
That trio has until March to come up with recommendations to Patrick, whose plan includes longer school days, strengthening curriculum requirements in math and English and launching new teacher training programs.
There is no pricetag on the plan, and Patrick said he's realistic in his goals, acknowledging that teachers' unions, among others, may disagree with some ideas, such as how to extend school days.
"We expect that there is going to be push and pull ... as we go along. But we're going to build those coalitions and join hands and get results," he said.
Chris Gabrieli, who ran for governor against Patrick last year, was among the appointees. He seemed unconcerned that Patrick was creating yet another task force.
"You either do it in the still of the night all alone, or you try to do it with as many people on board," he said. "I've learned over time that if you want real change to stick, you kind of need a lot of people on board. It doesn't work as well if you try to dictate it."
Two of 13 subcommittees created as part of the leadership team are dedicated to examination of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam, a standardized test that high school students must pass to be eligible for a diploma, and whether other factors should be considered for graduation.
More education, less schooling.
Why not just give ‘em free housing and food for life too?
We can do away with all currency.
Unbelievable.
I now offer my apology.
Free....for whom?
You get what you pay for.
I live in MA, and almost had a heart attack yesterday. But the media is all atwitter.
I think the chances are better than even that this will go through. Liberal stupidity knows no bounds. Hey, if it's not working, we must need more!
We homeschool, and get by on one income. It's especially painful knowing that we're subsidizing our town's worthless schools. And now we're going to have to pay for more of it.
Where’s the money coming from, Deval?
Define Free...
This fellow just cannot wait to spend other peoples’ money, can he?
Mr. Patrick would say something like “yeah, but I pay taxes, too.”
To which working Bay Staters could retort, “but your taxes don’t pay our salaries.”
Well, this is Massachusetts.
Why is there a need to pass a law on the subject of education, or build coalitions, or any of that?
Just have the Supreme Judicial Court issue an opinion in a trumped-up case to the effect that education from age 3 on up is a constitutional right. Then you’re done.
That’s just what the court did with homosexual marriage. They took a trumped up case with the lesbian Goodridge couple (who are now separated, they didn’t even stay “married” long), declared it a civil right, and then moved on.
So why couldn’t the court just declare universal education starting at age 3 a civil right? Then Deval Patrick would have the club he needs to get the legislature to raise taxes or do whatever it takes to deliver the civil right of education to everyone.
Free, LOL, where do thses jagoffs think the money comes from?
Would the last taxpayer leaving MA please turn out the lights...
“Where’s the money coming from, Deval?”
I would hope 100% from the fools in Massachusetts who keep electing talentless vermin like Patrick, Kennedy and Kerry.
Womb to da tomb.
What a great idea - free education. Now, all those liberal professors can practice what they preach. They can work for free, have the utility companies deliver their firewood and they can drill a few more wells on campus so everyone won’t have to walk too far for their water. Their “village’ can have free housing and free food from their community gardens, home brewed beer and their own locally grown marijuana - for those bad days.
I’m all for it.
Only a liberal can make sharia look attractive
This is all about nanny state indoctrination, and nothing else.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
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