McCallum got blamed for all of the Thompson excesses. He spent a couple of terms carrying water for Thompson’s excesses. Thompson ran off to DC to be the HUD Secty, but that is not the job he wanted. He wanted to be Transportation and was miffed when Bush appointed someone else. Then, when it was time to offer his resignation at the transition between 1st and 2nd terms he was surprised when Bush took it. He took out his hurt feelings on McCallum when McCallum needed him.
Thompson also had an clownish brother (tavern owner who was always in trouble with the law for illegal gambling) who filed for Governor as 3rd party. Tommy refused to endorse McCallum claiming that he was still trying to decide.
I lost all respect for Thompson during his “opus” speech from HUD. He proclaimed that “he didn’t know why the terrorists hadn’t attacked our water supplies because it would be so easy.”
Thanks, Tommy. (sarc/off)
[snip]................In Wisconsin, the governor can adjust or remove funding regarding standards, but he has no control over district decisions on the matter. The Governor does not have ultimate authority over the educational standards in local-control Wisconsin. Conservatives have excoriated President Obama for his unconstitutional executive overreach. Walker respects school districts and constitutional rule, and yet partisans cry “Walker the RINO!” In Wisconsin’s statutes and the state Constitution, partisans will find plenty to affirm Walker’s limited power on dealing with Common Core implementation in local schools. Legal precedent established this in Thompson v. Craney:
“Since Wisconsin achieved statehood in 1848, the administration at the state level of public education in Wisconsin has been the duty of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is elected in a non-partisan statewide election pursuant to Article X, § 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution.”
Wisconsin state law clearly outlines the state superintendent’s final authority on curriculum. Despite legal realities, Common Core critics expect Walker to stand before the cameras every day and preach the evils of the curriculum (and indeed, there are plenty). However, even if he talked about it at speaking engagements every day, and removed all statewide testing aligned with the nationalized standards, Wisconsin schools districts must adopt the responsibility and adapt their own standards.
As a dedicated constitutional conservative, Walker expanded school choice, vouchers, welfare-to-work programs, froze state college tuition, and removed tenure for college faculty: an impressive array of accomplishments for a red-state governor in a blue state. With his limited, legal resources, Walker pushed for the repeal of Common Core, has affirmed the power of local control in school districts, and vetoed provisions in his budget which would upend his opposition to the unpopular curriculum. Walker made the right decision, opposing its implementation respecting local control. Conservatives have blasted Obama for his executive overreach at the federal level, yet his critics want him to do the same regarding education? Frankly, opponents of Common Core in Wisconsin, as well as around the country, need to stop “Waiting for Superman” and take the fight to their school boards..................