#ncga: Tillman says make NC DPI top job appointed
Democrat June Atkinson has been elected multiple times to administer the state of North Carolina’s public education policy. 
State senator Jerry Tillman(R) — a former educator and currently that chamber’s majority whip — says he will be filing legislation this session to transform Atkinson’s job from an elected position to an appointed one:
[…] Presently our Community Colleges and our Universities operate exceptionally well with appointed presidents. Our K-12 schools now operate with an elected State Superintendent of Schools. They are far from exceptional in their operations.
We currently have a system of K-12 schools who lack much in their management and the results expected from them. Test scores and achievement have stagnated and/or declined. There will be a myriad of reasons for this decline. One of them is the three-headed and often conflicting management style. You have the Governor, the State Board of Education and the State Schools Superintendent calling the shots. In the business world, employees don’t respond well to orders from three different bosses. It doesn’t work in public education either.
An appointed State Schools Leader would streamline the process and hopefully align all forces, making real progress and change possible. With the Governor and the State Legislature working in concert, positive and meaningful reform is possible.
This should make some heads start spinning — possibly exploding — over at NCAE HQ. Tillman — even though he spent decades as a public schools teacher and administrator — is an outspoken FOE OF common core and proponent OF more local control in public education.
Atkinson has had her hands on the state’s education policy for many years now, but — somehow — Gov. McCrory and the GOP majority in the legislature have been taking the heat. An appointed superintendent, selected by the governor and approved by the people’s representatives on Jones Street, would create a single point of accountability on public education. The “buck” would “stop” at that mansion on Blount Street.
Yep. This idea sprang up last Spring and has come back.
Links to the bill etc here:
http://ladyliberty1885.com/2015/01/29/sen-tillman-moving-forward-with-nc-superintendent-bill/
It seems to me that this would decrease citizen control of schools. Why not elect the state school board by Congressional districts and have them hire the Superintendent.
Would “seem” to, but not really. If changed, I would have a House member, a Senator, and the Governor to hold accountable. People, for what ever reason, don’t pay attention to this race, so we end up with the same Educrat for way too many years. How’s that working out for us?
I’d consider doing the same for Roy’s office. He can’t seem to represent the people of NC, so what good is he? And he wants to be my Governor.
Watch this one closely. If the bill does not require 2/3 majority approval vote by the Legislature, we will wind up with the same cronyism appointments that we have been seeing from the governor’ office.
Maybe the appointments should be like the Child Day Care Commission – one third appointed each by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Lieutenant Governor. Or perhaps confirmation by the Senate or by the entire legislature would do it.
I am skeptical of any Tillman bill ever since he adamantly claimed that his study committee bill “repeals common core.” Note that to this day we still have mandated common core in NC. Send the money back, already.
I think Martin Lancaster was appointed to head up the community colleges after he lost his seat in Congress to Walter Jones, Jr.
Appointments mean a good place to stash an ol’ buddy.
Have an election for everybody.
I would not make this an appointed position. Gov Pat has already proven that he is not a Conservative. Teachers are struggling with Common Core and students are trying to figure out the subject matter when it is laid out in a format of the cart before the horse. We have been dealing with one form or another of Common Core since the late 60″s thanks to DC. Don’t get hoodwinked by the Charter School fanatics because our schools need an oversight committee not a group of appointees that don’t have teeth in the game.
The only GOOD NEWS I’ve read so far on the government’s dictatorial war against parental rights and their children in public schools, is that there has been a 14% increase last year in homeschooling. IF MORE parents would follow suit, the monopoly of government control would be radically trimmed and parental rights to control what is appropriate for their child to receive for an education would be a giant step forward in LIBERTY FOR ALL and a huge BUDGET SAVINGS.
Bonnie
Well dang, I guess June has done a bang up job all these years. So forget my previous post. Every things just fine. Let’s just keep doing the same things.