My Thoughts on Superintendent Luna's "Students Come First" Reform Proposals

I support the Superintendent's proposals. I have worked in education, policy, and politics for over a decade and like what I see. As a former member of the education field, I have seen many of the debated issues already in place at the district level (especially class size) initiated by district administration and/or individual school administration whether it was done by official policy or solely through accepted practice. These policies, I believe, will do well in regards to the students and help with potential future budgetary issues.

Having been in the political field for over a decade now whether at the professional, volunteer, or concerned citizen level, it has been a disappointment to see the emotional, rather than a rational, reaction exhibited by educators (in both public and private venues). As a word of advice to educators, such reactions are not helping your cause at all and it is turning public and political opinion against you. The harassment, name calling, and threats made towards Superintendent Luna (and his family), legislators, and citizens who support these reforms is appalling. I personally have been called names, compared to heinous historical figures, and told that I would never work in the education field again if I continued to support the proposed reforms. (If this is how professional educators act when such issues arise, then I have no desire to return to that field whatsoever.) The worst possible course of action that educators could have taken, and did, was the disrespectful testimony and behavior before a legislative committee. This not only made a mockery of the process, but only gained educators unsympathetic opponents both political and public. This behavior alone was enough to get the bill voted out of committee.

Educators have become their own worst enemies in regards to this issue. I really wonder how many have actually read the bills (and not just the notes provided to them by the teacher's union and other opponents to the reform proposal). The best thing that educators could do for their cause is to return to a rational level of discourse and provide their own counter-proposal (status quo, increased funding, and increased taxation will not fly as has been made quite clear by the economic and political climate). Another change educators should make is to discontinue the war cry claiming educators will lose all rights. It is a clearly a disingenuous argument and the last time I checked the bills will allow the educators to continue to have jobs and they will still get paid for their work the same as any other employed individual. There will be no coerced actions required by educators should these bill pass and no educators in the State of Idaho will be deprived of their rights outlined and protected by the Constitution.
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