[Local-Maine-Schools] What to say to legislators?

[Paul Murphy]

I agree with John's point but think the MDI specificity issue can, for the
most part, be fixed by stating the same issue more generically (e.g. in
point 1, rather than saying "Here on MDI..." make it, "In many places
throughout Maine...". Brian's points apply to many more places than just
MDI. .

I do agree that the broader the benefit, the more ears you'll find
receptive.

I need to find something else to do on this beautiful Sunday morning...

P
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John March" <jpmarch at verizon.net>
To: "'Brian Hubbell'" <sparkflashgap at gmail.com>
Cc: "'Local Maine Schools List'" <local-maine-schools at lists.svaha.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 10:44 AM
Subject: Re: [Local-Maine-Schools] What to say to legislators?


> Brian:
>
> I will have more thoughts later, but initially I would just observe that
> your proposed comments are very MDI-specific.  Although certainly true,
they
> make out a case for MDI exceptionalism---i.e., for treating MDI as a
special
> case deserving of special consideration.  I'm not averse to this (indeed,
> I'm largely in agreement with it, as far as it goes), but I query its
> usefulness to a group of legislators who must set policy for the entire
> state.  Clearly, they can't write a statewide bill based merely on how it
> will affect MDI.  For this reason, I think the strongest arguments will be
> ones that have broad application.  Certainly we can buttress those
arguments
> with examples from our own experience (see Paul's comment on the misuse of
> EPS), but I think the most persuasive arguments will be ones having equal
> force in Lewiston and York *and* Bar Harbor.  And to my way of thinking, a
> good place to start is the financial assumptions.  In my view, the
projected
> savings are not supported by hard evidence, which should be a major red
flag
> for every member of the committee.  Because if the savings are imaginary,
or
> if the amount of money saved is more than offset by (1) implementation
costs
> and (2) widespread layoffs and related economic disruption, most
reasonable
> people will think twice before proceeding.
>
> John
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brian Hubbell [mailto:sparkflashgap at gmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 8:10 AM
> To: John March
> Cc: atlee at umd.edu; Local Maine Schools List
> Subject: Re: [Local-Maine-Schools] What to say to legislators?
>
> Okay, in case some of you really are cracking your knuckles this
> morning over your keyboards, but still undecided about what to say,
> here -- strictly from my own point of view -- are some possible
> suggestions.  Please reply with your own.
>
> 1) Here on MDI at least, the existing local town boards, in regional
> cooperation as a school union structure, work effectively.  The proof
> is that are schools, by any measure, are excellent.
>
> 2) As our schools are excellent, over many years, the existing
> relationships between school boards, teachers, administrators and
> taxpayers have created extraordinary collaborative trust.  This has
> real value.
>
> 3) No one better knows our schools than the people here who are
> presently committed to them.  For good reasons, we seriously doubt
> that our schools would be better or more responsibly cared for under
> any other administrative structure.
>
> 4) Therefore, we can not support any legislative directive that
> dissolves our current school administrative units and replaces it with
> a larger regional structure.
>
> 5) However, our primary interest is always in improving the quality of
> education in our schools. So, we can state that we will never be
> close-minded to ideas that might effect that goal.
>
> 6) In that spirit, we are open to any opportunities to explore
> self-directed collaborations among other similarly-minded communities
> statewide that might effectively improve education.
>
> 7) There is nothing to lose and likely much to gain from collaborative
> discussions with other similarly-minded schools across the state,
> independent of geographical proximity.
>
> 8) And, as long as the local excellence of our schools is not
> diminished, we would participate willingly in any larger cooperative
> organizations to realize cost-savings.
>
> 9) In this regard, the cost of health care in particular seems
> appropriate common ground.
>
> Okay.  There's an opening for discussion.  Have at it.
>
> --Brian
>
>
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