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

[Brian Hubbell]

John,

I think you are correct that, in matters of criticizing
regionalization, it will be most effective to use examples that apply
state-wide.  Clearly the whole financial apparatus of smoke and
mirrors warrants this.

But, from what I sense of from the Education Committee's
deliberations, they understand the potential damage from applying a
blanket "top-down" administrative solution.  I believe that they are
indeed interested in hearing from knowledgeable people what would work
in particular areas, understanding that the most effective solutions
may be very different from locale to locale.

In that respect, we can be most effective communicating what would
work for us, rather than solving the state-wide problem for them.
That's their job -- and, frankly, not one I'm keen on taking over from
them.

--Brian

On 2/11/07, John March <jpmarch at verizon.net> wrote:
> 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
>
>
>