Don’t be distracted by all the common core chatter on the Blue Ribbon Task force. It’s about economics, not content standards.

I’ve had a few legislators bring this facebook post from South Dakota State Representative Elizabeth May to my attention, and I’m finally getting 10 minutes to get the opportunity to convert the post from a series of screen grabs to text.

May expresses her unhappiness with the Blue Ribbon Task Force, the participants, how they’re conducting the meetings, and with common core. No, she’s not saying common core causes suicide again. But, she is interjecting it into the task force examining how we fund education.

Read for yourself:

Elizabeth Marty May – Jun 2 at 11:26pm

This morning, the following email was sent to all South Dakota Legislators from Tony Venhuizen, Chief of Staff to Gov. Daugaard, on behalf of Sen. Deb Soholt and Rep. Jacqueline Sly, Co-Chairs of the Blue Ribbon Task Force:

Legislators – I am sending this email on behalf of Blue Ribbon Co­ Chairs Soholt and Sly. thv

TO: South Dakota Legislators
FROM: Senator Deb Soholt & Representative Jacque Sly
Co-Chairs,Blue Ribbon Task Force for Education Funding Reform

RE: Public Listening Sessions – Blue Ribbon Greetings to our Legislative Colleagues!

We have the privilege of co-chairing the Blue Ribbon Task Force on K-12 Teachers and Students to reevaluate the current funding formula, collect and analyze data, engage with stakeholders and seek public input. We will then make recommendations to the 2016 Legislature for reform.

With the focus on solely on education funding and teacher pipeline, we will not be considering standards/curriculum, assessments, student achievement etc.

The Technology and Innovation in Education (TIE) group is helping with overall facilitation for the effort (as when PEW assisted with criminal justice and juvenile justice reform).

We want to update you on the status of the work, and invite you to come to scheduled meetings to listen/observe public input.

Phase 1                March – June
Seeking information from the public
Listening sessions with the public and with individual groups
Collect that feedback
Synthesize feedback into a report
Appoint stakeholder members of the task force

During Phase 1 we have been considering the following question:

What possibilities exist to meaningfully fund education for our kids and our communities?

We’ve already met with: SDEA, State PTA, Technology in Education (TIE). Associated School Boards (ASBSD), SD Elementary Principals, and NE Superintendents.        Now we’ll be listening in 6 communities and having 3 sessions each time with teachers, business community and the public. Find meeting times/locations on the blueribbon.sd.gov site.

June 2 – Chamberlain June 3 – Rapid City June 16 – Sioux Falls June 17 – Yankton June 22 – Watertown June 23 – Aberdeen

As legislators you are invited to come to these sessions and observe/listen to the input. We are using a very participative method, and ask that legislators not be part of the group – but observers and supporters of the work. We are wanting this phase to be hearing specific stakeholder groups outside of the legislature.

Phase 2                July – August
Task force will meet to analyze and consider data

Phase 3                September – October
Make recommendations
Research and policy changes for the funding of SD K-12 system
Issue a final report as a task force

Thanks for following our progress on blueribbon.sd.gov and connect with us as needed.

We appreciate your support for this very important issue for the successful future of South Dakota!

——–

I do want to share some of my concerns with my email.

I don’t know how you discuss education funding without discussing the Common Core, assessments and federal mandates for which the South Dakota Department of Education has become the enforcement arm.

I don’t know how you discuss the teacher pipeline without discussing the Common Core and its underlying message that we can’t trust teachers to teach. I don’t know one teacher who went into teaching to create data points and spend their days doing test prep. Will they look at this as contributing to the teacher shortage?

Please remember that at the same time, schools were being forced to take cuts, teacher salaries were either frozen or cut, the state chose to adopt unproven content standards which required professional development for teachers to learn an unproven pedagogy.

And what an affront to legislators. To be asked not to participate and to support the work of this panel. What if there is a disagreement? I wasn’t aware that we elected representatives to support the vision of a qovernor appointed panel.

And those stakeholders the panel is working with, here’s a little on those organizations.

South Dakota PTA – We know the national PTA has accepted funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to promote the Common Core.

SDEA South Dakota Education Association – We know that the NEA (National Education Association has accepted funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to, among other things, develop Common Core aligned curriculum. The SDEA is one of the organizations that works very hard legislatively to prevent the repeal or defunding of the Common Core.

TIE Technology & Innovation in Education – This organization is the South Dakota arm of mass customized learning, the program where students spend their time with an electronic device guiding their learning vs. a teacher guiding their learning. They have partnered with the SD Department of Education.

ASBSD Associated School Boards of South Dakota – This organization is also very busy legislatively blocking the removal of the Common Core Standards and testing. The National School Board Association has accepted   Gates Core standards and testing. The national School Board Association has accepted Gates Foundation Grant Money.

SASD School Administrators of South Dakota – This organization is comprised of Elementary and Secondary Principals and Superintendents. This organization works very hard to block legislation removing the Common Core and the testing.

I’ve got news for the “Blue Ribbon Task Force” I’ll go to any mtg. I want and I’ll ask any question I want. Who in the hell do these people think they are?     This “Blue Ribbon Task Force” is a joke. Every person appointed is in leadership and only 3 actually sit on the “Education Committee” Tommorow they’re in Rapid City and everyone within a 100 miles needs to go. It’s that important folks!!!!

I guess I’m not seeing some of the problems with the listening sessions that she’s describing. First and foremost, in the first phase, they’re wanting input from the stakeholders – the people and organizations that deliver education in the state.  (Now we’ll be listening in 6 communities and having 3 sessions each time with teachers, business community and the public.)

May describes this as a major faux pas (“And what an affront to legislators. To be asked not to participate and to support the work of this panel. What if there is a disagreement?“)

If I was looking to find out what the public thinks, I have to agree with the organizers – I wouldn’t want a bunch of legislators running over them either. Legislators will get ample opportunity for input. Believe me, they’ll get plenty of input.

Otherwise, in her lament to her colleagues, it’s common core “this,” and common core “that.”

Did we forget about why this panel was called? It’s not about common core.  Despite May noting “I don’t know how you discuss education funding without discussing the Common Core, assessments and federal mandates for which the South Dakota Department of Education has become the enforcement arm,” and “I don’t know how you discuss the teacher pipeline without discussing the Common Core and its underlying message that we can’t trust teachers to teach.”

Again, I think that sells the purpose of the committee short.

Teacher shortages in key areas have been around long before common core arrived. Teacher pay has been an issue predating the much maligned content standards as well. How do you discuss either without common core? Pretty darned easily.

Content standards come and go, and have nothing to do how we tax the population to pay for education. They might slightly affect how many teachers we need for specific areas, but anymore it’s viewed in more of a context of the ability to pay them period, as opposed to what specialty they teach.

Make no mistake, and don’t get distracted by the flak being thrown up on content standards. Does anyone think Common Core will remain after a Republican president is elected? I don’t. It will be back to the drawing board, and we will once again have the newest and best-est proposals coming shortly thereafter.

This panel is about how we pay for education in South Dakota, and will have major economic repercussions for South Dakota and it’s taxpayers.

The economics of education are what the people watching the committee and how legislators react to it next year need to focus on. Will it be a restructuring of the funding formula?  Will it result in new taxes in the 2016 legislative session?

Ignore the noise and all the flashing lights. Because that’s not where you should be looking. Keep your eye on the economic ball. That’s the one you should be paying attention to.

What do you think?

U.S. Senate Candidate Clayton Walker’s Appeal to U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Dismissed

U.S. Senate Candidate Clayton Walker’s Appeal to U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Dismissed

Marty JackleyPIERRE, S.D – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the Federal District Court decision dismissing Clayton G. Walker’s lawsuit to be placed on the November 2014 ballot as an independent candidate for United States Senate. Walker was indicted on June 17, 2014 for state election law violations.

The Court ruled that the State’s nominating-petition deadline and signature requirement did not burden Walker’s associational rights, and were reasonable restrictions that advanced important State interests.
In October 2014, Walker argued that South Dakota’s petition requirements were unconstitutional and that petition filing deadline of April was too early. Federal District Court Judge Lawrence L. Piersol had ruled that Walker was not entitled to an injunction and that South Dakota petition requirements were constitutional and dismissed his case.

A trial date has been set for July 20 in Hughes County. Walker is presumed innocent until such time as proven guilty.

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I notice that Sam Kooiker lives in District 32….

Sam Kooiker, who lost his bid to return to being Rapid City mayor for another term, has nothing written in stone regarding his political future. As he’s said to be planning, he might just decide to catch up on his fishing.

But I can’t help but notice that he resides in District 32, an area where he generally polled well. It’s also a District where State Representative Brian Gosch is prevented from running again for State Representative due to term limits. (and is said to be looking at a Senate challenge against Sen. Alan Solano.)

Open legislative seat. Mayor with really good name ID.

Do you think it might be in the cards?

Rounds Cosponsors Legislation to Increase Veterans’ Benefits

Rounds Cosponsors Legislation to Increase Veterans’ Benefits

MikeRounds official SenateWASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today joined Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-Ga) and other senators in introducing legislation to increase veterans’ disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015 (S.1493) would increase the rates of VA disability compensation, dependency compensation for surviving children and spouses, and the clothing allowance for veterans based on rising costs of living.

“Our nation’s veterans sacrifice everything to protect and defend our country,” said Rounds. “With costs rising on everything from groceries to healthcare, our vets and their families deserve to have their compensation and benefits adjusted accordingly.”

This cost-of-living adjustment, which is equal to the amount of the adjustment given to Social Security recipients, is determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index on a yearly basis. The cost-of-living adjustment for veterans would go into effect on December 1, 2015.

Other original cosponsors of the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2015 include the ranking Democrat on the Senate VA committee, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., John Boozman, R-Ark., Dean Heller, R-Nev., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, Patty Murray, D-Wash., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Jon Tester, D-Mont., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii and Joe Manchin, D-W.V.

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Man who had felony child abuse charges dismissed running for Governor of SD

A man who had been charged with up to 30 counts of child abuse in 2013, only to later have the charges dismissed without prejudice, has put up a public facebook page announcing his intention to run for the office of Governor in South Dakota.

Currently unaffiliated with a party, Wendel Hiland notes on his facebook that he’s running as an independent.

On his page, Wendel_hiland_for_GovHiland also lays out his platform for office, noting:

My pledge as South Dakota Governor will be to the constitutional rights of the individual rather than the perceived privilege of government to abuse those rights. I will run on demanding Government accountability with an emphasis on the individual rights of its citizens. When a Government agency abuses those rights, they will be held accountable. I will fight to put parental rights back into the hands of parents. I will demand South Dakota remove all unconstitutional Check points and strive to rebuild the communities trust in government.

I will also live stream every moment possible in regards to my official duties as Governor and will demand transparency thru out our State Government. I will require other government agencies to also be live streamed so as to give WE THE PEOPLE a clear view as to the goings on in OUR State Government.

I will systematically abolish the “good ole boys” club and return control back to the “good ole people”.

To do this I need the support of the individuals that make up South Dakota.

Read that here.

Hiland also discusses other points of government such as martial law:

Regarding Marshal law.
Constitutionally Government does not have the right to suspend our God given, constitutionally affirmed rights.
Our rights are not given to us by Government and therefore Government has no authority over them. This being said, with our willingness over many years to allow the Government to overstep it constitutional boundaries, anything is possible. It is our duty as a free peoples to push back these tides of tyranny less we are swept away in bondage. This is our duty to those who have fallen and for future generations who’s freedoms now rest on our shoulders.

Hiland had been nominally active in the circle of people orbiting the Annette Bosworth case, appearing at a Sioux Falls rally.

The next election for Governor will be held in November of 2018.

Floridian Peter Waldron files complaint against State Rep. Steve Hickey. But shouldn’t the AG finish the petition investigation already on his plate first?

Gordon Howie is posting this AM that his Bosworth allies from out of state, specifically Peter Waldron, have filed a formal complaint against State Representative Steve Hickey, based on the Argus Leader article that ran the other day coming via Lora Hubbel’s claims.

This is the same Peter Waldron who filed a complaint with the FEC where he shamelessly lied about the Annette Bosworth prosecution involving a “Hutterite Colony Raid” which arrived in “a convoy of official state vehicles,”  and falsely claimed that 3 people interviewed by DCI didn’t vote when records show they did.

But, Howie & Waldron might have to stand in line, because the Attorney General already has a pending petition matter on his plate.   No, not Annette Bosworth. That one is almost done. I’m referring to her husband, Chad Haber.

If you recall what I wrote about it back in August of 2014:

Part of what Annette Bosworth is being prosecuted for is attesting on several petitions that she witnessed people signing them in South Dakota while she was halfway across on the other side of the planet, in the Philippines.  In other words, she signed off that she circulated nominating petitions during a time when she and Chad were in the Philippines from January 5 through the 15th.

In the batch of petitions for Annette Bosworth, there were several signed off on as having been circulated by her husband, now candidate Chad Haber.

And one of the petitions attested to as being circulated by Haber seems to have the same air of impossibility as those that have his wife in dutch:

Bosworth Nominating Petition-Haber_Page_1 Bosworth Nominating Petition-Haber_Page_2If you look on the petition, Chad signed off, under oath, that he “circulated the above petition,” and “that each signer personally signed this petition in his presence….”

Yet the date that the voters signed is marked as January 7, 2014, a date when he was said to be across the world.  The exact same thing his wife is currently in trouble for.

Read it all here.

Long before the Attorney General should even consider looking into the claims that the Bosworth people are ginning up against State Representative Steve Hickey, they have an already pending petition matter to finish.

I’m sure they have most of the evidence already in hand, so that should be an easy one.

And frankly, I suspect that the people of South Dakota are happy to have our Attorney General out prosecuting murderers and rapists first before they devote an inordinate amount of time to petition prosecutions.  I’m sure they’ll get to looking at them all eventually.

But as Howie presses for more attention to be devoted to a petition matters on a retaliatory basis, he should remember who’s first in the queue.

Rounds Criticizes EPA Proposal to Radically Alter Ozone Standards

Rounds Criticizes EPA Proposal to Radically Alter Ozone Standards

“EPA’s ozone plan could be the largest regulatory burden in history.”

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), today at a hearing questioned Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal that would dramatically alter ozone standards in the U.S.

“This hearing was especially important to understand the impacts of what could be the most costly regulation ever imposed on the American people,” said Rounds. “These regulations could force South Dakotans to pay to control ozone emissions that could have originated thousands of miles away overseas or are naturally occurring in our environment. It could impact the ability of businesses to expand and construction projects to continue, without achieving any tangible health benefits beyond the current standard. It’s not based in common sense.

“Once again, EPA proves why it’s necessary to pass my RESTORE resolution, which would bring much-needed congressional oversight to the sweeping, costly regulations being imposed by federal agencies. As a member of the Senate EPW Committee, I will continue efforts to prevent these dramatic, costly new ozone standards from taking effect.”

Under current law, the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ground-Level Ozone is to be reviewed every five years. The current standard is 75 parts per billion, set in 2008. Under EPA’s current proposal, the standard would be lowered to 65-70 parts per billion. These new standards could be the most expensive regulations in history, with projected costs of $1.7 trillion and 1.4 million in lost jobs. EPA is expected to issue a final ruling in October 2015.

Video of his questioning is available here: