accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: May 2009
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Monday, May 18, 2009. Board of Education making crucial decisions. I'm always interested in what is happening at the State Office of Education. It seems that they've been making headlines more frequently in the last month. From hiring a new Superintendent to firing. Crucial Decision #1 - Hiring a new Superintendent. Crucial Decision #2 - Firing internal auditors. Since the board is debatin...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: January 2009
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An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Wednesday, January 21, 2009. What is the status of the omnibus bill complaint? Count Three: Portions of SB 2 violate the non-delegation doctrine and Article X, Section 3, of the Utah Constitution. Specific to "Teacher Salary Supplement Program" SB 35 or lines 774 to 864 of SB2). But now that counts three and four have been elaborated on, they are equally valid and convincing, if not more so.
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: Board of Education making crucial decisions
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/board-of-education-making-crucial.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Monday, May 18, 2009. Board of Education making crucial decisions. I'm always interested in what is happening at the State Office of Education. It seems that they've been making headlines more frequently in the last month. From hiring a new Superintendent to firing. Crucial Decision #1 - Hiring a new Superintendent. Crucial Decision #2 - Firing internal auditors. Since the board is debatin...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: Are pigs really flying, or are legislators just lying?
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009/03/are-pigs-really-flying-or-are.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Thursday, March 19, 2009. Are pigs really flying, or are legislators just lying? In January of 2007, a Deseret News writer suggested that Utah would ban lobbyists' gifts "when pigs fly". The funny thing is, HB 213 was stalled in rules committee just as we suspected. How could they possibly have taken credit for flying pigs when there is no ban on gifts to Legislators? Senator Valentine mad...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: November 2008
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Monday, November 3, 2008. It's the Voters' Turn to Adjudge What's Ethical. I received the following letter written by attorneys David Irvine and Alan Smith this morning. I hope you'll read it, think about what this kind of behavior means for the state of our law-making process, and then vote accordingly. I'll let the letter speak for itself. Posted with permission by the authors. Outlined ...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: School Choice: Actual "Choice" or Emotionally-Laden Mindtrap?
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009/04/school-choice-actual-choice-or.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Wednesday, April 29, 2009. School Choice: Actual "Choice" or Emotionally-Laden Mindtrap? As the traditional school year winds down, I've been thinking about the apparent complexitites of education and the chasms between the differing philosophies therein. This post errs a little on the philosophical side, so bear with me. School Choice" and Other Euphemisms. Here's a partial list:. In a fr...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: Senator Stephenson's Blatant Conflict of Interest
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009/04/senator-stephensons-blatant-conflict-of.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Tuesday, April 28, 2009. Senator Stephenson's Blatant Conflict of Interest. I'll lay out the plain and simple facts. You try to process the paradox. March 30, 2009: Governor Huntsman signs H.B. 345. Elected Officials - Restrictions on Lobbying sponsored by Rep. Dee. And the bill becomes law. What does this bill do? Of course, there are loopholes in this law. With legislative subject areas ...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: Secrecy in choosing vacant School Board replacement is bad. Hypocrisy is worse.
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009/05/secrecy-in-choosing-vacant-school-board.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Wednesday, May 6, 2009. Secrecy in choosing vacant School Board replacement is bad. Hypocrisy is worse. I surprised myself last month. Upon hearing the news. Shame on me for being a hypocrite. Unfortunately, I'm not the only hypocrite. But the Governor didn't get advice from the Legislators as he should have. The Legislators will need to approve the newly appointed board member, which ...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: July 2008
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Monday, July 14, 2008. Our Education Fund "bucket" has a couple of leaks. If that seems like a lot of money to come up with, you're right, it is! This money came from state sales tax revenue which covered most state programs, including higher education, human services, health, corrections, and general government. The title of this post mentions a "couple of leaks". I've told you about ...
accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com
Accountability: Redistricting Rumble: Governor Stands Down, Voters Step Up
http://accountabilityfirst.blogspot.com/2009/04/redistricting-rumble-governor-stands.html
An honest and bold look at issues that may be holding back the progress and improvement of public education in Utah. Monday, April 20, 2009. Redistricting Rumble: Governor Stands Down, Voters Step Up. Okay, just because Governor Huntsman acquiesced to House Speaker, Dave Clark, by "standing down" on ethics and redistricting, maybe all is not lost. Take a look at this article in today's Salt Lake Tribune. The Fair Boundaries Coalition. The Utah Constitution does identify redistricting as a responsibiltiy ...