Image by wmrice via Flickr
In the Great State of Michigan we are going through a lot of growing pains as of late. In November we elected a new Governor, Rick Snyder. He won the Governorship overwhelmingly by stating exactly what needs to happen in this state to fix it. Cut corporate taxes, share the burden, fix the schools and all the rest. People liked hearing it, and voted him into office.
But, there is always a but when it comes to politics, the Gov. did something no politician ever does, and it is coasting him. He is doing exactly what he said he was going to do…. He cut corporate taxes, he shared the burden by removing loop holes in our income tax system, he raised personal income tax a tad bit, and now he is fixing one aspect of the school system, the unions and tenure. How dare him!
Where does he get off doing what he said he would do. Doesn’t he know that us voters like to hear the hard fixes, but we don’t want you to actually do them. We want to talk about shared sacrifice, but we, personally, don’t want to sacrifice, let others do that. Silly, silly man… It’s obvious that he is new to politics, he is trying to run the state like a corporation! But what irks me the most is, he told us that and now he has the guts to do it!
People are really upset, and the unions are, well pissed. Governor Snyder is working relentlessly to turn this state around and he has no political baggage to carry with him, no special interest groups beholden to and he don’t care what his poll ratings are, basically he is not a Politian, he is a business man doing his job, the job he was hired for. One of his campaign signs read “Hire Rick”. That basically says it all.
School reform is paramount to the turn-around of this state, we must educate our children to compete in the global market, but we must also create an environment were they want to remain in the state of Michigan after graduation. Rick is focused on this, he is laying the groundwork for this to become reality, not just some nice sounding campaign slogan.
I proudly voted for him, and I continue to support him. Do I agree with all his decisions, such, no, but I also understand that I don’t know nor do I see everything that he does. I only know a small part of the over all picture. The Governor must consider the impact on each and every citizen of this great state. That is a burden I would not want, but one Mr. Snyder campaigned for, using a very new method, truthfulness.
Hmmm, maybe it will catch on and we will see some of this from our other politicians. Just a thought….
What the legislation would change for teachers
Here are some of the major changes that are part of legislation approved Thursday by the state House:
• A beginning teacher would be in a probationary period for five years, instead of the current four. However, a beginning teacher deemed effective for three straight years would get out of probation sooner.
• It would be mandatory for a tenured teacher who is rated ineffective on an evaluation to be placed on probation.
• Seniority would no longer be a predominant factor in layoff decisions.
• Language that says teachers can be fired for only “reasonable and just cause” would be eliminated and replaced with language that says teachers can’t be fired for “arbitrary or capricious reasons.”
• The pay of a teacher would be cut off after 90 days if that teacher is appealing a firing.
• Six items would be added to the list of issues that teachers unions could not bargain, including placement of teachers, personnel decisions during layoffs, performance evaluation systems and discharge or discipline of employees. (Read the article here)
God Bless
Paul
An American Point of View 
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