By Elois Zeanah
President, Alabama Federation of Republican Women
Long-time AEA boss and head of the Democratic Party, Paul Hubbert, had a parting shot for the Republican Party. He brazenly asked Democrats to run as Republicans in the 2012 elections. By running under the banner of the Republican Party and getting elected, Democrats could get back to the business of controlling the political agenda. Ah, the subversive nature of stealth politics: gain power through duplicity.
Hidden agendas are common in politics. But AEA boss Hubbert is a master of the art. As head of AEA and the Democratic Party, his agenda was anything but transparent. While claiming to represent teachers and students, Hubbert all the while worked against education reform to gain power for political bosses. As Representative Mike Hubbard pointed out in weekly columns while Chairman of the Republican Party, Hubbert:
routinely blocked efforts to reform public education,
put salaries for administrators first and needs of students last,
killed bills to protect teachers by giving them free liability insurance to shield them from lawsuits, to reward good teachers with performance-pay bonuses, to weed out bad teachers through tenure reform, and to provide competition in public schools by allowing charter schools, etc.
Hubbert cleverly manipulated public opinion and meddled in Republican primaries by motivating Democrats to flood Republican primaries as crossover votes to pick the weaker GOP candidates to run against Democrats in the general election. His latest call to action to Democrats is to get them to run in Republican races in 2012.
Beware of stealth candidates whose goal is to win Republican races to occupy state and county positions to “take back” the Democratic agenda under the Republican banner. If we remain vigilant, we can give this “occupy movement” a black eye!
Both of you are correct in a sense: the GOP should be aware of stealth, liberal types, trying to get in under the GOP like you might say of some switchers even in Tuscaloosa County. But, the GOP opened the door by taking in legislative switchers before even the Special Session started. As for education, teachers are essentially state paid employees and should enjoy the same protection as other state workers without having to pay for AEA liability insurance. It will be up to voters if there is a dimes worth of difference in Dem switchers and long time conservative Republicans.
I wonder if Elois Zeanah could explain this “free” liability insurance for our teachers. I thought the main part of the argument was that Alabama couldn’t afford it when we when we were hemorrhaging revenue.
Also, would performance pay incentives be value added? Do we have measures anywhere close to reality for making this even remotely fair? And pray tell, how do we reward a teacher who helped their students learn to marshal evidence, think critically, etc? Or is just about low level recall Ms. Zeanah? Seriously, are high stakes bubble tests with #2 pencils how you’ll measure success?
As for tenure “reform” we know Boss Hubbard surely got his legislation rammed through last session. Heck, the retired judge hearing the appeal must defer to the School Board’s discretion. And in the first few weeks, a creative “reduction in force” is all it takes to cull a troublesome educator who dares question the bosses. And it’s tough stuff as to transfers to a grade or subject you’ve not spent the summer gearing up for.
As for “competition” in charter schools, I understand that it’s conservative gospel that magic market forces solve all societal ills (especially poverty!) yet research is clear that charter schools have delivered a mixed record. We also know they provide profiteers an opportunity to make some serious coin. Bringing in uncertified teachers and busting up any job security or collective action is of course a bonus.
Lastly, I’ve no doubt Ms. Zeanah is writing for fellow travelers and I do hope they’ll insist on various purity tests and otherwise turn away any ConservaDems who’ve bolted the Alabama Democratic Party. Respectfully, john gunn
Both of you are correct in a sense: the GOP should be aware of stealth, liberal types, trying to get in under the GOP like you might say of some switchers even in Tuscaloosa County. But, the GOP opened the door by taking in legislative switchers before even the Special Session started. As for education, teachers are essentially state paid employees and should enjoy the same protection as other state workers without having to pay for AEA liability insurance. It will be up to voters if there is a dimes worth of difference in Dem switchers and long time conservative Republicans.
I wonder if Elois Zeanah could explain this “free” liability insurance for our teachers. I thought the main part of the argument was that Alabama couldn’t afford it when we when we were hemorrhaging revenue.
Also, would performance pay incentives be value added? Do we have measures anywhere close to reality for making this even remotely fair? And pray tell, how do we reward a teacher who helped their students learn to marshal evidence, think critically, etc? Or is just about low level recall Ms. Zeanah? Seriously, are high stakes bubble tests with #2 pencils how you’ll measure success?
As for tenure “reform” we know Boss Hubbard surely got his legislation rammed through last session. Heck, the retired judge hearing the appeal must defer to the School Board’s discretion. And in the first few weeks, a creative “reduction in force” is all it takes to cull a troublesome educator who dares question the bosses. And it’s tough stuff as to transfers to a grade or subject you’ve not spent the summer gearing up for.
As for “competition” in charter schools, I understand that it’s conservative gospel that magic market forces solve all societal ills (especially poverty!) yet research is clear that charter schools have delivered a mixed record. We also know they provide profiteers an opportunity to make some serious coin. Bringing in uncertified teachers and busting up any job security or collective action is of course a bonus.
Lastly, I’ve no doubt Ms. Zeanah is writing for fellow travelers and I do hope they’ll insist on various purity tests and otherwise turn away any ConservaDems who’ve bolted the Alabama Democratic Party. Respectfully, john gunn