Brad Smith, the Utah State Superintendent of Public Education, is quoted as saying, during the closing sessions of the 2015 Utah legislative session, "It reminded me of when my kid was 3 years old and they started crying on Christmas morning because they didn't get one more thing," (SL Tribune, March 24, 2015). He has since retracted this statement in “An open letter to all Utah educators”, posted not in a public forum, but instead on the Utah Public Education website. (http://utahpubliceducation.org/2015/03/23/an-open-letter-to-all-utah-educators/#.VRFN8_nF_ng)
I am calling him out on both his statement at the legislature and his “apology.” Utah is dead last in the United States for per-pupil education. We have the largest class sizes in the Union, and a teacher in our state can qualify for welfare based upon wages paid. Both of these FACTS should shame the Utah State Superintendent of Public Education into advocating for more money for public education. . . and to do away with charter schools.
Like most parents in Utah, I have raised children who benefited from public education. I have listened to well-trained, qualified teachers as they gave advice to us regarding ways to help our children to gain as much knowledge as possible from their education; and also how to provide opportunities outside of school to assist in their education. Teachers work hard; they are unfortunately paid very poorly in Utah, and yet they continue to give it their all. To have the State superintendent accuse them of behaving poorly is a slap in their faces.
The rally to which you were referring, sir, consisted of not only teachers, but included parents concerned about their children’s education, and the level of funding given to the public schools. We, as a State, spent time this legislative session commemorating a device dedicated to killing, and spent money to have non-existing wolf-packs delisted from the endangered species act. We have, as a State, funneled money into charter schools that can pick and choose the students they want, to the detriment of public education.
I am sure you are familiar with Thomas Jefferson, the founder (and first major financial supporter) of the University of Virginia. Here is one of his comments regarding education:
“The tax that will be paid for the purpose of education is not more that the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance.”
You, sir, should have been begging, cajoling, and lobbying on behalf of Utah public schools and educators. You should have been crying foul on every attempt to limit or control money spent on public education. You should have been supporting the public schools, and the educators.
Instead, you chose to compare those advocating for education to the bleating of 3-year old offspring of goats.
My children, grandchildren, indeed all the children in Utah, deserve better from the State Superintendent of Education.
You, sir, owe an apology -not only to Utah public education teachers- but to all the parents, children, and children’s advocates in Utah. Perhaps you even owe them your resignation from office, as your very public comment indicates a distain for public education.
Your comments upon my thoughts are welcome.
RM “Bob” Hartman 3/24/15
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