By FITSNews || Political activist Howard Rich – the man South Carolina’s liberal educrat establishment loves to hate – is in South Carolina this week for a series of high-level meetings with elected officials and political leaders, sources tell FITS.
Surprisingly, though, we’re hearing that Rich is meeting with as many reported “enemies” of parental choice as he is meeting with parental choice allies – and is finding the ground to be surprisingly fertile.
In fact, one veteran political operative who has historically opposed Rich (and Rich-supported candidates) told FITS that he found the New York-based businessman to be “very receptive to a cooperative approach moving forward” on the issue of parental choice.
“He believes in it,” the operative said. “He says it is a money saver that will improve public schools and our kid’s test scores – and every day the state’s collections go down that argument is going to gain traction.”
Aside from the state’s deteriorating revenue situation, two fundamental changes have occurred in the Palmetto political landscape in recent months – both of which are working in Rich’s favor.
First of all, it’s been a disastrous year for the public education apologists, which means that the effectiveness of attacking Rich (wait … was that ever effective?) as a means of deflecting attention away from our state’s abysmal academic performance is at an all-time nadir.
Second, a powerful grassroots advocacy group with ties to Rich – South Carolinians for Responsible Government – was very aggressive in condemning the conduct of S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, who plunged the state into a six-month soap opera last June after admitting to an affair with his Latin lover, Maria Belen Chapur.
Calls to Rich and SCRG were not immediately returned, although a source close to SCRG confirmed that Rich was in the state and meeting with a “diverse group” of politicos.
By POOLMAN January 27, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Stay the hell our Rich!@!
By Screaming Eagle January 27, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Mr Rich is pro-taxpayer, pro-student. That makes him a hero for parents who want the best for their kids..
I just hope he can outspend George Soros and all the rich liberals in the Film Actors Guild (FAG) who throw their cash around to the crazies on the far-left.
By No Name January 27, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I find it hard to believe that this story has been posted for this long with a BIN reply.
My clock says 2 30 – I have a fin that says they post before 245
By Liberty For Me January 27, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Oh no a Libetarian in SC…what would we do if someone actually listened to him and we got ourselves some freedoms from the state.
By baker January 27, 2010 at 2:46 pm
The idea that this stuff is a cost-savings proposal for public schools in South Carolina has been debunked time and again. The idea that SC’s most struggling students are going to be welcomed with open arms into existing private schools, especially the best-regarded and most well-heeled, is just silly.
Pretty much everyone knows this to be true.
By baker January 27, 2010 at 2:52 pm
I should have said “most private schools” — there may be a few here and there that would take in really struggling students. The vast majority would not.
By baker January 27, 2010 at 2:52 pm
I should have said “most private schools” — there may be a few here and there that would take in really struggling students. The vast majority would not.
By Home Rule January 27, 2010 at 3:05 pm
FL saved a Shit Ton of money with school choice. Check it out.
http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/Summary.aspx?reportNum=08-68
By Rylyn January 27, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Can’t wait to see what “enemies” of parental choice he talked to. According to the last election and these “enemies” school choice was something to be feared and the people who supported it would eat your young. Brad Warthan and The State Newspaper made a point of not endorsing people because they had once utter the words. Can’t wait to hear the “Rest of the Story”
By Liberty For Me January 27, 2010 at 4:54 pm
“Baker” not sure how you can see with your head so far up the ass of the statists…You must be a school bureaucrat
By baker January 27, 2010 at 6:59 pm
“Liberty…”
I’m pretty sure you can’t point to anything I’ve argued as being untrue.
Sure, there are hard-liners who’d love to dismantle public education altogether. Maybe you’re one of those people. But most reasonable people can see the obvious problems (including those I’ve noted) in the plans for private school choice that have been promoted in SC. Moreover, while I guess “statist” is another trendy term to attack those with whom right-wingers disagree, I believe the deal is that average South Carolinians all over the state are supportive of the community public schools. Indeed, I think that’s why Will Folks and others have gone so far to disparage and attempt to slime school leaders……which isn’t to say they’re perfect, just to note that most people recognize the real difference between hardworking local leaders vs. the image of the nasty, greedy, ultra-leftist “educrats” SCRG and the Howard Rich gang promote.
By Football Fan January 27, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Since tax credits failed last year, private school enrollment has plummeted. Now the schools are busting at the seams and educating students at a cost of $8000/pupil instead of spending $4000 on a tax credit.
Now the PASS test has doubled the number of schools passing AYP, in other words half as many students have an option to get out of bad schools.
By BIN News Editorial Staff January 27, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Alternate headline: Voucher Clown Sleepover at sic(k) willie’s House.
sic(k) willie and Howie’s other voucher clowns are pimps. Voucher pimps who know the real problems facing public education in S.C.
It’s the poverty, stupid.
Check the percentage of kids in S.C. public schools on “free and reduced.”
Then check the percentage in private schools.
And don’t forget the social ills that go along with poverty.
And don’t forget the shameful “minimally adequate” standard that our Legislature allows to fester.
Funding is another serious problem:
http://www.corridorofshame.com/
The good news is that Voucher are Dead in S.C. Just like Sanfraud’s political career (and probably his business career too).
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
P.S. As usual, No Name is a total looser. Our Funding Editor says you can donate the “fin” you lost to a local school PTA.
By w January 27, 2010 at 8:25 pm
can it possibly get worse in SC for education than it already is?
everywhere school choice is offered it is sucessful….wildly.
Where is the harm in trying? I have yet to hear a reasonable argument.
By Huhhh??? January 27, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Why doesn’t Rich do this fine work in his home state?
Do they know something about him and his schemes you bought and paid for types don’t want the peons to know?
By Football Fan January 27, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Why would you want school choice, haven’t you heard that all of the school are now meeting AYP. All they had to do is lower the standard to pass. Of course then they still had to adjust the scores of HUG’s “historically underachieving groups” up 30% or so and it is passing too. By passing HUG schools these kids no longer have the option to transfer out of their failing school. The state wants to keep these poor rural kids out of their nice suburban school. Way to go SC.
By Liberty For Me January 27, 2010 at 11:59 pm
You people are so shallow I cant believe it…You really think Public schools are pumping out highly educated students??? What planet do you live on that you would support such terrible education standards??
You should be ashamed to call yourself Americans when you would gladly destroy the fabric of society just to promote your socialist agendas…Incredible
Whatever the best education for are children is..Is what you should support.I think the status quo has spoken for itself.
By Liberty For Me January 28, 2010 at 12:06 am
By the way…being poor does not make you stupid.Having government dependant lives makes you immoral…Immorality makes you have no drive to succeed….This drives the circle of Democratic voting block.
Its not like this is a secret…quit hiding behind all your bullshit.
Or have you told these lies to yourself for so long you believe them??
By Mike at the beach January 28, 2010 at 1:27 am
Nobody in their right mind can possibly defend the system we have after an honest review of the numbers, can they? What are they so afraid of?
By Calhoun Fawls January 28, 2010 at 2:48 am
I have a couple of thoughts. First, I think the educrats have ruined education. I agree with you on that. But, instead of Howard Rich’s eccentric idea, why don’t we roll up our sleeves and work on public education reform?
That said, Howard Rich is not all bad. After all, his money created the only jobs created during the Sanford era. Without Howard Rich’s money, half the bars in the Vista would have to close or at the least lay off workers due to the lack of money spent there by those he pays. So, it ain’t all bad.
By Ynotfirst January 28, 2010 at 6:38 am
somebody tell Howie Rich to go home, wherever that is, Buenos Ares maybe??
By Football Fan January 28, 2010 at 9:09 am
Calhoun- While you go ahead and roll up your sleeves and figure this out, my nieces high school career is only 4 years long. She is facing having to go to a school that where 25% of the student body was expelled or suspended due to violent or criminal behavior on the last report card and 25% are proficient or advanced (requirement is 72%) but apparently hasn’t failed long enough. Go back a year and proficient and advanced can’t meet AYP without a 30% adjustment for being historically underachieving??? We can’t afford private school, what do we do while SC “rolls up it’s sleeves”.
BYW-SC’s latest proposal is to increase the length of time it takes for a school to be considered failing to 3 years. Wrong direction SC. You just don’t get it.
By Huh January 28, 2010 at 10:12 am
how would a STATE tax credit (as in the school choice bill) hurt LOCAL school districts, who recieve half their funding from locally collected taxes? would they lower local taxes if kids transfered out of public schools?! riddle me that!
By Darth January 28, 2010 at 11:26 am
The story remains an issue of control by educrats of the funding. How is it that Charleston was busted a few years back after having maintainence hold off repairs and patching walls and repainting to have a first run at a “corridor of shame”, though someone just let it slip that the hold in facilities upkeep was intentional…
Have to wonder what ever became of Mr. Thames and his little black book of ordered delays and sugar deals given to school board bubbas…
By Hmmm January 29, 2010 at 1:04 pm
This guy sounds all right to me! He’s for states’ rights, better education for our children, and liberty for all. Who could have a problem with that?
By sorepaw January 30, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Well, B. R. Skelton turns red in the face when Howard Rich is mentioned.
So how bad could Rich be?