By FITSNews || S.C. Superintendent of Education Jim Rex has taken the worst public education system in America and somehow made it “worser” (sorry for that bad grammar, but we’re products of the failed system, people).
Despite record funding increases, South Carolina’s overall graduation rate remains among the worst in the nation – which is consistent with our state’s declining SAT and ACT scores. South Carolina’s rural graduation rate also ranks dead last in the country.
We’ve made no progress whatsoever, in other words … and the only solution Rex has come up with to turn things around (well other than boatloads of new taxpayer cash) is to dumb down our state-administered test scores to make it look like more students are passing.
Oh … and to take nice taxpayer-funded vacations to the beach in the middle of the worst recession in eight decades.
Or blame other people for his own failure.
Pretty impressive, huh?
Anyway, given his abysmal track record, it’s not surprising that Rex’s gubernatorial campaign is going absolutely nowhere fast. It’s also not surprising that he’s lashing out at a convenient enemy – America’s preeminent parental choice backer Howard Rich, who was in South Carolina this week (per a FITS exclusive).
From Rex’s guberantorial campaign:
State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex, the Democratic frontrunner in the race for Governor, today called on his Republican rivals to come clean on whether they, their representatives, or anyone from their campaigns met with New York billionaire Howard Rich, who was in South Carolina this week to promote his anti-public education agenda. Rich is an extremist who has used his vast personal wealth to influence and elect public officials in South Carolina who will support his plan to divert public money to private schools through school vouchers and tax credits. All four GOP candidates have voiced their support for his agenda.
First of all, “frontrunner?” Really?
For the retirement home, maybe …
Seriously, though … when did exploring new solutions (in light of the unmitigated failure of all previous approaches) become something to demonize? It’s not like anything Rex or South Carolina lawmakers have tried so far with respect to public education has worked … and there’s ample evidence that parental choice raises academic achievement in both public and private settings – across racial and socioeconomic lines.
“Come clean?”
If anybody needs to “come clean” it’s Rex – for failing yet another generation of South Carolina school children.
Also, the fact that beating up on Howard Rich (which Rex and his bureaucrat union allies have been doing for the last six years, incidentally – with your money) remains such an integral part of the educrats’ game plan should tell you something.
This is – literally – all these idiots have to run on.
UPDATE: As much as that guy with the tin foil hat looks a lot like Jim Rex, his name is Navin Ballintine and he’s from … wait for it … Anderson County, S.C.
By Liberty For Me January 29, 2010 at 6:40 pm
We would be way ahead if every graduated student had a true 6th grade level of math and english.Topped off with the full knowledge of our true history….seems little to ask.
You would be suprised at the number of students that graduate high school that can not read a ruler or find themselves on a map…So tell me how we need the dept of education and all these bureaucrats to teach these simple subjects??? We dont….But the reason these students dont know basic subjects is because of these same bureaucrats.
By BIN News Editorial Staff January 29, 2010 at 7:43 pm
sic(k) willie, “You ignorant slut.”
Our Funding Editor dearly loves that classic quote from the old SNL. It’s perfect for describing sic(k) willie and Howie’s other voucher clowns.
Some children have the “Tooth Fairy.”
sic(k) willie has Howie the “Voucher Fairy.”
Howie the “Voucher Fairy” must have left serious cash under sic(k) willie’s pillow at his recent sleepover.
Cash is what spurs sic(k) willie to attack children and public education.
Voucher clowns and the Voucher Fairy know the real issues facing education include poverty, the social ills that go along and the shameful “minimally adequate standard” that our Legislature allows to fester.
They don’t care. They don’t care that the voucher scam would only leave those who need help even further behind.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
P.S. Someone needs to tell the Voucher Fairy that vouchers are dead in SC just like the political careers of sic(k) willie and Sanfraud.
By freddie guy January 29, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Jim Rex is toast!
By Dusty January 29, 2010 at 9:29 pm
I am not sure what’s worse, Bin News, who is as funny as a frontal labotomy or Cooter Brown who makes wish I had a one.
By southernmapart January 29, 2010 at 9:49 pm
I own a tinfoil hat. It doesn’t cover my ears as well as the pictured hat.
By BB January 29, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I have to say this but I pay taxes and I should choose what school my child goes in when it is failing. I do not send my children to public school because it is so sadly lacking. I pay taxes more so than alot of those parents whose children attend public school. A substantial amount of those students parents own NO property to pay taxes on therefore my money is paying for others to go to school. HUGE PROBLEM WITH THAT!!!!!!!! Lets be fair about this, if you pay taxes and your local public educational institution is terrible, you should be able to choose a voucher towards a decent school. I guess most liberals are ok with their children under F.A.P.E. Free appropriate public education. We will do the best for the masses not the best for each child. Bye Mr. Rex!!!!
By freddie guy January 30, 2010 at 12:16 am
Will:
You really take pride in protecting the reputation of this Howard Rich fella.
Is it because he is old? “Sick Willie Hearts Old People”
Is it because he is from out-of state? “Sick Willie Hearts Tourists.”
or is it because he lines your pockets with cash? “Sick Willie Hearts Cash.”
Fred Hearts Sic Willie,
Fred
By James F. January 30, 2010 at 8:31 am
Failure has its rewards. Rex has failed and now he wants the citizens of South Carolina to promote him.Par for the course!
By Old Bike Dude January 30, 2010 at 8:52 am
Todays haiku is inspired by Dusty’s post.
Bin is Fits hater
Cooter poses same question
Turtle/vagina
By Gillon January 30, 2010 at 10:01 am
You people haven”t learned anything from the Lieutenant Governor’s recent proselyting? If you quit feeding poor people, they will quit breeding. Thus you will have less poor students in your public schools. And, as Andre pointed out, there is a direct correlation between those getting free lunch and low SAT scores. So, the logic becomes obvious: Less tax money to feed poor people means less poor people. Less poor people in public schools means higher SAT scores. Higher SAT scores signal better schools. And just think, it took a Lt. Governor who himself was a recipient of free lunches at Irmo High School to point all this out.
By Pat Hendrix January 30, 2010 at 10:43 am
Gillon, I agree with Andre about feeding the poor. He spent years getting reduced lunches and hasn’t been off the government payroll since.
By Liberty For Me January 30, 2010 at 11:16 am
Gillion”..You act like you are saying something new.We have all watched the last 40 years and all know how the socialist agenda does not work.
You can play your tongue in cheek feel sorry for the poor act.But it does not play anymore except to those that do not want to do for themselves.
I don’t need to rail about how raising generations on the government dole breed a people who have no drive or want to be anything more.
You make these posts all you want but you will never gain an audience..(beside the usual subjects T-4,BIN,cnsyd,..)We have all seen that it does not work and we will win in getting this bullshit theory out of our country…and have Liberty returned fully to our lives. Vote the Libertarian agenda 2010,2012….WE WILL WIN!!!
By baker January 30, 2010 at 12:10 pm
But, BB, didn’t Act 388 take residential property taxes off the funding plate for schools?
By Gillon January 30, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Liberty for Me. I enjoy your posts. Your rants are pure proof of the fact that in SC we do indeed need to improve our educational system, particularly in the areas of critical thinking, political science, and history. And by the way, in your first post railing against public education, that would be English with a capital “E”. Most people would have learned that in the six grade level of education that you call for.
By Liberty For Me January 30, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Thanks I am sure that really hurts my credibility against your communist agenda….or is it Communist agenda?…(NOTE:they always try to change the subject)
By Dusty January 30, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Touche Old BD. You keep posting! Turtle Vagina rules.
By Libb February 1, 2010 at 8:16 am
“…and have liberty returned fully to our lives. Vote the Libertarian agenda 2010,2012….WE WILL WIN!!!”
LFM, not as long as you are voting on Diebold machines.
By Toyota Kawaski February 1, 2010 at 9:19 am
Yesah Mr.Rich the truck stop at the 33 on I-20 is a great place to meet folks, trust me i was born there. How do you think i got the name Sick William.
By fitsnews February 1, 2010 at 9:22 am
TK-
How’d you know that!
-FITS