FORMER “LITE GOV” HELPING KIDS LEARN THROUGH THE LOVE OF RACING
|| By FITSNEWS || This website wasn’t always kind to former S.C. lieutenant governor André Bauer. In fact on more than a few occasions, we were pretty unkind to him. We were never quite convinced he was the genuine article when it came to protecting taxpayers, and we often found ourselves questioning his judgment in office.
Since the “Dre Dawg” exited the public arena, though, we’ve gotten to know him a good bit better. And we can’t help but respect the guy …
Bauer is a helluva businessman … a relentless fitness/ health nut … perhaps a little OCD … but a super smart, remarkably savvy guy who has built a successful, fulfilling life for himself (from the ground up). He’s also become a very measured, thoughtful personality … exuding a cool confidence now as opposed to the impetuous, glad-handing showman who ascended to the lieutenant governor’s office in 2003 at the age of 33.
And the ladies still love him … as a pair who attended a golf tournament with him last spring in Hilton Head Island, S.C. vividly recounted to us.
Beyond a personal and professional life that’s firing on all cylinders, though, Bauer is also the “driving force” behind an item of ideological interest to us … namely an innovative alternative academic environment called “PALM.”
What is “PALM?” It stands for Palmetto Advancement for Learning Motorsports (PALM) – and it’s a 501 C 3 non-profit corporation created to educate and train “at-risk” young adults in the Waccamaw/Grand Strand Region of South Carolina. The organization’s curriculum consists of core academics but also incorporates career and technical courses in auto collision, motorsports technology and digital media technology. Upon graduation, students attend post-secondary institutions or enter the workforce and become wage earners in the automotive industry.
“As a state we are going to have to be more creative in our approach to educating young people. Because not everyone learns the same,” Bauer told FITS. “At the core of education should be creating citizens who are able to obtain gainful employment. This program not only does that but also creates discipline, structure and value in these young students lives.”
Bauer isn’t just talking a good game, either. His charity – the Palmetto Tomorrow Foundation – supports the program financially. And so does he. He’s also used his resources to arrange all sorts of field trips for PALM – as well as visits between special needs kids and NASCAR superstars like Kyle Busch.
“Most of these students did not do well in the normal class room environment, but (they) thrive in this environment,” Jay Specter – a Bauer confidante – tells FITS. “Standardized schooling is not successful for all students. The alternative that PALM offers has gotten students interested in learning in a different way.”
What sort of “different way?”
“Some of these students were having trouble grasping even simple math in the classroom, but at PALM they have to know a good bit of math to set up a race car properly,” Spector said. “With some of these students all of a sudden a light came on and the simple mathematical formula they could not comprehend in a standard learning environment, all of a sudden they have mastered it.”
Exactly … which is why we wholeheartedly support alternative academic environments like this, which stand in stark contrast to the “one size fits none” approach of government-run monopolies.
Bauer also puts his faith in the work of his pupils – most of whom are between the ages of 14 and 17. In fact he drives the vehicles they build and maintain in the NASCAR Charger Series.
Props to Bauer … we’re glad to see him succeeding in his life after politics, and we’re especially glad to see him championing this sort of creative approach to raising academic outcomes in the Palmetto State, where educational freedom is virtually nonexistent. In fact as lawmakers debate the extension (and expansion) of the state’s successful, yet still fledgling, school choice program – they would be wise to look at the success of PALM and other alternative academic environments.
“One size fits none” – and the “more money” approach to government-run education – has failed our state. Demonstrably.
It’s time to try new approaches …
(Click to enlarge)
(Pics: Provided)
***
53 comments
anything is better than school.
helluva businessman indeed
http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/SC-Doubles-Offer-on-Land-Needed-for-Road-Project/5934/
While having a state Senator and Highway commissioner attend your negotiations is unusual, the bargaining is not. I’ve been aware of the highway dept. doubling offers twice before. Tax assessments mean very little.
The first offer was ridiculously low for owning it for eight years and now it’s wanted for a highway. The Highway dept. tells people, we are buying cheap property and you get road frontage, but they have no choice but to accept your price or go through a lengthy expensive eminent domain court case which may find for the defendants asking price anyway.
“One size fits none”?. Now I’m starting to understand you CDV. She called you needledick
Expect to see Bauers name mentioned here frequently in the future as a “possible “candidate for all sorts of offices.
I’ve heard Andre called a lot of things–good and bad–but “super smart” was never one of them.
Valentine’s Day.
What better time to start a new bromance?
What you doing tonight? Sucking ‘jimlewisowb’ cock? Both of you are clowns and not a bit humorous.
same to you Flip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wWwaE9LXQ4
You and Tonto get a room!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8YQqK5e5es
,,,, and he is also a pathological narcissist idiot.
He’s an amateur compared to Jean HOEFER Toal in the pathological narcissist category. .
‘Rogue’ thinks highly of him-good enough for me.
“Bauer is a helluva businessman.” That is when he’s not washing childrens’ feet. Weird!
“Props to Bauer … we’re glad to see him succeeding in his life after politics,….”
I wish him luck, but because of their connection with the unproven adultery allegations against Haley; Bauer’s, Barrett’s, Marchant’s, and Folks’ political careers are over. Folks was over long before that.
Bauer was involved with that Haley ‘thingy’?
I got a feeling they are ALL singing this song to each other…Haley apparently fucked all their minds up…?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEYvoPeGl5I
Is it accredited? Will they come out with a diploma that means anything?
Or, is it like the A Beka based ‘Christian’ school in my community a few years ago?
The school attracted a bunch of white suspended students from the neighboring county whose parents were too something to learn anything about where they were sending their little reprobates. When they got there, the teacher/grown daughter of the preacher man who ran the place was taking some of them out of class to her residence next door for sex and marijuana.
They are funded by the Horry county School Board and provide valid SC diplomas
Anything that this guy is affiliated with has to be good for him and bad for
everyone else
So, it’s a charter school actually running on taxpayer money … and, NOT “His charity – the Palmetto Tomorrow Foundation – supports the program financially. “
Nope, ain’t buying it
He was a little shit when he first ran for office, he was a little shit after he was elected and he is still is a little shit
Fucking Cockroach
Everybody is a F*#king cockroach except you, FITS and Obama, right???…
You’re like one of “anointed” religious sects, who claim only YOU deserve to go to heaven…
Dude: you need to open your mind. It takes ALL kinds to run America. Hating people just because they don’t believe in 3rd-trimester abortion on demand, heroine for kids, and butt-sex in the streets …does not speak well of YOU…
It makes you and FITS look like Close-minded BIGOTS…
You forgot Boz.Boz swears he is a Republican-however supports abortion on demand, drugs for kids and anything queer and perverted, including gay marriage.
Never met a Republican that hold those views.
pogo/Farley/Flip/Sandi/Etc., none of what you stated accurately reflects my stances on anything. Of course.
btw, i don’t think you responded to my comment on how you lied about the disposition of the DWI, DUS, H&R and destruction of public property charges v Thomas G. Davis. You lied, creep. You lied big. Just as you always do.
Relax Boz! Don’t you and FITS ever get tired of trying to destroy everybody you disagree with in South Carolina?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myPKLm3a5WA&list=RDmyPKLm3a5WA&index=1
thanks GT – may the Force be with you
He is a loser.
He will put pressure on companies to donate to his foundation. Then he will drain or loot it.
wonder how much he makes out of the deal. Bet a bunch of bucks.
Not gonna say a mumblin’ word.
Sandusky loved mentoring at-risk teens with little familial support to protect them.
You actually managed to dispell three rumors about this guy in one article – $rilliant!
Now we understand all the speeding tickets from a few years ago, he was preparing for his second career….
http://www.wistv.com/story/4692514/lt-gov-bauer-caught-twice-for-speeding-recently-got-no-tickets
Whose BJ is better? Nikki or Andre? I’m thinking Andre.No one knows how to hit the right spots like another man,and they’re aware,it’s just not the same unless you swallow.If he does a little gagging,that’s even better.
Most importantly, is he still dating Graham? Have they visited or hung out with Bruce Jenner? Inquiring minds like ours want to know
He looks like the dork son-in-law on Modern Family.
It is nice to read about former elected officials practicing what they preach while in office. It appears that Mr. Bauer is setting an example for others to follow.
Ohh Goodness. You are a Bauer crony now. It is officially over.
A great man doing a great service to his fellow man. Maybe SC will wake up to what they missed. More power to Andre’. Representative, senator, Lt. Governor, friend.
Pardon my Constipation but you are full of shit, also
The ladies???….um…Andre plays on both teams….
I have know Andre for most of his life and I can say unequivocally that Andre likes the ladies and they like him. He is not gay and never has been. Ravenhaired Vixen you are disgusting and full of it. If I were Andre I would hold you accountable for your libelous comments.
Vixen, people like you are just haters that have never done anything good for mankind their entire life. You and people like you only try to drag good and hard working honest individuals through the mud, because you do not have the mental capacity to do anything worthwhile for society.
“likes the ladies”, “libelous comments”, “honest”
Why don’t you just write that the little Cockroach walks on water, craps gold and licks his eyebrows
Any time someone takes the time and trouble to profess one’s or someone’s else sexuality I have only thought – the fuck you saty
How many of the kids get a diploma? How many of them get a job? Not many of either. Very very few of the students are working in the automotive industry. But the “guys” in charge of the school are sure raking in the money! I would be careful attaching my name to that program. When the truth gets out people will be surprised. This is Horry County we are talking about people. Lexington has nothing on Horry.
That’s what all charter schools are to one degree or another, RACKETS for the people who run them with taxpayer money but very little oversight from the school district funneling the money to them.
It’s crony capitalism at its worse because it screws over children and their parents who think they are getting an education.
“And the ladies still love him … as a pair who attended a golf tournament with him last spring in Hilton Head Island, S.C. vividly recounted to us.”
Andre hasn’t touched a lady in about three decades. Anybody who has ever been to the Capital Club can tell you that…
Stephen, Your wrong. Andre dates and has dated some of the best looking girls in South Carolina. Goes to show you some people write about things they know nothing about.
Stephen, Your wrong. Andre dates and has dated some of the best looking girls in South Carolina. Goes to show you some people write about things they know nothing about.
Interesting to note that Andre’ never got credit for reorganizing the Dept. of Transportations License Bureaus. It was a complete disaster before Andre’ got it redone. We still have lines, depending upon locations, but overall: it’s much better than before. And, light years better than any other State in the country. I’d re-elected him on that point alone, but he never pushed it during his election campaigns.
One morning a long time ago I was driving to work and Andre’ was being interviewed. The subject was the cost of maintaining the rest areas along the interstates. He said the way to do that was put the rest area in between the lanes and rent space for fast food rests., gas stations and convenience stores. Let them pay for the rest area instead of the tax payers. Thinking like that puts him way ahead of the politicians that just throw money at things. He also said schools should be like Wal-Mart. Three sizes. Small medium and large. Small could be up graded to medium or large as the community grew. No need for all the Architectural non sense of each school being different. Makes sense to me. It’s called thinking out of the box. I guess SC just isn’t ready for a politician who can actually think.
Thinking out of the box you say
In 1940 the state of Pennsylvania opened the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Operators of the Turnpike leased concession space at rest areas to private businesses.
However with the passage of Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 “Interstates” would be free of tolls and leased services. On Turnpikes that did become Interstates, all privatized rest areas in operation prior to January 1, 1960 were allowed to continue operating.
One would think that a Cockroach as smart as Rudolph would have checked out his brain fart before cutting it loose
Don’t think Rudolph was thinking out of the box but rather playing in his sand box just throwing out willy nilly ideas not founded in fact but in his fantasy just to pimp to voters
However you did say Rudolph came up with this brain fart a “long time ago” so maybe he did. The only problem is the Federal Statutes prohibiting such brain farts was enacted 9 years before the little fucker was born
“Oh Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight” or at least fill the skies with more Reindeer shit
Actually a good point.
Too bad Andre got side tracked like most politicians do.
Where do I start? “PALM” Palmetto Advancement for Learning Motorsports has not been been active for over three years. But yet it is still mentioned in this article. At the time that this article was written the 501C for Palmetto Advancement for Learning Motorsports was expired. Now if you look at the the back of race car in the pictured in this article it says PALM Charter High School. This PALM is the Palmetto Academy for Learning Motorsports. I think this is kind of funny! I called PALM Charter High School and ask if the person that answered the phone if they have ever heard of Palmetto Tomorrow Foundation and the response I got was “NO”! You would think since it “supports the program financially” they would have heard of them before. I think that who ever this Jay Specter is, need to get his facts together! So much more I have dug up so much on this but getting mad typing. So I better stop for now! One last thing I have a neighbor that is a freshman in PALM Charter High School and from what hear is that their son wakes up on time everyday and can’t wait to get to school. Now That is Good Stuff!