Fools All: It’s twilight time in the TeaPublican Michigan State Senate

"Confiscation Schools"! Has Pavlov's Ed Committee Lost It's Mind? Sowing the Seeds of Local Discontent & Destruction: More angry, bullheaded attempts to destroy public education as we know it.

Yesterday, if the senate schedule held, the Senate Education Committee headed up by Sen. Phil Pavlov, entertained and possibly passed to the full senate, a complete package of utter nonsense (So-called Conversion Schools). Damaging and destroying our communities, this radical, unheard of ignorant overreach is again based on raw revenge, demeans and exposes these TeaPublican Senators as fools- dangerous to Michigan children, the foundations of public education, all dangerous to our futures.

Let's look over the rail and examine the non-sense proposal:
Sen. David Robertson: SB620 (Robertson) Education; public school academies; conversion schools...

Convoluted/Simpleton Rules for Confiscation of Neighborhood School Operations by Outsiders & Privateers:

Revise "the School Code to provide for the organization and administration of conversion schools, which would be public schools previously operated by a school district and converted under a contract issued by an authorizing body."

1. -- Require a petition to convert a school to be signed by at least 51% of the teachers at that school or at least 51% of the parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

2. -- Require an application to convert a school to be submitted to the board of the school district that included the school and, if that board did not approve the application, allow it to be submitted to another authorizing body.

In a public small school with, let's say 10 teachers, 6 teachers could revolt and privatize the school, a small group of parents may do likewise.

The local school, previously belonging to and operated by the local public district, would be removed from public jurisdiction, supervision, and control. The neighborhood schools would be made into another faux public school: A private school funded with taxpayer moneys.

Charters are by law, in most cases, private schools -unless operated by directly by a college or a school or ISD district- schools that are funded with public tax dollars, but run willy nilly by private, for-profit operators. They are franchise schools or corporate schools. Faux Public Charters are private schools funded with public money, operating outside the control and purview of the local population.

The acrimony, destruction to student progress and education and accompanying disruption created by this Robertson "nonsense proposal" boarders on fantastical. It's just plain NUTS.

Mr. Robertson's proposal for "conversion schools" fronts for "the Republican-led effort (which) would throw all kinds of new powers to parents and charter schools. It would even let a district fill classrooms with teachers employed by private, for-profit companies."

What are these angry and aggressive TeaPublicans thinking? Rather, what are they doing out of rage?

Note: the local elected board of education can be leap-frogged and excluded from the control or loss of a school to the local public. 

Sen. David Robertson is so intent on doing harm, that he is willing to go wild in his anti-public, anti-community crusade.

Conversion schools are schools of destruction and disillusion of the right of local citizens to own and control their local schools. To simply create a questionable legal legislative mechanism to remove a school from the public to private hands is A THEFT OF THE COMMON PROPERTY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.

This proposed act allows for the introduction of educational management companies (including out-state corporations) which will be involved in the conversion school's operations.

Addressing the very real problems of the politics of Conversion Schools the proposal inserts these caveats:

1.)" A requirement that the board prohibit specifically identified family relationships between board members, individuals with an ownership interest in an educational management organization involved in the school's operation, officers or employees of such an organization, and employees of the school."

2.)" A requirement that the board prohibit any individual from being employed by the school in more than one full-time position and simultaneously being compensated at a full-time rate for each of those positions."

A sampling of other Roberson concepts in his Proposal:

1.) Require a conversion school authorized by a school district to be located in the school that was converted and prohibit the district from charging rent, but make the school financially responsible for maintaining the facilities

2.) The bill also would include a school operated by a conversion school corporation in the Code's definition of "public school", and would include a conversion school in the definition of "public school academy".

3.) To obtain a contract to convert a public school operated by a school district to a conversion school, one or more people or a legal entity would have to apply to the school district and submit to the board of the district an application and a petition signed by at least 51% of the teachers employed by the school district at the school to be converted and/or at least 51% of the parents or legal guardian of the pupils enrolled in the school. The board would have to consider the petition and approve or deny it within 60 days. If the board denied the petition, it would have to issue a letter of denial to the applicant.

4.) Collective Bargaining: If a conversion school were authorized by the board of the school district that operated the school that was converted, the school district would be the employer of the employees regularly working at the conversion school, but the school and its employees would not be subject to collective bargaining agreements that applied to employees of the school district employed in similar classifications in schools that were not conversion schools.

If a "conversion"school were authorized by an authorizing body other than the board of the school district that had operated the school, the school district would not be the employer of employees regularly working at the conversion school and the school and those employees would not be subject to a collective bargaining agreement with the school district.

SOURCE: Senate Document "CONVERSION SCHOOLS S.B. 620: COMMITTEE SUMMARY"

Footnote: David Robertson is the self-same individual who has taken up Snyder style Socialism Central Control: usurpation of local and community voice in the locals own affairs. Its one horrednous step too far:

Mr. Robertson sez, ""We need to empower the top executive to appoint more people ;who will go deeper into the bureaucracy," Robertson said. "THE HEART OF THE ISSUE IS POLITICAL POWER."

Blogger Eclectoblog states:

"If his (Robertson's) proposal to let the governor appoint 1% of the state government employees moves forward it would increase the current number by a factor of 4.5. Again, this is all about political power and ROBERTSON HAS BECOME SO INTOXICATED WITH HIS PARTY'S UNBRIDLED OVERREACH IN MICHIGAN THAT HE DOESN'T FEEL ANY NEED TO HIDE IT."
(emphasis added)

SOURCE: "Republican state senator Robertson wants Governor to have MORE power"

Just what are Mr. Robertson and the 'rogue' TeaPublicans up to? Let Susan Demas explain:

"It's hard for Republicans to make the case that they haven't singled out schools and teachers' unions in a host of policies this year. Legislation mandating public employees to pay more for health insurance had an opt-out clause for municipalities -- but schools are forced to participate. Teacher tenure reform once again dictates to school districts how it deals with employees, whereas local governments don't get any such edicts."

"And even this week, the Senate passed legislation limiting school board elections to November of even-numbered years. That saves money. But the Senate wasn't interested in saving more money by applying it to municipalities. They can still hold elections four times a year, every year.

"Because the hope is that it will be easier for conservative school board members to get elected when there's more than just school issues on the ballot. Another goal is to make it harder for schools to pass millages -- even though schools have few options as the Legislature swiped $1 billion from the School Aid Fund this year and passed new business taxes specifically designed to give schools less money.

"REPUBLICANS MAY HAVE THE VOTES TO KEEP BEATING THE MEA AND TEACHERS' UNIONS LIKE A DRUM. BUT THEY SHOULDN'T INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE BY CLAIMING THAT THEY'RE JUST THINKING OF THE CHILDREN."
(emphasis added) 

SOURCE: "With Right to Teach, Republicans' war with unions gets personal"

Why would Mr. Robertson do this?
"I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work in all these policy areas during the new year," Robertson said. "I'm confident we can make Michigan a place that businesses long to call home. I can't wait." 

Add in his comment: "The heart of the issue is POLITICAL POWER." There you have it.

Mr. Robertson-Legislating Recklessly
One source states:

"Antisocial behavior may not always be related to some form of physical ailment or illness. Some people are just comfortable with living recklessly and form a bad habit of living carelessly and irresponsibly. This involves their own freedom of choice." 

Being interpolated, Sen. Dave Roberson is more than comfortable with viewing himself as super important, and going to the limit and beyond in his anti-public crusade, he is anti-community and should be shunned and discredited-he is far too irresponsible to represent his own district, much less inflict such nonsense on the state via his exalted view of the power of his office as a extreme ideologically oriented state senator.


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Pavlov’s Folly: Proposed Privitzation of the Teaching Profession in Michigan

"Folly is a more dangerous enemy to the good than evil. One can protest against evil; it can be unmasked and, if need be, prevented by force... Against folly we have no defense. Neither protests nor force can touch it; reasoning is no use; facts that contradict personal prejudices can simply be disbelieved - indeed, the fool can counter by criticizing them, and if they are undeniable, they can just be pushed aside as trivial exceptions."
-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Under Pavlov Teachers become Indentured Servants of the TeaPublican Rabble

Reports succinctly an informed Kos Michigan source in "The Wal-Mart of Education States: Michigan":

"Michigan's teachers are facing an uphill battle. Besides fighting off right to work legislation, tenure 'reform' and a host of other anti-teacher bills, there is a possibility that MICHIGAN MAY BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO LEGALLY HIRE/FIRE TEACHERS AND REPLACE THEM WITH PRIVATE EMPLOYEES.

"'I look at it as offering options. If there is something out there that can offer school officials the same options at a lower cost, schools need to take a look at that. It needs to part of the conversation on reform.' Senate Education Chair Phil Pavlov (R - St. Clair).

"Senate Bill 618 reported out of Senate Education Committee with a close vote, and was separated from the rest of the GOP 'reform' package.

"SB 618 was reported out of the Senate Education Committee this afternoon and now moves to the full Senate. SB 618 allows the outsourcing of teachers and removes the cap on charter schools.

"Committee members voted 3-2 on the bill and on a substitute amendment that broke the tie-bar between SB 618 and SB 624 which mandates schools of choice.

Advocates against 'schools of choice' rejoiced, but what does this mean for education in Michigan? Apparently Michigan's teachers are about the go the Wal-Mart way. Save Money. Live better. Seriously?"

Sen. Phil Pavlov may have his "moment" in regard to the pull down of the teaching profession, but his moment is limited. Pavlov too will be timed out.

Pavlov will go down as a bullheaded enemy of children, their mentors and instructors, a real destructive force -AN A.L.E.C.'TOOL'- that lowered our communities deeper into the muck of an unfolding and steep decline of a great state into a place called "Michissippi" -a state of broken social contracts and shattered achievements.

Only a gnarled ideologue would covet such a epigram: He did his best to kill the best in Michigan community.


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Sen. Phil Pavlov is responding like a Pavlovian Dog: Mackinac Center Gollum & Grand Guide Ken Braun delights in the success of political “Puppy Training”

As outlined by Ken Braun, the rad-right has anti-teacher Phil Pavlov by the short hairs. Pavlov is trained to do the destructive work which his handlers have "puppy-trained" him to do. SEE original Mackinac Center article: "Politician Puppy Training"-  What the tea parties can learn from the dog by Ken Braun Dec 24, 2010.

Go out and do something super"nasty for your " control", your TeaPartisan corporate/Chamber handlers/rad-right wingnuts. When the bell rings salivate, bite, and submit destructive legislation just as DeVos's American Federation for Children (AFC), the Waltons, Heritage Foundation, Heartland Institute, and the Koch Brothers (Cato, Americans for Prosperity, etc): demand when they pull an elected official's choke chain.

Doggone if State Senator Phil Pavlov isn't the "best of show", the boneheaded Doberman has an aggressive/negativist attitude; Let's go get a pound of teacher flesh.

In "Michigan Bill To Privatize Public School Teaching Sparks Concerns" on Sept 2, 2011 Joy Resmovits writes:

"Michigan state Republicans said this week they are preparing a package of bills to privatize public school teaching -- eliciting concerns about working conditions and trading academic quality for cost effectiveness.

"The legislation prepared by state Republican Sen. Phil Pavlov, who chairs the state Senate's education committee, would allow private, for-profit companies to compete for teaching jobs in public schools and would limit the power of teachers unions in seeking compensation packages.

"But few specifics are known about the bill package, which has yet to be officially introduced. And Pavlov isn't divulging much more -- for now.

'I don't mean to be vague about this,' Pavlov told The Huffington Post. "I can tell you everything on Wednesday (9/7/11)."

Pavlov did provide a general outline of the plan, but with minimal details.

'This package of bills will increase choice in many facets in Michigan in a way that has been necessary for long,' Pavlov said. 'We want a large comprehensive choice package that includes the expansion of charter schools and dual enrollment, to really put more opportunities in front of parents and students in Michigan.'"

In a one state "depression," Michissippi can hardly wait to find out what "bone of contention" this "puppy trained" Pavlov will trot out to the Michigan Legislature to please his "handlers" and "controllers." The destruction of public education for partisan revenge, and for the purpose of lining the pockets of J.C. Huizenga's Heritage Academies, Michelle Rhee's radical program, et. al.

Taken together this regressive movement constitutes a viral civic evil, it entails the beginning of end for our American Freedoms and way of life. That is freedom from the Koch Bros. American Legislative Exchange Councils coup d'état placing the Corporatocracy in charge of everything public and part elements of the grand "commons" so much a part of American life heretofore.

"A coup consists of the infiltration of a small, but critical, segment of the state apparatus, which is then used to displace the government from its control of the remainder."

Wake up Michigan. A corporatist coup d'état is underway. Your way of life, as you know it will be changed forever if the Corporatocracy (Corporate controlled democracy) they represent should succeed. Our moonfaced Nerd, Rick Snyder, is helpless amid this blitzkrieg of reprisals and instructional destruction/devolution.

There are those who get it, and get very well. From Michigan blogger Eclectoblog on Daily Kos:

"When you have done nearly all there is to do to hurt teachers, what remains? It's simple, really. Outsource their jobs. Privatize the actual education of our children."

"School districts could hire school teachers through a private company, expanding a privatization program already allowed for lunch workers and bus drivers, under legislation being prepared by the head of the Senate Education Committee."

"As part of a significant education reform package sponsored by Senator Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair), schools could privatize their instructional services, giving district a way to avoid the perceived high-dollar packages pushed by the teacher unions.

"'I look at it as offering options, 'Pavlov said. 'If there is something out there that can offer school officials the same options at a lower cost, schools need to take a look at that. It needs to part of the conversation on reform.'"  

Eclectoblog concludes thusly:

"We really are going over a cliff in Michigan. The main questions remaining are whether or not we can hold on long enough to vote these idiots out of office in 2012 and how much damage they can do to our society until we do." 

This posting drew hundreds of comments in support.

Mackinac Center for Public Policy Director Ken Braun details his Puppy Training/political control mechanism:

"Almost everyone loves puppies, at least until they start making messes on the carpet. With every puppy comes the responsibility of training it to become "man's best friend." The same can be said about legislators. WHILE THEY ARE, OF COURSE, NOT DOGS, THEY DO NEED TO BE TRAINED IN ORDER TO BE TURNED IN TO A VOTER'S BEST FRIEND. While most go to Lansing or Washington to do the right thing, MANY WILL END UP MAKING MESSES that result in less liberty."

"Training legislators, as with training puppies, must be done with care and common sense. Puppies don't learn to bark before going outside because their masters have set an example by peeing in the backyard themselves. That type of 'communication' would just confuse a puppy (to say nothing of the neighbors). INSTEAD, AN EXTERNAL SYSTEM OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS IS USED TO GUIDE THE PUPPY TOWARD DOING THE RIGHT THING."

"THERE'S A LESSON IN THIS FOR TEA PARTY GROUPS WHO SEEK TO COMMUNICATE THEIR CONCERNS TO POLITICIANS. YOU DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN THE PRINCIPLES OR SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE TO GET YOUR POINT ACROSS. INDEED, THIS IS OFTEN THE LAST THING THAT WILL WORK."

(emphasis added)

Russia's Dr. Pavlov accomplished a number of studies:

"Further work on reflex actions involved involuntary reactions to stress and pain. Pavlov extended the definitions of the four temperament types under study at the time: phlegmatic, choleric, sanguine, and melancholic, updating the names to "the strong and impetuous type, the strong equilibrated and quiet type, the strong equilibrated and lively type, and the weak type."
-- Wikipedia

What type of temperament types does Sen. Phil Pavlov represent on Dr. Ivan Pavlov's scale?

Outside Michigan, people are becoming highly aware, and are catching on, as to the drastic anti-American heritage uprising the TeaPublicans are fomenting as ideological/fear-filled Mackinac Center, et. al. "puppy trained" Pavlovian dogs.

Ken Braun, Michigan's "Pavolvian "puppy trainer" and and leader of Michissippi's march into regression advocate, is the MacCen's Gollum: "Where would you be without me, gollum, gollum? I saved us! It was me! We survived because of me!"

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