Huckleberries Online

UN: Tom Luna To Run For 1st CD?

Posted by DFO

Feb. 3, 2009 9:30 a.m. • 11 comments

Why would Luna run? Well, to start; I’m pretty sure that most will agree that he’s egotistical enough to think that one term as Superintendent of Public Instruction is all he needs in order to run for higher office. His OTJ training hasn’t really worked out and some would say that he has bungled the job so far. I’d say that there isn’t much internal support to keep him around for another term — especially under these economic conditions. Second; he has no allies in the Capital. It’s no secret that he doesn’t have the confidence of anyone — from Governor Otter on down. Needless to say, having no administrative or leadership skills Luna has all but decimated one of the most important institutions in Idaho government/Chris, Unequivocal Notion. More here. H/T: ThomG

Question: What is your impression of the job Tom Luna has done as Idaho Superintendent of Public Schools?

11 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

pjc on February 03 at 9:52 a.m.
At least he pays his taxes, apparently unlike people on the federal level.
scootermom on February 03 at 10:25 a.m.
I’m underwhelmed.
DCR on February 03 at 11:33 a.m.
Aww, c’mon - why wouldn’t Idaho want to elect a future minority party member of the congressional committee on “weights and measures?”
misc on February 03 at 11:43 a.m.
Hey, if Kempthorne thinks he’s presidential material, why wouldn’t Luna daydream about Congress?
MamaJD on February 03 at 11:44 a.m.
Would that make a primary between Luna and Sali a race between Dumb and Dumber?
Arpie on February 03 at 3:16 p.m.
Speaking as someone who was completely prepared to hate him and worked to support his opponent, I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised by Luna’s work. The main caveat is that I have not followed it too closely. I know only what I read in the paper, see in my classroom, and read in emails from him. Here’s some thoughts:

For a radical right winger, he has shown to be a pretty good listener. For instance, even though he hates the IEA he works hard at giving them a chance to speak their piece when it comes to some big issues. An example of this was his plan for merit pay. Perhaps it is his degree in weight and measures, but somewhere in all that he realized that figuring out whom the good teachers are takes more than just looking at test scores. He seems to understand that while he may hate the IEA they are an effective voice for Idaho’s teachers.

I’ve also been surprised by the way he supports teachers. He fought hard two years ago for $350 for each classroom teacher to spend as they see fit. He fought hard last year to keep that in the budget and added clarifying language to be sure the teachers got to decide how to spend the money, not the administrators. This year even with huge budget cuts elsewhere he reduced that money only $50 to $300.

He has led the way on the Idaho Math Initiative, a program that is designed to increase effectiveness of math education throughout the state. While this program is modeled after previous superintendent Marilyn Howard’s successful reading initiative, he has worked hard to get it going. Unfortunately it is falling under the budget ax.

I still view him as a wing-nut, but, as a teacher. I can find little fault with what he has done. Again I know nothing about his day to day workings with the folks in his department. I’m surprised that there is nothing negative I can say about him.

That being said, I can find little to fault in the commetary posted above.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.