Huckleberries Online

No 4-Year Degrees For 20% Of Solons

Posted by DFO

March 2, 2009 5:13 p.m. • 13 comments

Item: Legislature of hard knocks: In Idaho, four-year degrees are no pre-requisite for legislators/Jared S. Hopkins, Twin Falls Times-News

More Info: Ask a good portion of the Idaho Legislature about their alma mater, and they’ll give you a stock answer that could resemble a school fight song. “I went to the school of hard knocks,” said Sen. Shirley McKague, R-Meridian, one of Idaho’s legislators without a college diploma. She isn’t alone. Nearly 20 percent of Idaho lawmakers don’t hold four-year college degrees, according to interviews with legislators and the Idaho Blue Book, a 400-page guide to government published by the state.

Question: Is it important to you that your state representatives have four-year diplomas?

13 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Charlie on March 02 at 6:42 p.m.
No, it’s not that important to have a degree. Sometimes experience is a better benchmark on getting things done. I’ve met some dumb grads when it comes to common sense and logic and some bright ones too.
toadman on March 02 at 6:58 p.m.
No, but I heard this afternoon that 1 in 18 Idahoans is part of the Idaho Criminal Justice system (either in jail, or on parole). Wow.. 1 in 18! That’s a lot of perps in Idaho… Over here in pinko commie liberal Washington, the number is 1 in 30.
Sparky on March 02 at 7:32 p.m.
Toadman…funny and great point.
Aliasjax on March 02 at 7:41 p.m.
If 20% don’t hold degrees, that leaves 80% that do. Of the general population, it’s the reverse, 80% don’t, 20% do. Now, one could argue that the legislature is over-represented by educated men and women. One could also argue the obvious point that educated people are more civically involved, statistically more successful, and display more leadership.

All in all, the balance is about right.
Arpie on March 02 at 8:12 p.m.
I’m more than a bit concerned that the chair of the House education committee, Nonini, doesn’t have a degree. It doesn’t seem to much to ask that the people overseeing education should be educated.
hhuseland on March 02 at 8:34 p.m.
Actually, the toadman has hit the nail on the head. The PCLW are perhaps 30 to 1 because they let them all walk?
Nick_Adams on March 02 at 11:36 p.m.
Great point, Arpie.

I won’t go into the details of Mr. Nonini’s past life since I’m sure it would bring down the DFO hammer. I mean, God forbid that we actually discuss the failings of North Idaho politicos. That said, Mr. Nonini is not qualified to referee an 8th grade volleyball game, let alone run the “education” committee.

I’d blast Herb, but I just. can’t. get. around. the. civility. rules.

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About this blog

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.