April 1, 2011 in Idaho

Idaho House passes final school reform bill

• Print
• Email
• Share

Betsy Russell photo

Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, debates against SB 1184 in the House on Friday; a retired teacher, she said the bill is “not going to do anything for the quality of education.”
(Full-size photo)

BOISE - Idaho lawmakers have sent the final piece of a plan to reform the state’s public schools to the governor’s desk, following three months of fierce debate that dominated the 2011 session.

The controversial bill, SB 1184, calls for phasing in new laptop computers for every Idaho high school student, diverting school district funds to online course providers, and shifting funding from teachers to technology, among other changes; it passed the House Friday on a 44-26 vote after a debate that lasted more than four hours, during which protesting Democrats forced the full reading of the entire 24-page bill.

Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, told the House, “The fact is we all know schools are going to receive less money. … We have to be able to spend what we currently have differently.”

The reform plan has been strongly criticized by Idaho teachers, school districts and even students, who last month walked out of class in protests around the state.

Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, told the House, “I received over 600 emails, and only two were in favor of it.”

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, said, “This plan … does replace teachers with technology. No amount of rhetorical tap-dancing can change that.”

Rep. Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle, countered, “Did the microwave replace the cook in the kitchen? It did not, in the same way that technology is not going to replace the teacher in the classroom.” He said technology allows education to transform from “the sage on the stage to a guide by the side.”

The debate was abruptly cut off in a parliamentary maneuver by House Republicans, after Rep. Jim Marriott, R-Blackfoot, said it had gone on long enough. House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, called that “bad form,” and said, “Cutting people off from having their voice is pretty typical for the Republican Legislature this year.”

The bill, which earlier passed the Senate, now heads to Gov. Butch Otter, who co-sponsored the plan with Luna and has pledged to sign it into law.

All 13 House Democrats voted against the bill; they were joined by 13 House Republicans, including Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, and North Idaho Reps. George Eskridge of Dover and Tom Trail of Moscow.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Five comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  cryssT on April 01 at 12:34 p.m.

  it’s Joe Albertson’s super market but the schools belong to his grandson.

• 

  mikeln on April 01 at 1:11 p.m.

  Stupid people make much better slaves.

• 

  ScienceProf_for_IdahoEducation on April 01 at 1:44 p.m.

  The full debate was amazing. So many of those in favor showed they have no idea what is going on. Many in favor spent their debate time talking about how they have seen “computers” change so many things - all giving examples completely unrelated to education, and from over ten years ago. The debate bordered on embarrassing at times for those in favor - no wonder the Repubs moved quickly to end it. They were getting creamed and they knew it.

  That is the big news about today’s debate. Are these things really debate? If they are really debate, those in favor of the bill lost big by any objective measure. By the time debate was cutoff, it was clear most of those speaking in favor didn’t understand the issue at all. Their leadership (and also Rep Shirley, the first to speak in favor) tried to say plainly that this bill is not about replacing teachers with online classes or technology but then speaker after speaker in favor of the bill stood up to talk about how the rural districts need to give students access to “good teachers” in math, chemistry and physics - because they did not have good teachers now. I agree that providing access to knowledgeable teachers in STEM courses in rural areas is an Idaho challenge but it plainly shows that this IS a choice that was made in this bill - take money from teacher salary (although at the district level) to provide online coursework. That is the choice here - no matter what the Republican leadership says. Over half those in favor of the bill talked mostly about that - but they see it as a positive. And on those points they got slaughtered in debate.

  This will not turn out well for Idaho education, no matter what Republican leadership says. I think this debate showed clearly they are misleading the public with their rhetoric. I hope we will hold them accountable.

• 

  johnclarke on April 01 at 3:02 p.m.

  The Republican Gov’s are simply attacking the enemy, the Teacher’s Unions. While in Wisconsin they chose to omit the Police and Firefighters (since they vote Republican for some reason) this is just about votes. They want to break up the Democratic voting base.

• 

  bills34rod on April 02 at 5:52 a.m.

  Is the state of Idaho so broke and poor that we have to cut school budgets, programs, services & teachers so we can buy laptops for students? Why stop with just four on line mandatory classes. Why not do all classes on line and sell off all the schools except for the newest / largest one to be used as the administration / computer central bldg.
  Look at all the money to be saved;
  1- No school bus service or drivers. (layoff)
  2- No fuel, maint. or insurance costs for same.
  3-No school bldg. property tax to be paid.
  4- No school bldg. utilities & insurance.
  5-No need for sports & associated costs.
  6- Sell the school properties to private partys for development adding more money to the tax base.
  7. Keep only enough teachers & admin. to man the new admin/computer center. (layoff)
  Come on Idaho Gov., if it is good enough for some on line mandatory education why not go all the way!!!

  * Change from Idaho is to great to litter to
  Idaho is to broke to educate.