Idaho schools up for auction

Just a quick look at one contributor of campaign funds will give you a picture of who comes first in education in Idaho, and it isn’t students or teachers.

Education Networks of America, a provider of education services based in Tennessee, put $19,750 into the coffers of Idaho politicians. Tom Luna got $5,500 and Butch Otter got $3,000. Vito Barbieri, Marge Chadderdon, Bob Nonini, John Goedde, Jim Hammond and Frank Henderson all got between $250 and $750.

Why would a Tennessee company send all that money to politicians in Idaho? Google ENA and see how nicely their services fit with Tom Luna’s plan for Idaho, and note that every one of the others are behind him 100 percent.

Sure, they will hold hearings and town hall meetings to placate the sheep that vote for them. Maybe they will even tweak a sentence here and there in the bills. But in the final analysis it is about turning another public institution over to private business and use public money to pay for it. Worse yet, this is just one of many companies buying a piece of Idaho’s school system.

Jerry Shriner

Coeur d’Alene