Accountability in Education
The economic viability of our state depends on our ability to provide a quality education for all our children, one that will prepare them to be successful and productive citizens in an ever changing, high tech environment. While I am a product and a supporter of public education, I think we have plenty of room for improvement.
As chairmen of the state board of education I saw firsthand the tremendous amount of state resources we provide for the education of our children. And yet we’ve all heard stories about teachers having to take their personal money to buy supplies for their classrooms. I want to ensure we have accountability and efficiency from the state department to the classroom and that every possible dollar goes toward the teaching of students. We have to eliminate bureaucracy, redundancy, outdated procedures and programs. Our state has limited resources therefore we must maximize the effect of every dollar. We can’t afford waste.
Spartanburg School Consolidation
While making calls to voters across the district, I have been asked numerous times about my position on Spartanburg County school district consolidation.
While I’m open to education reform proposals that will ensure more kids graduate and that they are better prepared for college or to enter the work force, I can see no reason to believe that consolidation will accomplish that or save taxpayers money. There is always room for improvement, but we currently have some of the best schools, teachers, and students in the entire state and I see no reason to interrupt a system that is obviously working and receiving awards for its success.
Linking Education and Economic Development
As Chairman of the State Board of Education and a leader in numerous economic development organizations, I understand how education is the key to job creation in our state.
Most people find this hard to believe, but Spartanburg County ranks 16th in the State in per capita income at $26,656. Our educational attainment level of the population over 25 years of age is as follows: 7.5% or 11,472 have less than a 9th grade education, 14.4% or 22,793 have between a 9th and 12th grade education, 31% or 54,803 have a high school degree, 20% or 34,791 have some college, 7% or 12,456 have an associate degree, 15% or 26,003 have a bachelor’s degree and 8% or 14,275 have a graduate or higher degree.
Early Childhood Education
A recent study performed by the Riley Institute at Furman University reported that 80% of the learning process takes place between the ages of 0-5 yet our state spends only 8% of their total educational recourses on that age group. It appears that we have it backwards. We’ve got to find ways to fund 3-4 year kindergarten. One thing that might help with this is to create a uniform criteria/curriculum for all childcare providers and set a required educational level or certification for those teachers/providers. This would raise the bar on quality as well as provide consistent instruction to all children.
Welcome to my Solutions Center
I created this page to have a discussion with you. I believe that politicians today talk a lot about the problems facing our state and nation, but few are actually talking about solutions. That’s what I want to do here.
I have started the discussion by posting a few of my solutions to problems our state currently faces. I want you to post your thoughts in the comment section and give me your solutions.
In the upcoming months I will be posting more ideas, thoughts, and opinions on solutions that can make this state a better place for all of us to live.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
- Mike
Health Care
Our hospitals and doctors are required by Federal law to treat all who come to our emergency rooms. Knowing this, many of the uninsured, indigent, and increasingly, illegal aliens use our expensive emergency departments to treat routine problems. They come because they know they will not be charged.
It’s the rest of us who pay for it. Most of the high increases in private insurance costs underwrite these governmental policies to a point where reasonable health policies cannot be made. The entire system must be changed to something that is rational, encourages all to pay their fair share, and encourages health and wellness practices, which prevent emergencies.
Most healthcare professionals agree that the current system has enough money to take care of all if the distribution of resources were to make healthcare decisions rational. The state should encourage the development of such a system.
Tort Reform
Our current system encourages the excessive filing of law suits. The United States is the only country in the world where the losing side of a civil suit does not pay for the court costs and attorney fees of the winning side. The United States has 17 times per capita the number of practicing attorneys of the country which is in second place.
The costs embedded in our goods and services as a result of this burdensome Tort System are as uncontrolled as our tax system. One automotive company with a plant in Europe and one in the United States make an identical transmission linkage. It pays $2,500 per year to protect its European facility from the risk of automotive recall and over $250,000 for the same coverage for the same part in the United States. The sole difference is a civil court system which encourages the filing of frivolous law suits with no penalties to the losers.
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Taxpayer Protection
I agree with President Thomas Jefferson’s most basic governmental theory; “That government is best which governs least.” I also believe that educational attainment is key to economic growth, business growth, and jobs growth.
Further, I understand that many governmental supports, expenditures, and special interest provisions often have taxpayers spending their money for things that the private sector needs to. I know that by itself, the government has no money. Whatever it is spending, it’s spending the people’s money.
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Illegal Immigration
The very phrase “illegal immigration” is too politically correct to be accurate. True immigrants are not here illegally and those who are here illegally are lawbreakers, not immigrants. People in this country illegally are a security risk. Additionally, they strain our public services and taxes, through our educational system, our mandated health coverage, and public welfare support systems.
There are many ways in which our state identification system, law enforcement practices, and citizenship proof for services could make South Carolina far less attractive for those that break our laws.
Illegal immigration hurts us all and should be stopped as a matter of state policy.
Crime Prevention
Crime is an activity that can cause deep social and psychological scars. We must get serious about combating crime in South Carolina. Here are a few ideas:
- Habitual criminals should be punished severely and should be removed from society.
- Child abusers should suffer severe penalties and serve under conditions which fully prevent them from ever having access to children again.
- Criminal behaviors which are known to be predatory and repetitive must be permanently removed from the temptations upon which they prey.
- DUI penalties should be strengthened and made uniform.
- Judges must be held accountable by the public for the decisions that they make.
- Practicing attorneys should play absolutely no role in the selection of judges or the conditions under which they operate.
- Our state system of elected Coroners are accountable to no one in their routine, day to day operations. They should be replaced with a modern system of medical examiners that are an integral part of large city and county law enforcement.
Our criminal justice system has lost touch. It has become more responsive to special interests, offender leniency, and liberal judges than to the people it’s supposed to protect. We must work to change this.
Solutions are a team effort. What are your ideas? Let us know in the comment section below.