It's All About the Kids

Those who push for the unlimited funding of public schools always like to drag out the tired old mantra "It's all about the kids" when calling for continued tax increases.  But a couple of recent stories warrant monitoring to see just how committed liberals are to that "idea".

The first story we told you about last week here on WOSH--that without major changes to the "Premium Level" heath care plans provided to employees, the Oshkosh School District will face penalties approaching TWO MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR under the Affordable Care Act by the end of the decade.  It will be interesting to see if the teachers agree to higher deductibles and co-pays (like those of us out here in the private sector have had for years now) or if they demand that all of that tax revenue earmarked for education instead go to the Federal Government (where it will fund vouchers for Nancy Pelosi's constituents who had jobs with health insurance--but quit to become artists or musicians--and to the illegal immigrants that President Obama now expects to not apply for Government Assistance based on the "honor system" once they are granted amnesty).

As a side note, isn't it sweet when liberals are hoist with their own petards like this?  I'm sure that more than a few WEAC members were out there "fighting" for ObamaCare the last five years, spouting the party line of "you will get to keep your health insurance plan!  You will get to keep you doctor!"  Now it turns out that their beloved President Obama has sold them up the river--and they will not get to keep their insurance plan.  And they will not get to keep their doctor.  (Of course, what does the President care, he's not running for office ever again.)

The second issue likely to make the education lobby's heads explode is the Mukwonago School Board's decision not to change its "Indians" mascot, despite an order by the state Department of Public Instruction.  Under the law giving the DPI the power to strong-arm districts into changing any mascot or name that one person finds offensive, the penalty for failure to comply is a $1000 a day fine.  I'm sure that when Democrats crafted this legislation behind closed doors in their caucus, they never expected a district would fail to kowtow to the DPI and actually risk being fined.

Now State Superintendent Tony Evers has to decide what price he is going to put on political correctness.  The same man who called a quarter billion dollar increase in public education funding a "cut", could take away up to $365-thousand a year away from a district to "teach it a lesson"--which will likely result in the loss of a couple of teaching jobs every year.

Given liberals penchant for just choosing not to enforce laws and rules that might hurt their constituency (e.g.: immigration laws, the employer mandate to provide health insurance and now, federal drug trafficking laws) I'm guessing Mr Evers will just choose to let the whole thing slide and hope that other districts--like Berlin and Shiocton--don't get the same idea.  Remember, education is all about the kids.