Monday, December 6, 2010

Arizona keeps getting dumber

A recent editorial in the Arizona Daily Star stated that from 2002 to 2008 educational funding increased in Arizona but the graduation rate dropped significantly. Clearly, something is very wrong.

Over that time period, high school graduation rates dropped significantly in 3 states: Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. In Arizona, total spending per student increased from $4,941 to $5,391 (adjusted for inflation). The graduation rate dropped from 74.7 to 70.7.

So, the problem is not money, the problem is how the money is being used. Perhaps Arizona schools are no better than Governor Brewer in identifying proper priorities.

In 2010, the Governor pushed through House Bill 2251 to convert the top rated Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum into the 5C Arizona Centennial Museum (yet another history museum). Over seven million dollars of state money are now used to support history museums across the state. Few people visit these museums.

The top rated Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum is the only earth science museum in the state. Operating on a small fraction of the budget for history museums, it actively supports K-12 students and teachers. Students remember their class field trip to this fascinating museum for a lifetime. It inspires the careers of earth scientists and engineers.

Bored students drop out of school, even if they are brilliant. History museums are boring, and do not have economic value. Future scientists and engineers are needed to support a future technology based economy. There is no market for historians. History majors that do manage to stay in school and graduate become food servers, tree trimmers, and sanitation workers. The public funds used to subsidize their education are wasted.

13 comments:

  1. Not such a big fan of this post, but I am a fan of your blog. The "no market for historians" was a bit off.
    I do not feel that the MMMuseum should have been taken over, but there is a place for science and history museums...as well as other types.
    I know you are upset, but please stay focused and do not lash out at the wrong people.

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  2. Understand. My basic argument is that if the modest budget for the only earth science museum in the state was not affordable, then the state should not be spending over ten times that much to support history museums.

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  3. Dont make it a so called battle between science museums and history museums.We have a lot of history here in Arizona. We need science museums too.

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  4. Unfortunately, the Governor introduced a conflict between science and history. She is damaging the AHS as well as the mineral museum.

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  5. True enough. Dont worry about the AHS the current director is doing a good enough job of damaging the AHS on her own. She cant raise any money anyway and her board of directors are even less capable.
    Funny that Gladys Ann Wells and the Capitol Museum has not been brought into this mess. They must be smarter than AHS.

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  6. The Governor did this to leave a legacy, which will be her Centennial Museum.
    I think that after this takes place, AHS will close the exhisting history museums. Woosley will move HQ to Phoenix. Historical artifacts will be warehoused, and possibly rented out to museums for displays.

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  7. They wont close the existing museum. An attempt was made some years ago for the move to be made to Phoenix. The stupid Phoenix board members never even read the by-laws. The HQ always will be in Tucson where it was founded. Woosley isnt that dumb. The artifacts wont be rented out. Dont post stupid things like that. You are way off base on these ideas. Whoever told you that is not informed or just plain stupid.
    Hit the AHS Board/Woosley/inform the potential donors of just how stupid this museum problem is/mobilize your volunteers/AND inform all of the state legislators/the Rio Nuevo audit is out in a few days and the AHS spent 1.4 million dollars for exhibit plans for nothing, just like they are doing now!

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  8. The Legislature was informed, but just rubber stamped the Governors silly pet project. See the October 1st post (58 Geese --) for a discussion of the legislatures involvement in this fiasco. The people will have to force them to fix this mess. A boycott of the 5C Arizona Centennial Museum might be a good start.

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  9. Dont worry about a boycott! When they see just how boring the exhibits are nobody will go in. Are they going to charge admission for this museum. That should kill any attndance to it.All of the other AHS museums are devoid of people going in. How many visitors do they get in them?? Have somebody ask the AHS openly and legally how many people go in all of their facilities. We pay for the museums as taxpayers we should have the right to know how our money is spent.

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  10. I asked Bill Ponder for information on AHS attendance. He sent a very vague response. I then requested specific figures for each museum, and he did not respond. I was not surprised. I suspect AHS attendance is very embarrassing.

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  11. There's your answer..... and they want to pump millions into another boondoggle? An answer like that should be transmitted to every State of Arizona legislator.

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  12. See the September 11th post (Why did Senator John Nelson rubber stamp Governor Brewers bad idea?) I have written to all of them about this foolishness, and I have been down there talking to some of them. It was a waste of time. They all need to be voted out of office and replaced with people that have a bit of common sense about cutting waste out of the state budget.

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  13. Reference previous comment about Senator Neslon: Also see the related August 6th post (Did Rep. Russ Jones read the Arizona Centennial Museum bill?)

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