Thursday, April 9, 2015

Governor Ducey vetos science education

Having absolutely no chance of opposing SB1200 in the House or Senate, the AHS attempted to kill SB1200 with the Governor's veto. Unfortunately, they were successful. A copy of the veto letter follows.

The AHS had a lobbyist. The children did not.




7 comments:

  1. Amazing-our legislator's, by an overwhelming bi-partisan vote in both houses, passes a bill to restore the Mining and Mineral Museum to assist students and teachers in the area of earth science, and our governor vetoes it! Why? Because he's worried about the "holistic" use of state buildings even though he admits that AZ is lagging behind in education. Governor Ducey needs to forget "holistic" and get realistic. By using this lame excuse rather than looking at the issues of failure to follow statutes, denying thousands of students earth science resources, failure to use the building for anything for four years (holistic or not), and the expense of transferring the building to an alternate use, our Governor took the easy way out, Our objective was, first and foremost, science education. Preserving history comes along with it.



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  2. Governor Ducey capitulated to the AHS lobbiest who was appointed to his transition team and the students had no one. Of course there was no plan--the AGS could not work with us to develop one because of the gag order coming out of Ducey's office. There was a plan in the AHS statutes that said the MMM was not to be dismantled, and that law was violated and remains so due to the veto. Getting AHS to just willingly return the things they took is not going to happen without legal action. Next step--Attorney General's Office for help. SB1200 would have solved the legal issues.

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  3. We all laud the work of Sen. Gail Griffin. For Ducey to tell her that he vetoed her popular bill because she had no plan is outrageous. AGS was gagged, so she could not develop a plan. This was not "holistic", the needed group work was blocked! Don't worry students--the effort to support your science education is not over!

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    1. Right on! Perhaps it's time for educators and students to start asking the Governor just what his plans for science education, and especially earth science education, are. He turned down inexpensive help with a proven track record. So what is he offering to improve our miserable track record instead? We're still stuck on reading and math, which are important, but so is science.

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  4. The evil empire of AHS strikes again demonstrating that it's government by the lobbyists, of the lobbyists, and for the special interests that they represent. AHS has no bounds when it comes to their hatred of children and their disdain for education. It is only matched by their willingness to spend whatever political capital is needed to defend their corrupt, self-serving organization.

    The veto doesn't mean "no". It simply represents "not now". It's time to regroup and prepare for round 2 as AHS continues to display its "expertise" in managing a vacant building and squandering taxpayer dollars!

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    1. Correct. All the AHS has done is extend the fight, and their rotten side will be further exposed.

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  5. For the many MMM and student earth science supporters who are distressed at the veto of SB1200, don't fret, just join the energized and growing group that plans to go right back at them. I must tell you that I get the Governor's e-mails and he has lots of pictures of himself with students and everyone smiling as if AZ education is wonderful. Perhaps your group could get him to do a photo-op down at the MMM with students asking him to explain "holistic" use of buildings. I know some who are smart and brave enough to explain that his veto doesn't make sense. And then they could move to gag orders and how they inhibit good planning.
    Finally, they could ask him if letting AHS put something in the building would make him more comfortable seeing as they have a state liquor license.






















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