The New Haven Independent reported on Chis Murphy’s questions to Department of Education nominee Linda McMahon. His, “Hell No” vote was a surprise to no one in CT.
“There is a possibility, you’re saying, that public schools that run African American history classes — this is a class that’s been taught in public schools for decades — could lose federal funding if they continue to teach African American history?” Murphy asked.
“That’s not what I’m saying,” McMahon responded. “I’m saying that I would like to take a look at these programs and fully understand the breadth of the executive order and get back to you on that.”
“You’re going to have a lot of educators and a lot of principals and administrators scrambling right now,” Murphy said.
School administrators should have been scrambling long before this hearing.
While schools in the wealthy parts of CT like Darien and Westport rate well above average on a national scale, schools in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport rate well below it.
The usual solution that’s offered for a school system that isn’t producing results is to throw money at it. However, that money often seems to go to administration instead of more or better teachers that produce better outcomes for students. Nor is there evidence that increasing the number, or pay-rate of administrative positions helps students learn.
Spending at the DOE has quadrupled since its inception while test scores have stagnated or dropped.
The comments section had people on both sides of the debate. Only those who felt the DoE was not useful provided links to data. The rest were about the generalized dreadfulness of President Trump without making a reasonble arguments about why the DoE was a beneficial entity.
While some cities have been able to create magnet schools [my step daughter attended the Bridgeport Aquaculture School] More of these are needed. But not only magnet schools. CT needs full school choice with vouchers and options such as micro schools, or private schools.
CT has some of the highest property tax rates in the country. For that, you’d think our students would uniformly be well-educated. Isn’t that what property taxes are for?
Chris Murphy is yelling about the wrong things. He’s not avocating for the people of CT. I’m not sure what he IS advocating for.
There’s an election coming up. Vote.
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Chris Murphy is an imposter, bad man, communist and will not be reelected, period