I Don't Know Where to Start......

photo courtesy of Willamette Week

I am just going to give you bulleted points of my day. I am exhausted. I am feeling very helpless while this state sits on a train wreck about to happen called the Legislative Session of 2009.

Here goes:
10 am, Myself and another virtual school parent gave a press conference announcing that I am (and did) file an ethics complaint against Cindy Hunt based upon the Willamette Week article. Bottom line, she wrote amendments to Senate Bill 767 opposing online charter schools in support of the Oregon Education Association (OEA). Considering she works for the Department of Education (ODE), which supports online education, she is in a very clear conflict of interest to do this.

Two media outlets were there, but it was fed through the entire capital via closed circuit. I walked all around the capital today with people saying hello to me, based upon that live feed.

After stating my outtrage over her collusion I closed with "I am incensed that the value of my children's education, which I hold very near and dear to my heart, has been reduced to the value of a poker chip to be used in backroom political deals." My "people" could be heard cheering two floors away. They didn't know I was going to say that.

12:30 pm I am interviewed on the local Lars Larson show. Yes the same Lars Larson that does a national syndicated radio program. It went very well.

Lars: What can we do now?
Me: Well, since this bill is about to go to the House floor on Monday, we need the very close vote to swing our way.
Lars: Who needs to be talked to, AM?
Me: Democrats. Unfortunately, this bill is split down party lines. We have had two Dems swing our way, and we want to thank them for taking that stand. We need people to let their Dems know, this isn't a party issue. No one wants this bill.

Nice! Thank you Lars!

Aside here: As I am walking around with a friend, I am seeing the kibbitzing and canoodling of politics. I am asked several times, in the lobby of the capital out in the open, to keep my voice down, there is someone nearby. I see several union lobbyists strategically place themselves near us to listen to us. We do the same to them as well, tee hee! In our travels around, we do find that the bill will most likely hit the House floor Monday, and the desire is to get it done and pass it, but no one wants it. The tension is kind of thick. It's weird! And yet, there are tourists taking pictures at the entrance, while I am whispering with someone over "strategy". It felt like I was in a John Grisham novel! One of our "people" keeps me in the know on things, and yet never showed his face until the afternoon long after the press conference. Interesting!

3:15 pm Department of Education meeting to discuss whether Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) will receive the much fought for "50/50" waiver. The 50/50 rule says that a charter school must have 50% of it's enrollment from the district the charter is in. That is almost impossible with an online school. So we have to ask for a waiver. We shouldn't have to because of earlier battles, but that discussion is for another day.

My impression? The department chair of this parade is Duncan Wyse. He is a pansy. He starts out by asking about the current enrollments, and how many students there are currently in ORCA. Then he says, "Okay guys, we know there is legislation going on that could completely nullify if we give this waiver. So what should we do? Rule on this and send a message that we are pro online schools? Or should we wait? What do you think?" There isn't a ton of discussion mainly because this body has spent months and long hours in a subcommittee coming to a consensus of what they think as a policy of online education. That consensus was, they are pro.

I am sitting there thinking, someone make a motion, and let's do it! You have hard fought consensus, send a message to the legislature that you can handle education decisions here, not on the floor of the legislature! Go team go!

Right? You with me?? Nope, more discussion. Made a motion with contingents taking into account they may need to come back depending on SB 767. Okay, great, pound the gavel! Nope, more discussion, and amendment on the motion, and then another amendment on the motion. Then a discussion on how convoluted this is now because Robert's Rules of Order (I am NOT KIDDING!) says that once there is this, then that can't happen....good LORD!

Then it's 4:55 and the gavel pounds with the consensus being to table the decision until tomorrow. Almost two hours of pansy waffling.

Now this whole time, Cindy Hunt is in attendance, and she is definitely an integral part of this meeting. She is giving advice left and right about the verbage of bills, the legality of whatevers, etc. She knows who I am and won't look at me.

The gavel pounds. Duncan Wyse, who is old enough to be my father, says something like, "Now I want all of you to know (looking at the audience of about 10) we think what is being said about Cindy today is mean. We love her and she works hard for us. She works hard for everyone. We love her and she works hard."

*&%^$#!!!! Are we going to sing "You Are My Sunshine" and have a hug fest too? This isn't a popularity contest! This is a lawyer who has a serious ethics violation!

As that was being said, my peeps started walking out and I followed them. My main peep was flaming red. He informed me that while all the conversating was going on with the whole "should we do this or that because of this legislation" one of the governor's cronies came in the room, sat for 10 minutes, then left. That is when Duncan's spine went to jelly.

My peep asked my opinion of this, and mine was, "No wonder the education system is what it is in this state. We have this man, who has no brass running it. Grow some confidence and show some leadership! This body's ability to grant waivers hasn't been stripped yet, so do it while you can and send a message!"

No waiver. And the bill will very likely pass on Monday.

In the words of another state representative tonight, "Get ready on Monday morning to watch the sheer power of the teacher's unions. No Democrat or Republican wants to vote this bill in. But it will pass by the sheer power of the union."

Sad. But not done yet. There is canoodling and kibbitzing that needs to happen this weekend.

Back room politics and poker chips, remember.