Around the Upstate
Rex: political involvement by educators key to continuing public school improvements
MYRTLE BEACH, SC - June 23, 2010 - In his final “state of the schools” speech to South Carolina school administrators today, Superintendent of Education Jim Rex touted the K-12 reforms of the past three years and said political involvement by educators is key to continued improvement.
“We have to stop playing defense and start playing offense,” Rex told
his audience at the annual Leadership Conference sponsored by the South
Carolina Association of School Administrators. “If we truly want
change, then we have to get involved in the political process.”
Rex reminded educators that it was their “respectful but consistent
pressure” that resulted in legislative
overhaul of the state’s education accountability system in 2008 and
kept the fight for federal
stimulus dollars in the public eye. He said a
similar push is needed now to revamp the state’s finances.
“South Carolina’s public schools will start the next school year with
$800 million less that we had two years ago,” Rex said. “The base
student cost – our basic funding measurement – will be the same as it
was 15 years ago. It’s true that part of the blame rests with the
economy, but part also rests with state leadership that has consistently
failed to fix our broken tax system and our broken school funding
system.”
Rex made more fair and equitable funding one of his five
reform goals when he sought the
superintendent’s post in 2006 but said it’s “not even close” to being
met. Achievement of that goal and other school improvement measures is
dependent upon educators’ political understanding and participation.
Rex urged educators to back candidates for office who are public
education supporters regardless of party affiliation.
“The quality of our public schools is affected by our state’s politics,”
Rex said. “We need to help people connect the dots to see how school
quality is important for economic success and quality of life.”
Rex thanked administrators for their work in expanding public school
choice options, promoting innovation and elevating the teaching
profession – signs that change can occur from within the K-12 system and
does not have to be “forced on us from the outside.”
“I hope you will continue to pursue change to make our schools better,”
Rex said. “We’re the best people to drive that change. If not us,
who?”
