http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/4779515.html
startribune.com
Last update: May 16, 2004 at 11:39 PM
Senate fires Yecke
Norman Draper
Star Tribune
Published May 17, 2004
When the smoke cleared from the education wars at the Capitol early
Sunday, Minnesota had one fewer commissioner but a brand new set of
requirements for social studies and science.
Cheri Pierson Yecke was fired by the Senate on a 35 to 31 vote at 3:40
a.m. that followed strict party lines, after a day virtually devoid of
any education action.
Three hours later, only minutes before the Legislature's mandatory
adjournment at 7 a.m. Sunday, the House and Senate passed a broad
education bill that provides the new social studies and science
standards, and new physical education and health standards. The bill
also authorizes a study to determine the cost of new computer-based
tests that could eventually replace the current tests.
Those tests, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, are given in
several subjects and grade levels.
The new social studies standards, which teachers might still find long
and districts might find costly to implement, are now a cross between a
more fact-based version approved by the House and a more analytical
version approved by the Senate. Science standards, minus some language
that critics say cast doubt on the theory of evolution, were also
approved. Schools are to start adopting them beginning in the 2005-06
school year.
The education bill must still be signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty before it
can become law.
After the Yecke vote in the Senate, which requires no further action,
Pawlenty issued a statement charging Senate DFLers with doing "a great
disservice to our state. . . in the dark of night."
"By rejecting Commissioner Yecke on a party line vote, they have
rejected innovation and accountability for our state," he continued. "My
disappointment in their action and the loss to our state is deep and
profound."
DFLers have said continually that they've been dismayed by the amount of
criticism they've heard about Yecke from constituents, especially
teachers, and that the commissioner has hurt education by polarizing
parents and the education community over a right-wing agenda and support
for too much student testing. Plus, the Yecke confirmation vote came at
a time when DFLers are trying to bridge their differences and present a
united front.
Republicans have said Yecke had a mandate from the governor to make
education more answerable to parents and minority students, and that the
governor has a right to appoint commissioners who reflect his views.
Tempers flared after both votes, as Senate Republicans accused DFLers of
stifling dissent by ramming through the education bill without giving
them any time for debate, and of crossing the line in the sand by
dumping Yecke.
Senate Minority Leader ***** Day, R-Owatonna, described the Yecke action
as "terrible," and charged that Senate DFLers have now "declared war on
the governor." He said he hoped Pawlenty would find a way to exact a
political pound of flesh from those DFLers who had turned against Yecke.
"We're going to find out whether the governor gets tough or not," Day
said. Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said Republicans were so sure they had
enough DFLers lined up to help them confirm Yecke that they purposely
kept the debate before the vote low-key.
"It's a sad way to end the session," he said.
Yecke's firing was effective immediately, without so much as a two
weeks' notice. Yecke, who hosted reporters at a Sunday afternoon news
conference in her Blaine home, said she was already canceling
appointments or parceling them out among staff members. She began by
citing her accomplishments over the 15 months she served as commissioner
and said she was "shocked" at the vote totals and felt betrayed by
legislators who said they would vote for her, then flipped to the other
side. As for the future, Yecke said she is polishing up her job search
skills.
"I asked the governor this morning, I said something I do need from you,
governor, is a letter of recommendation for my next job. I have my
Rolodex, I have my résumé and so I'll be shopping my résumé around
starting next week."
Yecke said Pawlenty had already called her twice--once after the early
morning vote, and again later in the morning--and had planned to call
her again later Sunday to sound her out about possible interim
candidates to step right in to the vacated commissioner's job.
Yecke's chances of staying on appeared good through much of Saturday.
Several DFLers were still wavering, unsure up to almost the last as to
whether they would vote to can or keep Yecke. Senate Republicans have
always been solidly behind her. Yecke said she thought she had several
DFLers lined up to vote for her confirmation. Those included Sens Thomas
Bakk, DFL-Cook, and Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy. Another DFLer she thought
was in her camp, Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, was in the hospital and
did not vote. Bakk and Vickerman ended up voting against her. So did
Independence Party Sen. Sheila Kiscaden, Rochester, who Yecke thought
would also vote for her.
Indeed, even DFLers weren't sure they had the votes to dump Yecke until
after midnight, said Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins. But in numerous
caucuses in which the DFLers privately discussed their positions on the
issues, Yecke critics hammered away at what they felt was the
commissioner's bad effect on Minnesota schools and education.
Plus, DFLers were irked at what they considered to be continuing efforts
to divide them over the gay-marriage issue. In the end, Kelley said,
DFLers rejected Yecke not only because they thought she was bad for
schools, but because they also wanted to show a united front.
"Some members wanted to send a message that we were sticking together,"
Kelley said.
Kelley, whose Education Committee recommended Yecke's firing last month,
argued that the commissioner had split the state's education community
of parents and educators into two warring camps.
"What we have observed is that Minnesota has been divided since the
commissioner took office," Kelley said in his argument to the Senate
opposing confirmation. "The commissioner has caused that divisiveness in
Minnesota in things she has done and said."
Pawlenty has on several occasions warned DFLers that getting rid of
Yecke won't get rid of the education change agenda they both share, and
that a new commissioner will share those views as well.
"I know the governor has said he will appoint a conservative," Kelley
said. "I'm expecting that. But I'm hoping it will be a conservative
willing to bring Minnesota together."
Norman Draper is at ndraper@startribune.com.
© Copyright 2004 Star Tribune.
Well, there was two articles and the second one disappeared.
It indicated Seattle's Discovery Institute's spokesperson-West-declared
the firing as a victory of some sort.
Found it....source and comments is here:
http://pharyngula.org/comments/316_0_1_0_C/
Stoney
"Designated Rascal and Rapscallion
and
SCAMPERMEISTER!"
When in doubt, SCAMPER about!
When things are fair, SCAMPER everywhere!
When things are rough, can't SCAMPER enough!
/end humour alert
alt.atheism military veteran #11
{so much for the 'no atheists in foxholes' rubbish}
.
|
