UWM Lecturer and frequent Sunday talk show panelist Jessica McBride has some interesting standards. Today on Charlie Sykes' television show during the "winners and losers" segment, she pointed to State Senator Tom Reynolds as her "winner" this week for getting into the state budget a proposal to give a credit to those parents who home school their children or send them to private school. McBride's indignation was apparently piqued because Reynolds himself would apparently benefit from the legislation.
Unfortunately, the McBride doctrine remains undefined beyond her Sunday morning sneer at the budget process, because under the "loser" category she placed the 31,000 non-unionized state workers (which includes UW system employees like Jessica McBride) who will have to contribute to their pensions.
So, let me get this straight. State Senator Reynolds cannot propose any legislation affecting education of which he might benefit, but Jessica McBride can lobby on television, in her blog and in a column for wisopinion.com for a reversal of a state budget provision that would directly benefit... herself.
But even supposing the McBride doctrine only applies to elected officials. How far should we extend the McBride doctrine? Should budget provisions for clean air and water be stricken from the budget? Who doesn't benefit from those? How about road repairs, or new bridges? If a member of the state legislature finds his daily commute any way lessened by these improvements should the member feel obligated to vote in opposition?
Beneficiaries of the educational status quo no longer can fight on the merits of the issue. They're left to sneering attacks and cheap shots on the motivations of the proponents. If the educational establishment had its way, the only ones who could speak on educational matters would be the spokesmen for the teachers unions. Part of the attack on New Berlin School Board member Jennifer Eitel was that she dared to educate her children outside the New Berlin School System. She survived the attempt to recall her, a blow for common sense.
I confess I think some sort of tax relief for home schoolers is warranted. I confess too that I would benefit directly from it.
And if I find myself at a candidate forum for state attorney general, I would be curious to find what the candidates think about the newly proposed McBride doctrine. I would even go so far as to ask Mr. Jessica McBride, Waukesha District Attorney Paul Bucher, what he thinks of tax credits for private and home school children. After all, if he is elected State Attorney General he may have to defend those policies in court - and apparently in his own home.
