Jindal Wants La. Out of Common Core

As I predicted, in an earlier post, Governor Jindal’s meddling with the medical insurance plan for state workers and teachers resulted in my receiving a letter last week from the Office of Group Benefits, the state’s medical insurance office.   

In summary, it stated my monthly premium rates were going to increase and benefits were going to change.

These changes in benefits included, “time limits on certain services, prior authorization requirements for certain procedures, and a new formulary that will designate some brand drugs as preferred.” 

Although there were enough generalities and vague statements to prevent the reader from understanding what was specifically going to change, it was pretty obvious that I was going to pay more for less service, and that the ‘preauthorization part’ could lead to easier denial of services and longer delays in receiving medical treatment.  

Contrary to what others might think, this was not a result of the Obamacare mandate.  Instead it was because our Rhodes Scholar governor reworked the original plan and lowered the premiums, to help balance his smoke and mirrors state budget, which ended up dwindling  its cash reserve from over $500 million to less than $55 million in two years. Furthermore, state auditors predict that the plan will be bankrupt by 2016 unless drastic changes are made.  

This brings me to Bobby’s announcement today that he is going to throw out Common Core Standards, set to be implemented this August.  As with the state medical plan, he wants to REWORK its implementation, and develop state standards and assessments.  All before the start of the new school year in TWO months! 

As a result of this action, I think it’s necessary for the State Department of Education to warn its clients about these changes, as did the Office of Group Benefits.

Every public school parent needs to be sent a letter.  It should state that due to recent actions by your Governor, your child will be receiving a subpar education.

 

It needs to further state that, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, as exemplified by the Louisiana Education Assessment Program (LEAP) disaster, implemented for 20 years, Louisiana knows how to develop its own educational standards and assessments. 

 

The letter should end with the warning that this change will lead to a reduction in educational benefits resulting in your child’s continued participation in an educational system which produces reading and math student achievement at either the 48th ranking or DEAD last when compared to the other 50 states.  

You’d think a Rhodes Scholar would have more sense, but quite often school intelligence doesn’t necessarily correlate with common sense.

 

Additionally, let's not forget  this is NOT about what's best for the children of Louisiana, but instead about national political image.