Send in the demagogues -- UPDATE
Gunner DeLay says the Paron school case is not about adequate education, but an attack on the rural way of life. His complete hooey on the jump. Among other deficiencies, he doesn't understand that standardized test scores are not the only measure of an equal and adequate education.
DeLay's opponent, Dustin McDaniel, voted for legislation that would have guaranteed more efficent education in Arkansas and against legislation that would have saved the Paron district even if it didn't offer its students sufficient education opportunities. DeLay somehow thinks that's a mark against McDaniel.
UPDATE: Also on the jump is the McDaniel response.
Gunner DeLay news release
Fort Smith – Today, attorney general candidate Gunner DeLay reacted to the latest decision in the Paron school case, which was rendered late Friday afternoon. DeLay attended a portion of the hearing and heard testimony from several parents about the devastating effect that closing the Paron High School would have, not only on their children, but also on their way of life.
“DeLay stated, “ It became crystal clear during the hearing was not about educational adequacy, but was instead an attack on the rural way of life that many Arkansans choose for their family. I think it is a disgrace that the Department of Education and the attorney general’s office are acting as predators pursuing rural schools when they should be acting as partners ”
DeLay said as attorney general he would work with educational leaders, the legislature, and rural school districts to craft a bill that would insure all children in Arkansas have access to educational opportunities regardless of their location. DeLay said, “when we talk about adequate education what we all mean is that every child in Arkansas should have the opportunity to access any curriculum they choose. If it takes distance learning to achieve that goal then so be it.”
DeLay noted that there was a misconception that the Paron case has something to do with the Lakeview decision. Lakeview, he pointed out is about adequate funding. Paron is about whether these rural school children are being provided an adequate education. He said the test scores speak for themselves. “These school is not failing, in fact the opposite is true. They are achieving the results that we would hope for. However, if this school and others like it are closed, the children affected will be put through tremendous hardships that will substantially lessen the likelihood for their success.”
DeLay criticized his opponent, Dustin McDaniel, for what he called a record of hostility towards rural schools. DeLay pointed to a vote-smart.org survey that his opponent filled out in 2004 that showed he supported consolidation of schools districts that had up to 500 students. DeLay also noted that McDaniel failed to vote for HB1014, which would have saved the Paron School District. “McDaniel took a walk on the rural people of this state. Now he needs to explain himself.”
DeLay said that in addition to supporting HB 1014, he also favored the idea that a high school that is consolidated into another district can not be closed for a period of five years. He explained it did not make sense for districts to be given incentive money to accept smaller schools into their district then a year later close them.
Dustin McDaniel statement
In response to his opponent’s daily distortion of Rep. Dustin McDaniel’s record, Dustin had this to say:
“It is vital to Arkansas’s future that our children be well-educated so that they can compete in a global economy. I am absolutely not hostile to rural schools, and Mr. DeLay once again has engaged his mouth without the benefit of checking his facts.
DeLay knows I have strong support in rural Arkansas. He knows that I enjoy this support because of the work I have done to improve rural schools, rural law enforcement and rural health care.
Like DeLay, I also believe that long bus rides are not good for our kids nor should the quality of an education be based on a district’s size. Where we differ on this issue is that I believe that the state’s objective standards, including the thirty-eight required courses of Smart Core as well as the required Advanced Placement courses, must be met in order to best serve all of the children of Arkansas.
My daughter Emma Grace begins kindergarten in the Jonesboro Public School system this week. She will get a great education in that school district, and I believe that every child in Arkansas should have similar opportunities, regardless of where they live.”
Comments
Way to go Gunner
Posted by: Proud in Paron | August 21, 2006 10:30 AM
Delay's exploitation of this issue just fired me up to get my check in the mail to McDaniel - 1304 West Second Street, Little Rock, AR 72202. Whether it's schools, immigrants, guns or gays, Delay scares the hell out if me.
Posted by: IndVoter | August 21, 2006 10:32 AM
Why are we still talkng about this race? McDaniel needs to start building his staff and picking offices. Delay has NO CHANCE!
Posted by: Dome Rat | August 21, 2006 10:36 AM
Dustin did not carry an urban county other than Craighead in the primary. He carried almost every rural county. Gunner knows tha Dustin is strong in rural Arkansas, so he is trying to hit him on guns and rural schools. None of it is sticking.
Dustin believes in rural schools that live up to the educational standards our kids need. He also preaches about rural law enforcement and rural health care every day.
Gunner isn't gaining ground on Dustin in rural Arkansas.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 21, 2006 10:40 AM
Asa sure is gaining on Beebe - did you see the Rasmussen Poll?
Posted by: not so sure | August 21, 2006 10:42 AM
Little Lord McDaniel needs to stop posing and admit he is just a spoiled little rich kid who wants to buy a position of power. All this "I love guns and blue jeans" sure doesn´t rmind me of the dork I went to high school with who wore suits to school.
Posted by: Jonesvegas voter | August 21, 2006 11:18 AM
Are all elections always this shallow in AR? Wouldn't it be nice if AR would buck the national trend and focus attention on a candidates civic behavior and voting record rather than fussing about presumed character adequacies/inadequacies? Don't you people just bore yourselves to death?
Posted by: bodybybush | August 21, 2006 11:33 AM
Take look at Conway. Elections in Arkansas today are nothing compared to the Brooks-Baxter days nor even close to the Jeff Davis era. Dale Bumpers was the first governor in Arkansas to win the governor's race without using racism.
Posted by: Cato | August 21, 2006 11:57 AM
Note to all Mcdaniel campaign employees, stop posting on the blog and go to work. IndVoter, if you know the maling address of a campaign you work for the campaign. Next time try to maik it a little less obvious
Get to work, Gunner has been kicking your ass all month.
Posted by: So Obvious | August 21, 2006 01:08 PM
Gunner's numbers have dropped since this time last month. As his name recognition goes up, so do his negatives. Even the GOP poll has McDaniel with a 14 point lead.
Any Repugs want to dispute that?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 21, 2006 01:15 PM
Wrong, So Obvious. Just googled for it.
Posted by: IndVoter | August 21, 2006 01:21 PM
BTW, where do Delay's children attend school?
Posted by: CapDweller | August 21, 2006 02:15 PM
Ft. Smith Public Schools.
Posted by: asked and answered | August 21, 2006 03:27 PM
Just like McD's lawsuit against Remington Arms and gun owners the spin Dustin trys to put out is just plain not being bought in rural Arkansas.
I guess many of you big city folks are forgetting guns are a huge issue to rural Arkansas, there are over 300,000 rural Arkies, all locked and loaded. McD seems to be most consistent in being incapable of telling the truth about any facts regarding his own record.
Wonder how he'll respond to the 50k from Bruce Burrow and assorted friends and affiliates.
"I am absolutely not hostile to rural schools, and Mr. DeLay once again has engaged his mouth without the benefit of checking his facts." McDaniel said.
These look like facts to me.
http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?can_id=MAR92371#4
Posted by: DcNwA | August 21, 2006 04:01 PM
McDaniel responses to questions.
Education Funding: Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education funding.
X a) Support consolidation of school districts with fewer than 350 students.
X b) Support consolidation of school districts with fewer than 500 students.
From Project Vote Smart
www.vote-smart.org
Posted by: JustTheFacts | August 21, 2006 04:04 PM
Forget Iraq, the deficit, the lack of health and social security going broke. Our number one priority here in Arkansas is:
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Posted by: Anonymous | August 21, 2006 04:43 PM