In Our View: Too much talk over Career Ladder

Opinion

Discussion

October 9, 2009

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Fri Oct 09, 2009, 07:47 PM CDT

We hate it when politics complicate issues.

In June, Sen. Gary Nodler and Rep. Allen Icet — two Republicans in charge of their legislative budget committees — announced that funding for the Career Ladder program may be in jeopardy. The Career Ladder program grants school districts extra money to pay teachers who tutor or run extra- or co-curricular programs outside of a normal school day.

Nodler proposed Thursday that the program can be saved, however, if Gov. Jay Nixon chooses to save it. A spokesperson for the governor said Nixon funded it last year, and would again this year.

The sticking point is the funding mechanism. Nodler said the program has been funded “in arrears,” which basically means it hasn’t gone through the normal budget process.

So why are we talking about this publicly, if both sides are in general agreement? Couldn’t this be handled, in Missouri’s supposedly bipartisan-friendly government, in a phone call, e-mail or Twitter exchange?

It seems that only the governor’s office — the branch of state government currently in the most dire need of good press — is keeping relatively quiet on this.

Nodler, who is running for U.S. representative, is talking pretty loudly about a technicality. And House Democrats are launching cheap shots over Nodler’s supposed “change of heart.”

We think it’s especially important for Southwest Missouri legislators to support the Career Ladder program and give it a high budget priority. Our schools are placing a lot of emphasis on fighting their dropout rates, and extra- and co-curricular activities keep many students interested in school.

Teachers also believe in those activities. Despite the threat that they may not get paid, many of those same teachers continue to honor their Career Ladder commitments.

But we’re pretty sure that both Republicans and Democrats are on the same page about this.

Because of that, we’re pretty sure that funding will be found next year, whether it’s “in arrears” or a budget allocation. We taxpayers don’t care which wallet the money comes from, because they are both filled with our money.

Text Only

Opinion

Our View: Santorum's Achilles' ear
Rick Santorum knocked everyone for a loop this week, not just with his victory in Missouri but with the landslide size of the thing.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Our View: Are school loans next 'debt bomb'?
The late American middle class struggled for decades to keep pace with an American dream slipping from its grasp.

February 9, 2012 1 Photo
Our View: A better way of limit terms
A Missouri House committee on Tuesday endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to serve 16 years in the state Legislature, either the House or the Senate.

February 8, 2012 1 Photo
Your View: Is it our fault?
When did coveting things and money take over character? What happened?

February 8, 2012
Your View: No way to run a school
All throughout the state of Missouri, you’ll hear much discussion about teacher tenure and the indefinite contracts that go along with that. Most — if not nearly all — jobs in the private and public sectors have no such career protection.

February 8, 2012
Your View: Prime suspects
If it’s too cool in the house, you can turn up the heat if you think you can afford it.

February 8, 2012
Our View: Worldwide concern
There is growing concern worldwide that Israel might launch an attack on Iranian nuclear plants.

February 7, 2012 1 Photo
Other Views: FAA deal up in air five years
The Federal Aviation Administration bill was delayed 23 times, but the agency finally has a law giving it $63 billion and full operating authority for the next four years.

February 6, 2012 1 Photo
Don Ray, columnist: Obama's pipeline excuse an election-year cop-out
On Jan. 18, President Barack Obama announced he was rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline project — a project that had its beginnings some 40 months ago (September 2008).

February 6, 2012
James Whitford, guest columnist: Broken people or broken system?
Are the people broken or is the system broken? If you walk into Watered Gardens, our rescue mission, it may seem the people are broken. But it’s a rescue mission. It just feels that way. And sometimes, it just looks that way.

February 4, 2012
More Opinion Headlines

Water company cites reconnections

Opinion

Search Results

Discussion

In Our View: Too much talk over Career Ladder

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr wants the city to distribute weather radios to all Joplin homes that don’t have one. That’s 11,000 radios. Do you think that’s a good use of $300,440?

Site Map

Contact Us