Daily Archives: March 27, 2024

The VTGOP Is on the Verge of Blowing a Great Opportunity

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Gov. Phil Scott and his party are going in opposite directions in just about every way, and that’s bad news for both sides. And great news for the Democrats.

This campaign season ought to be a good time for the VTGOP. Scott is pushing hard on “affordability” and there’s every reason to think it will resonate with the voters. Many people are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Few think of themselves as comfortable.

And while Scott has a simple, compelling narrative, the Democrats are trying to address tough issues through the messy process of legislating. And yes, the Dems are looking for revenue to pay for the things they see as necessary. It’s not an easy case to make. If you want a depressing example of the Dems’ messaging problems, take a listen to the February 28 edition of Mark Johnson’s “802 News” podcast. He interviews several Democrats about the school funding situation, and they all say it’s complicated and will take time, probably years, to sort everything out. It was a bleak outlook on the verge of a Town Meeting Day where many Vermonters rejected school budgets with big tax hikes.

And all the while Scott is hammering on a single point. I’m not saying he’s right; I’m saying it’s politically effective. And it should pay dividends. The Dem/Prog supermajorities ought to be in mortal peril. Scott should be able to emerge from 2024 with a stronger hand.

But he probably won’t because the Republicans are completely unready for the moment. The party is underfunded, under-organized, and dominated by extremists. Case in point: recent events in Windsor County.

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The Great Broward County Public Schools Land Grab, Starring Your New Education Secretary

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More information has emerged regarding Zoie Saunders’ brief stint as Chief School Executioner (Ed. Note: Actual title may vary) for the Broward County Public Schools. It’s not exactly flattering, and it raises questions about the timing of Gov. Phil Scott’s hiring process.

Reminder that in December, a mere three months ago, Saunders was hired specifically to manage a consolidation effort in Broward County’s schools, many of which are underenrolled. The plan has been awash in controversy as school officials have dropped unsubtle hints that it’s a done deal even before a series of public forums was held, and many fear the closures will disproportionately hit students of color. There are also massive questions about the scale of the effort; as few as five schools or as many as several dozen could be targeted.

And a March 9 article in the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the plan “could turn into a major land grab for local cities and developers,” including operators of charter schools. “The district owns about 38 million square feet worth of property in a county where open land is scarce,” according to the Sun Sentinel, so you can see how this unschooling plan could touch off a feeding frenzy.

This casts the plan in a different light, as a way for system administrators to ease budgetary pressure by cashing in some prime real estate. Might work in the short run, but it’s not a strategy for sustainability.

And managing this process, which she is abandoning well before her job is done, is the sum total of Zoie Saunders’ experience in public school management.

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