Transformational change is something to be approached carefully, diligently, thoughtfully. Every facet should be fully explored, every interest considered. Unforeseen effects should be searched for and dealt with before the transformation is put into effect.

Or, you can do it the way Our Political Betters are handling fundamental reform of Vermont’s public education system: Quickly, behind closed doors, and rushed through the Legislature before you can blink twice.

Because, I guess, it worked so well with last year’s Act 73. You know, the last-minute measure that triggered widespread anger and consternation among the voting public because they rightly felt blindsided? Yeah, we’re trying that again. Because definition of insanity.

Let’s take a step back. Or a couple years back, to be more accurate. Gov. Phil Scott and the Legislature wanted to rein in the costs and trim the excess capacities of our K-12 system. The governor floated a plan to cram all the schools into five districts because, well, an earlier plan for one single statewide district seemed a bit too radical? The Legislature opted for a measured approach, creating a Commission on the Future of Public Education with an 18-month mission to fully examine the issue and devise a comprehensive plan in time for the 2026 session.

Then, well, the 2024 election spooked leadership and emboldened the governor. So in 2025 the Legislature kneecapped its own Commission and created a more limited task force with a six-month window to completely redraw Vermont’s school districts, leaving out all the other stuff about reforming the public education system.

Reminder that they could have had the full Commission review in the same time frame as the more limited task force. Which, in the end, decided it didn’t have enough time to draw new maps. Instead, it came up with a voluntary plan that satisfied neither the governor nor Statehouse leaders.

So in January, all that work got tossed in the dumpster and the Legislature began its measured, deliberative process. The relevant committees took testimony and gathered information. The House Education Committee took the lead, eventually passing H.955. It went to the Senate, whose committees took more testimony, gathered more information, and approved its version of H.955.

Problem. The governor didn’t like either one and threatened to veto any bill that didn’t meet his standards. And last week, with the session already into major overtime and the official start of campaign season already upon us, House and Senate leaders held closed-door meetings with the governor’s people trying to work out their differences.

Late Friday afternoon (newsdump!), they emerged with a compromise bill. Them came the weekend and the Monday holiday. And on Tuesday, as quickly as humanly (and Robert’s Rulesly) possible, the Senate slammed it through in a single day.

And on the same day it landed in front of the full House, which did not concur with the new H.955 and sought a House-Senate conference committee. So they hit the brakes just a little tiny bit — although everyone seems determined to wrap up the session by the end of this week, so there’s precious little time for consideration or debate or any of the alleged hallmarks of the lawmaking process. You know, deliberation, consultation, study, conducted with all due transparency in public view?

Yeah, that stuff. Screw that stuff.

I’m not passing judgment on the merits of the brand spankin’ new H.955, don’t touch it ’cause the ink’s still wet. My comments are purely about the process. The ridiculously rapid, secretive process that seems at odds with the fundamentals of, um, democracy?

I hope they got it right. I hope we’re not back here in a few years dealing the unintended consequences of H.955, patching and filling like a road crew in the Vermont spring. But I fear that’s exactly what we’ll be doing. Again. As we’ve done over and over again since the Brigham decision forced Our Betters to devise an equitable education system. They’ve been struggling with the task for almost three decades, so why stop now?

And one more thing. The next time a legislator boasts of the deliberative process, I suggest you laugh in their face. The next time a leader tells you something can’t be done because there’s not enough time, feel free to throw H.955 right back at them. My rule of thumb proves true once again: If the Legislature wants to get something done they always find a way, and when they don’t want to do something they find a convenient procedural obstacle.

Coming soon: A repeat of last summer’s anger and consternation, as the public begins to grasp the implications of the latest education overhaul.