Public School Lobby – 1, Students – 0

Leading into yesterday’s meeting of the House Committee on Education, lobbyists and representatives of self-interest groups worked their networks to defeat HB 2140, sponsored by Representative Barry Hyde.

Under the guise of representing education, government and equality, these agents of no-change argued against altering their cozy, insider system which holds adults' elected offices and employment more important than the students they are entrusted to serve.

HB 2140 would have empowered the people, not incumbent school board members whose positions are at stake, to determine how the people will be represented in zoned districts.

No more. No less.

During discussion, some members pressured the sponsor to pull the bill down so they wouldn’t have to go on record. He courageously resisted.

The only person to speak against 2140 was Representative John Walker, who mischaracterized the bill, its citizen initiator, and the motivations behind it. Instead of discussing the issue at hand, Mr. Walker used the opportunity to tout his own proposed legislation which would lock all zoned school districts into seven zones, regardless of the will the respective school boards. Current law provides three options – five zones, seven zones or five zones and two at-large.

Even though members knew the issue was time sensitive because of the requirements of the decennial census, the committee voted unanimously to relegate it to the legislative equivalent of Siberia – interim study.

Members of the House Committee on Education need have asked only one question: "What's best for all students?"

The answer should have been their only guide.

But once again, Public School Lobby – 1, Students – 0. Game's not over, but the clock is running out.