Not knowing how many people would be attending the ‘anti-Sanford / pro-education and jobs’ rally, I wasn’t sure how many photos I’d be able to take – it turns out plenty of people are interested in jobs and education here in S.C. As a matter of fact, several flash crowds popped up across the state.
Here in Greenville, we listened to Bryan Coburn, the S.C. State Teacher of the Year, as he admonished current policies and encouraged others to stay true, and push forward by voting your conscious.
We also heard from a former Greenville County student who just graduated from Duke Univ. He stated that, for the most part, recent graduates are not moving to S.C. to work, because the job environment is so poor here.
With S.C. coming in 3rd from the bottom on education rankings, you have to wonder what good the S.C. Education lottery is doing for us and our kids.
At the same time, the S.C. Education Oversight Committee (EOC) held a full meeting, with results from the Clemson public engagement project being presented. A full copy of the Clemson report, as well as a “Summary of Key Findings” can be found online at www.eoc.sc.gov, but some points of concern included:
- Lack of Awareness of Achievement Gaps,
- High expectations for schools and students,
- Differences of Viewpoints among Stakeholders, and
- Lack of Awareness of National Trends in Education.
Now that Gov. Sanford is under order from the South Carolina Supreme Court to sign a federal application for $700 million in federal stimulus cash, everybody wants to make sure they benefit from it. The funds are slated to help the state’s schools, but there is still a long road ahead to bring our education system up to national standards.
While many are opposed to a federal infusion, others point to South Carolina’s Education Report Card – placing 3rd from the bottom is something no state would be happy with, and knowing Gov. Sanford has political goals on a national level should scare us even more!
On the jobs front, organizers from the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement say that the 2009 South Carolina Teacher Expo – their 21st annual job fair – was the most crowded one in memory.
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