karyllemia
09-06-2007, 10:08 PM
Reference: http://www.delawareonline.com (http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070906/OPINION11/709060328/1112/OPINION)
It's not often that blatant, self-righteous political pandering rears its head from the Legislature. But the state's refusal to allow Delaware Military Academy to use a low bond interest rate to raise $12 million ranks right up there with the exceptions.
This flap over using the state's interest rate -- as allowed under Internal Revenue Service rules -- has nothing to do with education or the quality of the nationally recognized Junior ROTC academy. It has to do with political egos in the General Assembly and the attitude of the public school teachers union, the Delaware State Education Association.
Teachers and instructors at DMA, a state-approved charter school aligned with the Navy, are not members of the DSEA and don't pay dues. They usually aren't paid quite as much as public schools (http://schoolsworldwide.org/) teachers either. State Secretary of Education Valerie Woodruff is not a fan of charter schools, setting up an alignment of teachers and their top boss who both dislike the same thing, at least in this case.
New Castle County Council was first approached by DMA Commandant Charles Baldwin to use the county's bonding interest rates to raise $12 million so it could pay off debt and purchase its building near Newport. Buying the site instead of leasing it could save the school $120,000 annually.
See what's new about the military here: escuela militar (http://www.military-school.org/) updates
It's not often that blatant, self-righteous political pandering rears its head from the Legislature. But the state's refusal to allow Delaware Military Academy to use a low bond interest rate to raise $12 million ranks right up there with the exceptions.
This flap over using the state's interest rate -- as allowed under Internal Revenue Service rules -- has nothing to do with education or the quality of the nationally recognized Junior ROTC academy. It has to do with political egos in the General Assembly and the attitude of the public school teachers union, the Delaware State Education Association.
Teachers and instructors at DMA, a state-approved charter school aligned with the Navy, are not members of the DSEA and don't pay dues. They usually aren't paid quite as much as public schools (http://schoolsworldwide.org/) teachers either. State Secretary of Education Valerie Woodruff is not a fan of charter schools, setting up an alignment of teachers and their top boss who both dislike the same thing, at least in this case.
New Castle County Council was first approached by DMA Commandant Charles Baldwin to use the county's bonding interest rates to raise $12 million so it could pay off debt and purchase its building near Newport. Buying the site instead of leasing it could save the school $120,000 annually.
See what's new about the military here: escuela militar (http://www.military-school.org/) updates