Keep Calm and Override
Governor Markell announced today that he vetoed House Bill 50, the Opt-Out bill, which would allow for any student to be opted-out of any state or district assessment. He tried to soften that blow, and prevent an override vote, with some nonsense about signing a Senate Joint Resolution that seeks to get recommendations from various groups and school districts and boards.
I have a better idea. Let’s override that veto. HB50 passed the House twice by two-thirds margins, 36-3 and 31-5. And it passed the Senate twice by two-thirds margins, 14-7 and 15-6. Both chambers can vote again.
Let’s force them.
Override or give up your seat.
Identify and focus on the potential vote-switchers. You know Markell and Sokola are doing that already.
Why focus so much effort on a bill that means nothing? The point was made by its passage. Perhaps next year people can find a way to actually deter the testing regime.
Geezer… that is the smartest comment I have seen all year. This seems so stupid. All of this energy to fight for something that doesnt solve anything. Put this level of energy, phone calls, and emails behind actual reforms. Maybe we might get somewhere.
Perhaps next year people can find a way to actually deter the testing regime.
Opting out IS the way. And the noise made by an override effort will promote opting out even more. Keep reminding everyone they can still opt out even though the bill was vetoed.
“Opting out IS the way.”
Yes, it is. I am all in favor of civil disobedience. Changing the law actually makes it LESS likely to work, because this only makes a difference if lots of people opt out.
While y’all are focusing on this bill, you could be educating parents and encouraging them to rebel. You might not have noticed, but you’re nowhere near the 5% opt-out rate that would actually endanger the federal mandate.