Tennessee Governor, Phil Bredesen, has responded to an email I sent him last week. Education has typically been an important issue for him, and he didn’t disappoint in his response to me. As I thought before, the real problem in our state lies with the legislature. Here’s my original email, and his response.

Dear Gov. Bredesen,

I watched on tv the shameful interruption of a press conference by Pre-K advocates by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. I found it incredibly childish. I can’t understand why politicians get so offended by criticism. It is part of the job. As I told him in an email, criticizing the government is one of the fundamental rights in this nation. I believe you are of like mind. I’ve never seen you respond to the Nashville Scene’s constant criticism.

More than his behavior, I am very concerned by his mindset. I fear that mindset still has a hold on Capitol Hill. I’ve heard other lawmakers refer to Pre-K as “subsidized daycare”. That comment is highly offensive. I strongly desire for our education in Tennessee to be the finest in the nation. This can never happen if it is underfunded. Quality education is one of the best deterrents for crime. When people know better, they generally do better.

We must group Pre-K together with K-12 and higher education. I believe success in school and life starts at a very early age.

Respectfully,
–
Jonathan Sanders

a very concerned Tennessean

June 22, 2009

Dear Jonathan:

Thank you for contacting me about the Tennessee Voluntary pre-K Program.  I appreciate hearing from you.

In my travels across the state and conversations with educators from Memphis to Bristol, there is one thing I consistently hear. Teachers and principals all speak of the important role preschool plays in a child’s success by putting kids on an even footing on the first day of school. I am a firm believer that the foundation for building a better education system begins with preschool.  Pre-K remains, dollar for dollar, the best investment we can make in improving the chances for our children’s educational success.

Because of this, I support pre-K classrooms in communities throughout our state. My commitment to this program has continued through good budget times and through difficult ones such as those we are now experiencing.  As we work through the budget process and find ways to deal with a revenue shortfall of about $800 million, we will have to make difficult decisions about where we make cuts.  Even so, my budget fully preserves pre-K and K-12 education funding.

Please be assured that the education of our young people remains my top priority as Governor.

Warmest regards,

Phil Bredesen

Here is the email that so inflamed Lt. Gov. Ramsey, he felt he needed to “address” it.

This email is in concern to the recent action of Senate Finance to dismantle pre-k by moving $22 million to a non-recurring funding source next year.

I am writing to  advise you of a news conference to be held on Tuesday, June 26 (tomorrow) at 1:00 in Room 30 (tentative room number) of Legislative Plaza. We are requesting Pre-K leaders and advocates from across the state to join those legislators who are committed to fighting these cuts in this news conference. We especially would like the areas of Anderson, Knox and Rutherford Counties to be represented at the news conference.

Would you help us spread the word? We need LP 30 to be filled to capacity tomorrow with Pre-K supporters. We realize this is short notice but the budget is an urgent matter and will most likely be voted on this week.

The following is a message that needs to be diffused throughout the Pre-K community and state:

We’ve spent years trying to educate legislators about the value of early childhood education. Unfortunately, some of them continue to work to dismantle pre-K. Most recently, the Senate Republican Caucus is proposing to move $22M in pre-K funding to a dwindling source of non-recurring funds. In doing so, they are clearly setting up pre-K for future cuts. This move would jeopardize future funding for as many as 250 pre-K classrooms.

Bottom line: It’s not just disappointing and ill-advised; it’s reckless and short-sighted.

We hoped lawmakers would be statesmen this year. Instead, some seem intent on dismantling a nationally recognized pre-K program and undermining local efforts in some of the most forward-thinking education communities in our state — places like Anderson County (which has perhaps the longest history of pre-K in Tennessee); Rutherford County (which now has the highest pre-K demand in the state); and Knox County (which plays a perennially pivotal role in advancing sound policies, partly because of UT but also because it’s an intellectual capital that takes pride in its thoughtful approaches to education).

Thank you for your support of our state’s youngest learners!

Bobbi

Bobbi Lussier
Executive Director
Office of Early Learning
TN Dept. of Education
9th Floor Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN   37243
ph.  615-253-3167
fax: 615-532-4989

Lt. Gov. Ramsey’s email: lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov

The Lt. Governor of Tennessee, Ron Ramsey, made the evening news recently when he interrupted a news conference being held by advocates of Pre-K. Here is the story from WSMV Channel 4. During the budget finalization this week Senate Republicans, including Mr. Ramsey, tried to change the funding for Pre-K in our state. Their idea would have made it very easy to cut funding for Pre-K outright in future years. Department of Education Commissioner Tim Webb, alarmed at the budget amendments, sent an email out to other Pre-K advocates, and called a press conference to raise awareness. Mr. Ramsey and his cohorts, offended by the negative publicity, crashed the news conference in order to “set the record straight”. Naturally, I am pissed at this obvious attempt to bully people with a different view point. So, I wrote him an email, and told him so.

Dear Mr. Ramsey,

I was very troubled to see you on Channel 4 news interrupt a news conference involving Pre-K. I found it very unprofessional. My wife, a Pre-K teacher, was at the news conference, and she was extremely offended by many of your comments. As a lawmaker, you have a responsibility to lead this state and set an example for personal conduct. It doesn’t concern me that you were offended. You hold public office. Being criticized is part of the job. In fact, it’s one of the true joys of our nation. We get to speak our mind when we’re unhappy with the way we’re being governed. Disrupting a news conference held by people with differing viewpoints is childish and wrong.

I would like to explain why I think it is short sighted to change the funding for Pre-K. Your proposal would make it extremely easy for the program to be cut in the future. Our state seems to be in a perpetual budget crisis, and making a program susceptible to the chopping block is tantamount to actually cutting it. Do you not understand the value of education, even at the early childhood level? I have seen what it does for children with my own eyes. It is NOT “subsidized daycare”. These children are leaving their classrooms with knowledge and self-confidence.

It troubles me that our state ranks in the 40′s for education. We should aspire to be a leader in education. That absolutely starts in Pre-K. You should be crafting a budget that safeguards Pre-K from any future cuts. There are few things more important to the development of a human being, and by extension, the population of a state, than education.

While I understand that the budget has already been sent to the governor, the citizenry of this state will be watching our elected officials closely. If we find you are making decisions that aren’t in the best interest of the people, we will make our own decision at the ballot box.

Respectfully,

–
Jonathan Sanders

a very concerned Tennessean

To his credit he actually responded.

Dear Jonathan,

I am all for ensuring pre-k education is available to all at-risk students. Beyond that, it comes down to how to best use our money. Every dollar spent on pre-k takes a dollar away from the rest of our educational system such as our K-12 program and Higher Education. I just want to get the best possible return on investment toward the education of our children. In addition, since Pre-K has been established it has always been funded by “non-reoccurring” lottery and general fund dollars. Thanks for your input! 

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

 

Sincerely,

Ron Ramsey

Certainly, he seems to not comprehend some of the issues. So, I told him so.

While I appreciate your response, you seem to think that the two are separate entities. As if giving to Pre-K necessarily takes away from K-12 and higher education. My position is Pre-K should be linked with the rest of the education department. It is an invaluable precursor to kindergarten that will aid these children for their entire academic careers.

Too many people view Pre-K as a daycare like experience. This is evidenced by the wide range in the education levels of Pre-K teachers. My wife has a Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. Trust me, she does not do it for the money. She’s basically a paid volunteer. However, she does it because she truly believes in the value of Pre-K, and the potential of the children in her class. I believe in it too, and support her 100%. I truly wish lawmakers could see its value as well.

Pre-K should not be thought of as a luxury. It is an investment that will repay itself tenfold. If we in Tennessee truly value education, then we must champion all levels of education.

–
Jonathan Sanders