Goodbye Minimally Adequate: Support the Constitutional Amendment for a High Quality Education in South Carolina

Monday, March 9, 2009

For years our public schools have been in decline and the General Assembly has refused to allocate the necessary funds to improve them.  South Carolinians were proud to watch Ty’Sheoma Bethea, an 8th grader from JV Martin Middle School in Dillon, SC,  tell members of Congress, President Obama, the nation and the world, she and her fellow students were not quitters.  South Carolina should not quit on them. 

For these reasons, I have sponsored a House resolution that will change the South Carolina Constitution to mandate the state provide a “high quality education” from the current “minimally adequate”.  It is my belief, and the belief of many, that we cannot expect results if we don’t demand results.  By requiring minimally adequate public education, that’s what our children will receive.  What will our state be left with; minimally adequate doctors, lawyers, teachers, police officers, governors, etc.  Would you hire a minimally adequate contractor to build your house, or a minimally adequate banker to invest your money?  No.  Why should it be then, that minimally adequate is acceptable in our public education system?  We must make education a priority and I believe this resolution is where it begins.

I am honored to have the opportunity to fight for public education in South Carolina – it is a priority for me, but your support is also needed to advance our public schools.  Please contact your legislators and ask them to support the “High Quality Public Education Resolution” as a co-sponsor, ask them to support public education, ask them to support the children of South Carolina.  We can and will do better for our state and our future, but we will all have to work together.

Thank you for being supporting public education. 

Sincerely,

James E. Smith, Jr.

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