More on ag education funding
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Flanked by students involved in the Future Farmers of America program, Rauner also found himself defending his latest budget proposal, which would zero out funding for agriculture education. Rauner said he supports beefing up school funding across the board, but local districts should be able to decide how it’s spent.
“Let’s be clear. I’m a strong advocate for agriculture and a strong advocate for education for agriculture,” Rauner said. “What we’re saying is, let’s not have a lot of line items dictating terms of where money gets spent. Let’s put a lot more money in the schools and let the schools decide how they spend their money. I hope the schools in Illinois put more money into agriculture, not less.”
* But the kids don’t see it that way…
Connor Carmody, Illinois FFA state vice president, said he was among FFA representatives asked by the Department of Agriculture to be at the news conference.
“We … wish we could get our direct funding,” he told The State Journal-Register concerning the ag education line item, “because whenever you give it to the schools, obviously, they’re going to try to spread it out everywhere else. And agriculture is an elective in most schools, so it’s one of the first things on the chopping block. I know that’s how it is at my school.”
Carmody, 18, is a graduate of Calhoun High School in Hardin, and is spending a year in his FFA post before attending the University of Illinois at Urbana next year.
“Sadly, at my school, if we get more money, it’s probably going to go into sports,” Carmody said. “That’s just kind of how small town schools like mine are. … Actually, my school ag program has been threatened the past couple years,” he added, and alumni are helping fund the program there.
Some of those same points were mentioned in yesterday’s Question of the Day. But, I thought you’d like to see them anyway.
- LizPhairTax - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:01 am:
Govern, don’t hope.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:03 am:
===Connor Carmody, Illinois FFA state vice president, said he was among FFA representatives asked by the Department of Agriculture to be at the news conference.
“We … wish we could get our direct funding,” he told The State Journal-Register concerning the ag education line item, “because whenever you give it to the schools, obviously, they’re going to try to spread it out everywhere else. And agriculture is an elective in most schools, so it’s one of the first things on the chopping block. I know that’s how it is at my school.”===
This young person is either ridiculously smarter than Rauner’s entire Staff and Crew put together…
Or…
… refuses to be a complete Raunerite lemming by refusing to see the false propaganda Rauner and the Raunerites want spread.
Either way… Connor is going places, maybe even out of state for college. Connor is already aware of the Raunerites destructive ways(?)
- Stones - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:06 am:
Would Governor Rauner take the same approach with contract negotiations, that is to give AFSCME a pot of money and let them divide it up as they see fit? I sincerely doubt it.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:10 am:
Lesson to whatever group Rauner speaks to: if he says he’s a strong advocate of your subject, know that it is a sham statement of support.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:12 am:
–“What we’re saying is, let’s not have a lot of line items dictating terms of where money gets spent. Let’s put a lot more money in the schools and let the schools decide how they spend their money.–
Really?
Does that principle apply to distribution of all state funds?
I sincerely hope not.
To be fiscally responsible, aren’t you supposed to have a clue as to what you’re spending your money on?
- Magic carpet ride - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:12 am:
Direct funding was “fought” for ag education to avoid exactly this problem. I wonder if the FFA was glad we elected a Republican governor.
- Wow - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:13 am:
Connor hit the nail on the head!
“Sadly, at my school, if we get more money, it’s probably going to go into sports,” Carmody said. “That’s just kind of how small town schools like mine are. … Actually, my school ag program has been threatened the past couple years,” he added, and alumni are helping fund the program there.
Maybe the Governor should hire him!! Seems to know how to make a real simple decision.
- Horse w/ No Name - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:14 am:
I hope schools put more money into Ag education…I just don’t plan on doing a thing to ensure that happens.
Is this guy trolling us?
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:14 am:
FFA, Rural Illinois, Southern Illinois, almost nothing drives our economic engine like agriculture. It is our life-blood. Here’s your Ag vocab lesson for the day. The word is PERFIDY. Perfidy is saying something different than your actions. Learn what Perfidy means in this context. Perfidy is wearing a Carhardt jacket, looking like a man of the land and ZEROING OUT ag education in schools. Perfidy is saying that you love the State Fair, buying a cow, and then DESTROYING THE INSTITUTION by denying funding to it. Know the word Perfidy and teach it to your parents. Tomorrows lesson is about Affluenza. Your representative may have caught affluenza if they are more interested in getting Rauner money as opposed to protecting your rural interests like FFA, local jobs at prisons, shooting complexes, and nuclear power plants. Affluenza causes memory loss amongst politician. They forget who and what issues put them into office.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:19 am:
Once again we see a governor who doesn’t understand what governing means. Governments need to be governed. They need to be lead towards policies which reflect what is best for all citizens. If a governor believes in Ag education, then that governor better ensure that Ag education is funded well.
Rauner is just flat out bizarre with things like this. He thinks it is just fine to allow market mentalities to direct a social good? Where in the world has he ever witnessed such a thing? There is a reason we have a government, and that purpose is to ensure that a social good continues to be provided to our societies.
He is madder than a March hare if he thinks a market is going to ensure a proper distribution of a social good like the Illinois Agriculture sector. This man is hoping that reality will be magically suspended.
He is our governor. It is high time he governs!
- Tough Guy - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:20 am:
Conner is wise beyond his years. He’s figured out the Rauner double speak. Now if only the GA Republican members could be as smart.
- muon - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:29 am:
Stones, what you say is doubtful is actually not so crazy. There are a number of local governments that came to terms with the unions by agreeing to a total amount and then letting the union divvy it up on the step and lane chart in exchange for more non-financial management items.
- Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:31 am:
We need more like Conner telling it like it is and not afraid to speak up. I hope his fellow FFA members and graduates are as articulate and not afraid to speak up to legislators and school boards. I taught in a rural high school with a great FFA program. They had parents and alums that were involved in the fund raising and other activities so the young men and women could attend out of town and out of state FFA events.
- OutHereInTheMiddle - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:36 am:
“Let’s be clear. I support all state government programs . . . as long as I get to crush AFSCME and I and my friends don’t have to pay taxes.”
- Chicago PR Guy - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:45 am:
The U of I is having difficulty getting students interested in ag education. Kids that come from ag families just aren’t sufficient numbers. One example. Plant breeding. Most of the ag kids aren’t too interested so it really struggles to fill seats. But a starting salary out of school pays $85k or more. That’s undergrad. And most of those jobs are with DuPont, Monsanto and other large companies with great benefits. Science inclined kids applying to college have no idea such programs exist. Pushing this content at the kids is the only way to do it. And talent in the field is desperately needed.
- Mama - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:46 am:
If the majority of the school board wants a big athletic program, they will use the money from Ag Ed, etc.. This is one reason why giving the schools a lump sum payment is a very bad idea.
- Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:46 am:
“I hope the schools in Illinois put more money into agriculture, not less.”
Um, isn’t that why line items exist gov.? Connor has a bright future. Rauner wouldn’t recognize a true ‘Superstar’ if it were, well, standing right beside of him.
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:47 am:
Hard to get worked up over this. If school districts downstate want to plow ag education funding into a bass fishing team, that’s on them.
- Mama - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:50 am:
“To be fiscally responsible, aren’t you supposed to have a clue as to what you’re spending your money on?”
Not in Rauner’s 1% world.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:50 am:
I don’t recall if any sitting members of the GA are FFA alums, but I do remember alums back in the day like Sen.Duane Noland from Decatur.
I guess my point is that the FFA could use a strong fighter on the third floor for their interests, as the second floor has apparently made up its mind and can’t be reached. (No cell phone or e-mail, don’tcha know.)
Tip of the hat to Connor and his fellow FFA students for fighting the good fight. Many of us here are with you.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:52 am:
Well, Mr. Carmody certainly isn’t going to get himself appointed to an House GOP seat with that kind of talk.
- Mama - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:52 am:
“He is our governor. It is high time he governs!”
VanillaMan - Rauner is not interested in governing - he is only interested in his agenda.
- Mama - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:55 am:
“I wonder if the FFA was glad we elected a Republican governor.”
Yes they are because he told the farmers he is going to reduce their property taxes.
- Mama - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 10:59 am:
” Your representative may have caught affluenza if they are more interested in getting Rauner money as opposed to protecting your rural interests like FFA, local jobs at prisons, shooting complexes, and nuclear power plants. Affluenza causes memory loss amongst politician. They forget who and what issues put them into office.”
Honeybear, you are on fire! Lets hope our elected officials are paying attention.
- Dr X - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:15 am:
FFA = Special interest. They should be treated as such by a Governor that abhors special interests.
It’s just good governin’
- Gordon Willis - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:15 am:
C.D. Davidsmeyer better hire Connor as he lives in his district.
- NoGifts - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:18 am:
A budget document is equally a spending outline and a policy document. The things that are listed are priorities. Things that are removed are not priorities.
- Bobby Hill - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:29 am:
“Sadly, at my school, if we get more money, it’s probably going to go into sports,” Carmody said
That kid has a firm grasp of the obvious!
- jw - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:41 am:
the governor knows exactly what he is doing the first F inFFA is future he wants to destroy the future of ALL young people wither it be ag, a future teacher or a chemist or a lawyer heavens forbid a future governor
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:44 am:
Just to let you know, the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT) sent an email blast out yesterday that the Question of the Day was on CapFax!
Thank you Rich and all the commenters here (and yesterday) that are showing support for Ag Ed and the FFA. You are GREAT!
- Fred - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 11:49 am:
The Ag Ed line item doesn’t “dictate” anything. But I would at least give Rauner credit for taking a principled stand if he was consistent and eliminated all special line items in ISBE’s budget. But, lo and behold, charter schools keep their special line item in his budget. Almost all that money will end up in Chicago.
Keep that in mind downstaters when Rauner makes his red herring arguments about CPS sucking up your tax dollars — no Ag Ed funding for you, but millions in charter school cash for Chicago.
- Jimmy H - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 12:02 pm:
Smart kids! Hope their families, friends, and neighbors are equally as smart and vote accordingly in November. Vote out the Rs Rauner controls.
- Nearly Normal - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 12:30 pm:
Anon221–No doubt many of your members are also members of IEA or IFT. Be sure they get themselves involved in the endorsement or recommendation meetings for Illinois House & Senate later on this spring and early summer. Local leaders have a certain number of votes to recommend or not. Your members should let their local leadership know of their concerns and may be the designee for the local to the meeting, Follow the rules and get that input into the process! These legislators need to be held accountable as well-esp the Republican incumbents.
- Qui Tam - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 12:33 pm:
Knibb High Football Rules!
- Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 1:04 pm:
If I am the only one out there who thinks the Ag industry should start paying more then I will be quiet. But granny is paying $5k/yr tax bill on a 85 year old house(1350 sqft). These aren’t family farms anymore. Why isn’t MJM going this route for additional revenue.
- South Central - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 2:04 pm:
A pat on the back to Connor for speaking up, and may he continue to stay involved.
What I’d like to ask the governor is what exactly is broken with the way Ag Ed has been funded up until now? Or is it that that whole line-item thingy makes your head hurt?
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
Nearly Normal- Thanks for the tips:) I’m sure someone is watching from the IAVAT. I was heartened yesterday when that email came through from them!
- btowntruth - Wednesday, Mar 23, 16 @ 3:30 pm:
Gordon Willis:
Davidmeyer might hire the kid but C.D. would have to get permission from his boss Governor Perfidy first.