Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Thomason: Numbers not mentioned in court ruling

This is the second in a three-part series from a public meeting held by State Representatives Tommy Roebuck and Chris Thomason concerning the problems the state faces during this legislative session. This article deals with Thomason's view on the subject.

Arkansas, as a whole, faces significant tests during the 84th General Assembly, according to State Representative Chris Thomason.

At a meeting held in Prescott recently, Thomason joked about going to Little Rock a month ago at the age of 30 and returning being 80-years-old because of everything going on during the session.

"I have a lot to learn," he said. "There are a lot of issues this legislative session faces and my perspective is limited. But nothing is more important than education."

Thomason has read Sen. Jim Argu's 103 page plan for education, along with the Arkansas Supreme Court's ruling.

Nowhere in the court's ruling, Thomason said, does it mention anything about specific numbers for school districts. It does, however, address the state's responsibility for providing a quality education for all Arkansas children, so everyone can prosper.

A lot, he said, is lost in talking about numbers. One of those things is how important schools are to smaller communities in Arkansas.

"Arkansas is a rural state. This is what makes it unique and special  the values instilled in children in small towns," he said. "This comes to the forefront."

Since Gov. Mike Huckabee's initial announcement of requiring all districts to have 1,500 students, he said, rural communities have come out in a panic about losing their schools.

Changes, Thomason said, will be made in the state's educational system. This can be used as an opportunity to correct problems in the education of the state's children.

Some of these problems, he said, have been around for more than 40 years. "We can come together as communities and a state. We need to work together and build an educational system for our children."

The most important thing, he said, is for everyone to stay on track. Now there is a tendency to focus on money.

People need to quit focusing on money, he said, and start looking at the end result. The ASC has provided a roadmap for education.

"The court made it clear and concise," he said, "it wants the state to uphold the constitution. We want to make those corrections. We won't like the next court decision."

One of the situations to be addressed, he said, is teacher shortage the state now has. In 2002, colleges and universities graduated 1,354 in the education field, but half didn't get certified, and a third left the state. Arkansas needs 2,000 teachers a year to break even.

The number 1,500, he said, is supposed to be the most efficient, but doesn't say if this is for the physical plants involved or the quality of education provided.

Two other proposals have been made, he said, the White plan, which suggests districts of 500 students, and the Picket plan of having districts being 5,000. However, under the Picket plan, only the administration would be consolidated. Schools would otherwise be unaffected.

The problem with teachers, he said, goes further than just the pay scale. There has been talk about teacher accountability, but what should be discussed in the need for parental accountability.

"Parents must take responsibility for their children," Thomason said. "A lot of children aren't ready to be educated and the family is responsible, but we can't legislate good parents.

"Children need to be well fed, well rested and have a basic respect for others before being sent to school."

Much discussion has been made on the topic of distance learning as a method for smaller districts being able to meet the suggested 60.5 credits.

This, Thomason said, is discussed and debated on a daily basis in the legislature.

Distance learning, he said, will be one of the keys to answering the court's ruling on equality. By utilizing distance learning, districts can offer more and co-op with other teachers for courses.

A lot of the problem, he said, can be traced back to our grandfathers's generation. They thought a college education would provide a better life for their children.

"This isn't true," Thomason said. "We need to recognized the value of vocational education as opposed to hire education. We need cooperation between education and business  a partnership with business and education on vocational classes offered."

It was pointed out there will always be a need for carpenters, plumbers and electricians, and these tradesmen enjoy a good quality of life.

"Not everybody goes to college or belongs in college," he said. "We need to change the way we think. A college education doesn't make someone a better person than a welder."

But, he added, those who want to go to college should be able to afford it, and this is becoming more and more difficult as the cost of a college education in Arkansas is skyrocketing. In fact, tuition has risen 77 percent in the last 10 years.

One of the answers to this, he said, is two-year colleges. Community colleges cut the expense of a student having to move and find housing, while providing a good education. "I support two-year colleges."

At this point, he said, there is no price tag for education.

He suggested everyone look at the governor's reorganization plans and keep up with what's going on in the session.

"There'll be a lot of hard decisions on how to generate the money we need," he said. "The state needs to tighten its belt."