Stories of Freedom: a “First Principles” Must Read

The current edition of Hillsdale College's newsletter, Imprimis, contains an outstanding tribute by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (TX) to freedom and the career of a lady who famously said, “I am not a consensus politician.  I am a conviction politician.”  Hillsdale President Larry Arnne, a confidante of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, also remembers defining moments in the career his friend.  Enjoy a few excerpts below or click here to read the entire publication.

From remarks by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (TX)

But most importantly, freedom produces opportunity. And I would encourage each of you to embrace what I call opportunity conservatism, which means that we should look at and judge every proposed domestic policy with a laser focus on how it impacts the least among us—how it helps the most vulnerable Americans climb the economic ladder.

The political left in our country seeks to reach down the hand of government and move people up the economic ladder. This attempt is almost always driven by noble intentions. And yet it never, ever works. Conservatives, in contrast, understand from experience that the only way to help people climb the economic ladder is to provide them the opportunity to pull themselves up one rung at a time…

Innovating SC Education Policy: Why the Need for Change?

Compelling statistics below that reinforce why education transformation is so vital to the economic future of our Palmetto State:

• Reading is not taught beyond 3^rd grade, yet 38% of our state’s 4^th graders are functionally illiterate and 72% read below grade level. (NAEP 2011)
• In Charleston County, nearly 20% of 9^th graders read at a 4^th-grade level or worse. (Charleston Post & Courier, May 18, 2010)
• Some 28% of South Carolina’s students fail to complete high school within four years, most of whom are dropouts. (SCDE Graduation Report, June 2011)
• According to ACT’s benchmarks, SC students who took the test, only 19% were deemed “college ready.” (ACT Profile Report, Class of 2011)
• Nearly 50% of SC students who enroll as freshman at a four-year college fail to graduate within six years. (SC Commission for Higher Education, 2011)
• While South has a 9.5% unemployment rate, there are extensive shortages of skilled workers for high technology manufacturing. (SC Department of Employment and Workforce; The State, Jan. 25, 2012)
• Most high school exit exams measure proficiency at the 8^th to 10^th grade levels. They are set this low to minimize the number of dropouts. (“Beyond the Rhetoric,” SREB, June 2010)
• The U.S. has fallen from 1^st in the world in high school graduation rate to 18^th of 24 industrialized nations. (“Benchmarking for Success,” National Governors’ Assoc., 2008)
• Between 2007 and 2009, teacher job satisfaction fell by 15 points to 44%, the lowest level since 1986. Additionally, 29% said they are likely to leave teaching for another profession. (The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, 2011)