This is a printer friendly version of an article from
www.goupstate.com
To print this article open the file menu and choose
Print.
Back
Article published Dec 8, 2003
Bill
would let governor appoint superintendent of education
The
General Assembly appears willing to consider a next step in the government
restructuring it started years ago.Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, has
filed a bill that would add the state education superintendent to the governor's
Cabinet. If the bill passed, the superintendent would no longer be elected. The
governor would appoint someone to the office.The change makes sense. Citizens
expect the governor to manage the state's education system. Education policy has
played a key role in the past few governor's races. People will hold the
governor accountable for educational progress or the lack of it.That means that
the governor should be able to control the state Department of Education. He
should have someone in charge of the department who reports to him and embraces
his policies.But that is not the case. When the superintendent of education is
elected, the state can easily have, as it does now, a governor and a
superintendent from opposing parties. These individuals could even be political
opponents.For instance, before current Education Superintendent Inez Tennenbaum
announced her intention to run for a U.S. Senate seat, she was considered to be
a possible candidate to oppose Gov. Mark Sanford in 2006.The governor cannot be
held accountable for education and be forced to deal with a superintendent of
education who disagrees with his policies and may be planning to run against
him.But if the governor appointed the superintendent, the two could be expected
to work together, and the governor could be held accountable for educational
progress.This is why the Commission on Management, Accountability and
Performance recommended this change. It also recommended ending the election of
the secretary of state and adjutant general and giving the governor the power to
appoint people to those positions.The General Assembly should approve the
amendments to the state constitution necessary to make these changes.Lawmakers
started the process of government restructuring during former Gov. Carroll
Campbell's administration. The idea was to allow the governor to effectively
manage state government and to be accountable to the people for its performance,
to replace the myriad of boards and commissions that run state agencies. It was
a worthwhile effort, one worthy of continuing.