Amendment removes local control

Amendment 3 is a critical issue in this election cycle. It will mandate that teacher evaluations be based on "quantifiable student performance data" (aka standardized tests). Reasonable people can agree that teachers need to be evaluated just like everybody else who works for a living; they already are. The problem with Amendment 3 is that the majority of a teacher's evaluation must reflect how his/her students perform on standardized tests. These evaluations must be approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). For all intents and purposes, DESE is composed of bureaucrats in Jefferson City.

If bureaucrats in Jefferson City can render the final verdict on how we evaluate our local teachers, will we have any say so at all? That is an interesting question and it deserves further discussion. Jacksons R2 rightfully takes great pride in its school district. What makes a school district great? I would venture to say that its teachers are a major part of that equation. Most of them are people from our community, or neighboring communities. They are our neighbors, people we know and trust with our children. And we know that there is a lot more to teaching children than how they perform on a test.

This one-size-fits-all approach will hinder teaching and learning. An unaccountable and unelected bureaucracy will hold power over our schools. Do we need unelected bureaucrats telling us how to educate our children and whether to retain or fire our teachers?

Please vote "no" on Amendment 3.

DAVID A. LARSON, treasurer, No on 3, Jackson