Op-Ed: `Contributions`: Consequences Clearly Contravene U.S. and State Constitutions

Students from Labish Elementary in Salem Photo By: Tim King

(SALEM) - Oregonian parents have partnered with their school boards to sue the State for stealing their children`s Constitutional right to `equal education".

That fundamental legal-force is now demanded to clear away consequences of those corporate `campaign contributions" malignly manipulating Legislative responsibility.

It is debilitating and denigrating; the denial and distortion of public funding across the entire budget-list and throughout the budget cycle that is creating this impossible situation.

That is why the Legislature is now forced to meet in special funding-repair and rehabilitation for current budget short-falls; under threat of forced departure after only two days due to "building repair" (!), already announced by the Governor's staff.

State-court action in 38 states confirms egregious errors undermining `equal education for all" as truly constitutionally demanded. Twenty-one of 29 suits have won decisions ordering the state `to restructure state funding", S-N reported; providing `equal education for all".

Very strong public outrage now 0bviously exist in Oregon too.

`All men are created equal" were Holy Words written by the Founding Fathers.

We fought a Civil War (600,000 dead) to make it true, in large part, over the following century and we are still continuing.

Unfortunately, over those years, continuing corporate pressures to subvert essential chartering provisions have been perpetrated, procuring potently relaxed provisions for strong corporate regulation and control.

The dead corpus designed for private-gain operation has been imbued with the living rights of real personhood, including First Amendment characteristics sheltering `contributions" as political right.

That lack of practical, demanded surveillance has circumvented precisely the close control contemplated by pioneer leaders, despite profoundly harmful, dangerous, costly experience with kingly predecessors whose predatory impacts forced furious pioneers to create the American Revolution.

SO: Why is this educational revolt happening, NOW? What driving force consolidates these most difficult decisions by parents and school-board leaders?

When did this demand for decisive educational action start, with what changes-in-the world?

Where will it take us, now � and at what costs? Can we afford to return to `all men are equal" as it applies to the education of this generation?

This happens now because, ever since the U.S. Education Office study A NATION AT RISK in 1983, we`ve known what we must do as communications technology changes our world. That is now nearly twenty-five years later--a quarter-century!! -- Since we were fully warned; and should have been fully armed and -funded; to assure the future of this generation AND our nation.

Yet many states (at least 38, so far!) have lagged so badly that parents and school boards now find their last possible avenue for democratic correction in the court system, seeking protection from as harmful attack as ever came from abroad.

That`s what drives parents and Board Members to undertake this costly, cumbersome and controversial resort to Court-ordered rational response: `Equal funding for all", to meet Constitutional guarantee.

The final-dollar figure has to be cost of NOT doing what we KNOW we must DO NOW...build the education this world now demands for our coming generations.

No matter how figured, or by-whom, that cost is far too high.

In Oregon, since the 80s, we have stood by --sometimes in consternation but far too long far too calmly-- while we allowed our Legislative servants to respond all too well to corporate contributions --and often corporate direction-- in so many complex community issues that we have shot ourselves right in the --- educational system.

That must end, now, rapidly -- or so will Oregon`s future.

Editor's note... Our Op-Ed Writer Hank Ruark recently celebrated his 89th birthday, he is without a doubt the most experienced working reporter in Oregon if not the entire NW. It is refreshing that someone who has more than paid his dues and already raised his children, still clearly sees the future of education as a primary focus. Thank you Hank for reminding us of what should be the simplest and most obviouus thing; It just takes more funding for kids, it is as simple as that.