His likely Democratic opponent in the general election John Windsor responded saying the following to the Northeast Mississippi Journal:
"It seems mighty late in the day – for a man who has spent his adult life promoting the most elitist private school in Jackson that most Mississippians could not afford if they wanted - to come to North Mississippi and profess his love for public education when he is running for office," John Windsor said. "I know the importance of public school funding, because I went to public school in North Mississippi and later taught public school in North Mississippi."
Full Text of Windsor's Press Release:
ReplyDeleteFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Windsor Emphasizes Importance of Clean Elections,Questions Hosemann's Claims on Education Funding
Tupelo – While speaking to the editorial board of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Thursday afternoon, Secretary of State Candidate and former public school teacher John Windsor emphasized the importance of clean elections and questioned claims made by a Republican opponent regarding education funding for North Mississippi school districts.
Windsor addressed the claims of his Republican rival at the beginning of his interview with the board.
"He is peddling snake oil in an effort to pander to republican voters in Lee and Desoto Counties. I felt like it needed a response, and it seemed appropriate to do so before the same board where he made the statements." Windsor said.
"As a former public school teacher, I am for any plan that gets our schools funded at an adequate level. But, I believe the most straightforward way to do so is to fully fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program at the first of the year, every year, not just in election years. That should be the top priority for every elected official, not gimmicks that pander to voters."
"Hundreds of millions of dollars in short-falls to MAEP have been pushed by the Governor and Senate in 2004 and 2005," Windsor said. "Our schools need consistent, sustained funding at an adequate level, which is what MAEP is designed to do. Hosemann's gimmick is an attempt to draw attention away from real support for public education. He simply does not want to talk about MAEP."
Delbert Hosemann, a tax attorney from Northeast Jackson who is running as a Republican for Secretary of State, said that the funding formula for Chickasaw Cession funds, which has been in place since the early 1980's, was flawed. He argued that North Mississippi's 45 school districts lost up to $2 million this year because of that formula. The claim has yet to be substantiated.
"It seems mighty late in the day – for a man who has spent his adult life promoting the most elitist private school in Jackson that most Mississippians could not afford if they wanted - to come to North Mississippi and profess his love for public education when he is running for office," John Windsor said. "I know the importance of public school funding, because I went to public school in North Mississippi and later taught public school in North Mississippi."
Windsor also played up his North Mississippi roots and emphasized the importance of clean elections to the Daily Journal board.
Primary elections are three weeks from Tuesday. Windsor faces two other candidates in the August 7 Democratic Primary. Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for Secretary of State.
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That may honestly be one of the most poorly written press releases in the history of politics, you get one quote not 7. Sombody put that kid to bed.
ReplyDeleteHosemann claims the change is worth $2 million spread over 45 school districts. In 1994, the difference between fully funding MAEP for the 2005 fiscal year (House Bill 1696) and what the Governor/Senate proposed was a difference of more than $2 million in Pontotoc County alone. The difference for the DeSoto County system was roughly $7.5 million. Hosemann is pandering on public education, and Windsor called him out. Period.
ReplyDeleteAS A SCHOOL TEACHER, I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT EDUCATION IS BEING DISCUSSED IN THIS RACE. IF IT'S TRUE THAT MR. HOSEMANN IS SUCH A BIG BACKER OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN JACKSON, IT SEEMS A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS FOR HIM TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI. I AM NOT SAYING THAT TWO MILLION DOLLARS ISN'T A LOT OF MONEY, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE USUALLY TENS OR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT STAKE FOR OUR SCHOOLS UP HERE WHEN THEY FAILED TO FULLY FUND MAEP. IN MY BOOK IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO PAINT THEMSELVES AS BEING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, THEN THEY NEED TO SAY THAT THEY NEED TO FUND IT AT LEAST AT AN ADEQUATE LEVEL EVERY YEAR. IT LOOKS LIKE JOHN WINDSOR IS THE ONLY ONE SAYING THAT.
ReplyDeleteBefore "Sombody" criticizes the writing of somebody else, he/she/it should run a spell check.
ReplyDeleteoops, I see my cut and paste yielded text errors I am poor and need to use open office. This rich Hosemann feller must have word.
ReplyDeleteLet me see, in the JPS hearing this week, all but one of the middle schools are in trouble for test scores. NE Jackson has NO public or middle high schools despite paying the majority of the taxes. Yet he puts his kids in a school where they are actually taught to read, he is a loser for it? Right.
ReplyDeleteNow back to this tantrum of Windsor. He looked really stupid. Hoseman raised a VERY good issue and Windsor instead engaged in a personal attack, despite the fact that HOseman did not attack him. Windsor should have said it was an issue worth raising and discussed whether Hoseman was wrong or not and if right, how it should be addressed.
Instead, he looks like a crybaby who attacks Hoseman for where he sends his kids (classy, pick on the family) for an office that for the most part, is not as heavily involved with public education as other statewide offices are.
What is noticeable is Hoseman is setting the pace with this and business courts idea. Windsor needs to deal with the issue raised and then discuss some of his own. Windsor looked really stupid in this press release.
I personally think taking a quality kid and putting them in a deficient school system is a sin.
ReplyDeleteI also think it is a sin for people to neglect those students who cannot afford a private school education by not supporting public schools.
I also think that the public school systems in some districts are seriously deficient and need complete overhauls.
Blogger needs a spell check.
There are situations where people risk their child's education because it is politically correct to send them to a public school that is deficient. This is wrong.
Attacking someone politically because their children attended private school is unfair, especially in light of the condition of some of our school systems. It is our responsibility to educate our own children the best we can. I take responsibility for my son's education, and I will never blame or credit the government for it. I was taught in the home as well as at school, and that is how it is at my home now.
Since Windsor got personal, so will I. God bless the First Amendment.
I'm sure the public schools in Corinth are much better than the schools in the Delta (my old stomping grounds). If Windsor were to have lived in the Delta, I bet he would have either attended an academy or been sent off to school. (We know he could afford it, his father is dumping thousands into his campaign).
And by the way, Windsor is discussing MAEP, a legislative issue. Perhaps he should have run for the legislature if he wanted to discuss MAEP.
Let's face it, Windsor was admitted to the bar in September of 2006. His financing comes mainly from his father and family friends in Corinth. His legal career consists of working in State government. Becoming Secretary of State would probably mean a big raise for him.
This guy is less than a flash in the pan.
Hosemann is setting the pace in this race and will serve the office well. Windsor should have thought more seriously about establishing his career before making this jump.
I have read the posts on this blog and that other Right-Wing Mississippi Blog or whatever it is called. On both blogs some of the same bloggers are saying that Windsor got personal on Hosemann. I don't see it. I gues the statement they are referring to is:
ReplyDelete"It seems mighty late in the day – for a man who has spent his adult life promoting the most elitist private school in Jackson that most Mississippians could not afford if they wanted - to come to North Mississippi and profess his love for public education when he is running for office."
I don't see anything personal about that. It just states a fact. The school that Hosemann promoted is one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive schools in the state. There is no criticism or judgment of his motives, just a statement of the fact that he has not been involved with public schools.
Calling people "immature", "cry baby", and "babyface" is getting personal, which is exactly what is in the posts about Mr. Windsor by some these same bloggers.
I think Mr. Windsor made a valid point, to quote again from the above text:
"Our schools need consistent, sustained funding at an adequate level, which is what MAEP is designed to do. Hosemann's gimmick is an attempt to draw attention away from real support for public education."
Because MAEP is really a non issue for the SOS job. Hoseman raised a good issue.
ReplyDeleteWindsor completely ignored it and instead accused him of peddling snake oil. Um, aside from the name calling Windsor, why don't you tell us exactly why it is snake oil? Does that mean you think Hoseman is wrong in raising this issue? Does this mean you are against looking at something that might increase funding. He completely ignores it. Completely as do you. You do not even address it either.
ANd yes, bringing in where he sends his kids to school is a bit personal. I told you, there are no public middle schools or high schools in NE Jackson and many of hte schools here are a joke. I don't care where someone sends their kids and that includes Democrats.
However, when Windsor ignores Hosemann's comments on the funding issue and instead just attacks him on where he sends his kids, it makes him look stupid as though he has no ideas of his own.
Or better yet, he is in the pocket of those whose interests might be affected, like those who had been benefitting all those years from cheap 16th section leases until the SOS changed things, much to their dismay.
Windsor still has ignored the issue of whether the funding was calculated propely as have you. period.
What does all of this mean at the end of the day?
ReplyDeleteWell, for starters, we all know Delbert Hosemann is going to be our next Secretary of State. I don't think many people will dispute that.
Secondly, we are lucky to get someone of Hosemann's talent. He will be a very influential Secretary of State. Hide and watch.
John Windsor's remarks about Delbert, his longtime interest in education (YES private education; is there something wrong with that?), and his current blockbuster find concerning public school funding are completely a cry for help from Windsor's trial lawyer funded campaign. Windsor's attacks sound like those from John Arthur Eaves Jr. All talk, no substance, no solutions, and a whole heapin pile of smoke money to fund the campaign.