Committee no longer has a quorum, but more out-of-towners testifying
Dozens more people still are waiting to testify, but several members of the Senate Education Committee have now had to leave, and the committee no longer has a quorum. All those still awaiting their chance to testify are against the Luna reform plan. "To hear everyone, we're here until 9 o'clock tonight - I don't think that's practical," said Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d'Alene, the committee chairman - though the committee has two more days of testimony scheduled this week. Goedde asked for a show of hands to see how many of those waiting are from out of the area - most raised their hands. Now, he's decided to allow another 30 minutes of testimony tonight, limiting people to just 2 minutes.
Among those testifying: Katrina Elliott of Blackfoot, who said, "I'm just a parent." She said when she told her son the plan might put two more kids in his class, he said, "Where would we put them?" A teacher from Shelley told the committee, "I'm not here because a 'union boss' asked me to be here." He said no one wants bad teachers. "We're in this together for kids - we have to trust each other." Jared Neff, a middle school teacher from Blackfoot, spoke against the pay-for-performance rules, which he said would hurt teachers who teach troubled students. A parent from Rexburg said, "Our high school already has computers available to its students at a ratio of one to four."