SC EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT’S MINIMALLY ADEQUATE CAMPAIGN WEBSITE OF SHAME

Under the guise of a petition drive to create a Constitutional amendment inserting the words “high quality education” into the South Carolina Constitution, State Schools Superintendent Jim Rex has launched what appears to be nothing more than an exploratory Website for a looming 2010 gubernatorial bid.

On the site, GoodbyeMinimallyAdequate.com, Rex claims the amendment would increase vital education funding. Despite ignoring the plethora of other, more suitable options to improve our schools, it seems like a noble cause.

But critics charge this site is little more than a media stunt that allows Rex to grandstand on an issue while accomplishing very little.

“While the educracy argues and wastes political and financial capital to change words in the South Carolina Constitution, they have been woefully inadequate in meeting the educational needs of all children in South Carolina,” said Randy Page, President of South Carolinians for Responsible Government. “Through their posturing, they seem to suggest that one phrase used in the constitution ‘minimally adequate’ is all that is holding children in South Carolina back. If only it were that simple.”

Although the effort is essentially pointless, Rex will be able to use any data collected via the sight’s petition signing and contribution forms to build a grassroots network for his anticipated 2010 campaign for governor.

Opponents also point to the fact that there is nothing constitutional about Rex’s amendment and that he is merely trying to legislate from the ballot box.

They claim the Website itself reveals his true intentions by giving powerful Democrats like Bud Ferillo, who ran Rex’s 2006 campaign, a very prominent position on the site. Numerous other political allies of the superintendent are also featured.

And although no group or government agency is directly listed as paying for the site — something that could be illegal under state ethics law given that it is promoting a ballot initiative — all donations are sent to SC Christian Action Council. That group is registered as a 501(c)(3) “tax deductible” charity.

I think the most pressing minimally adequate feature of our school system is Jim Rex. And I don’t think many folks will have trouble saying goodbye to his lack of leadership.

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UPDATE: Someone pointed out to me that it might also be illegal for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit such as the SC Christian Action Council to use their tax-deductible resources in support of a political campaign. “They are legally bound not to lobby and participate in all other sorts of other political initiatives,” they said. “A 501(c)(4) has that right which is why they request a different level of charitable status.”

This entry was posted on Monday, April 28th, 2008 at 9:43 pm and is filed under Executive. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.