Can the Fox Guard the Henhouse?

I can't remember so much talk about "local control" of public education since the late seventies repeal of the State's Uniform Property Tax. Groups who only recently worked with the Governor to help fend off TABOR, are now working feverishly against his plan to consolidate school districts under the mantle of defending local control.

Where were these cries when John Baldacci raised the minimum teacher salary to $30,000.00? Why didn't the Maine School Boards Association and the Maine School Superintendents Association insist that the minimum salary issue be left as it should be, a matter of local control?

In a February 1 BDN Op-Ed Column, Kimberly Bedard, president of the Maine School Boards Association, and Barry McLaughlin, president of the Maine School Superintendents Association are offering "to establish a process that is based on honest and reliable data, and includes extensive input at the regional and local levels, and that leads to ultimate approval by the voters in each affected community"... "to work with the Governor and the Legislature to design such a process and develop plans that give Maine citizens responsible options for collaboration, regional programs and consolidation."

It seems to me that they want to define both the problem that they have helped to create, and then create a "solution" for us to ratify. Whose interests have they represented in the past and for whom will their solutions benefit?

Do you really want the fox to guard the henhouse?