Springfield - State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) is wary of Governor Rod Blagojevich-s plan to restructure the State Board of Education as a new Department of Education within the Governor-s office.
Rutherford and his Senate colleagues convened in a rare Committee of the Whole this week to ask questions and get answers about Governor-s plan.
-The devil is in the details,- said Rutherford, -and as I learn more and more of the details in the Governor-s plan, I cannot support his particular takeover effort.-
Rutherford has long been a proponent of reforming the current State Board of Education, lending his support to former Governors who have suggested reform proposals.
-I remain supportive of a plan to streamline the State Board of Education. The overall concept is one that I think is in the best interests of public education in Illinois,- said Rutherford. -That said, this Governor-s plan will not necessarily improve the quality of our schools and could have the potential to harm the education opportunities for area children.-
The Governor-s reform plan is in Senate Bill 3000. Details of the plan, as provided to lawmakers
by the Governor, can be found at www.senategop.state.il.us.
