“Governor-elect Noem has asked me to work on ways to improve school performance with an initial focus on civic education,” Jones said. “I will also develop a plan to increase transparency and accountability within the Department of Education.”
“The State Historical Society and the State Library are also within the responsibilities of the Secretary and I am excited to look for ways those two agencies can have be a greater resource for South Dakotans,” Jones said [Dakota State University, press release, 2018.12.20].
Jones is a reasonable pick for a civics focus. He has an honest-to-goodness Ph.D. in history, earned from the University of Kansas in 2008 for his 437-page dissertation on General Eisenhower’s use of Special Forces units in collaboration with French Resistance guerrillas in World War II France. But he’s a relative newcomer to teaching: he was a logistics guy (uh oh) for the United States Air Force for 18 years before turning to teaching at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs in 2008. He’s been at DSU since 2013 but lives in Minnehaha County, where he led a petition drive in late 2014–early 2015 to block the Sioux Falls School District’s annexation of the Cherry Lake subdivision from West Central’s tax rolls. Jones’s neighbors overruled him and okayed the boundary change in May 2015… but hey! a guy with a history degree and some petition experience should make a fine civics teacher… or advocate civics teaching!
No word though on why Noem is taking on a temp instead of filling the Secretary’s seat for keeps.
But in tonight’s coincidence file, historian Jones’s current address as listed online is 5203 S Sweetbriar Circle, Sioux Falls. Who lives right next door in the cul de sac? Fellow historian, advisor to Senator John Thune, and Noem donor Jon Lauck:
Senior Advisor: Tony Venhuizen will serve the Noem administration as senior advisor. Venhuizen, an Armour native, currently serves as chief of staff to Governor Dennis Daugaard and has been the liaison between the Daugaard administration and Noem transition team. He will be staying with the Governor’s Office into the spring to ensure a seamless leadership transition [Noem transition team, press release, 2018.12.20].
(I love how that South Dakota paragraph lights up my spellcheck like a Christmas tree.)
“Into the spring”… which is when Jones says he’s done, which is when we may assume Noem will name a new Secretary of Education, which is when Venhuizen, having successfully guided Noem through her first Legislative Session in the big chair, will be looking for his next gig.
You know, Venhuizen did serve five years on the Board of Regents in his youth. I might be crazy, but I ain’t dumb: my DRADIS says Noem wants Venhuizen as Secretary of Education but she needs his brainpower to get her through Session first.
Like we need one education will not be funded like normal.Students will continue to go out of state and get education.They will migrate to the blue states where wages are better and benefits .We will continue to lose teachers at enormous rate as usual also due to pay.Merry Christmas.
Moses, you get me thinking: will an interim Secretary be able to lobby effectively for more Legislative support of K-12 education?
Or is it possible that, as a guy with no long-term plan to stay, Jones will be able to come through on the second part of his agenda, transparency and accountability, and really go after the facilitators of the GEAR UP corruption?
Moses6
2018-12-20 22:08
Cory I hope your right.I hope its diffrent then the past.
mike from iowa
2018-12-21 07:38
Cooter Davenport was an honest to god actual congresscritter from Georgia. And a Democrat.
Former Rep. Ben Jones, a Democrat who played Cooter on “The Dukes of Hazzard,” was crowing Wednesday after having urged Democrats in Virginia to vote against House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Tuesday’s primary.
Cantor pollster John McLaughlin said Wednesday that this “Cooter Factor” caused a surge of last-minute Democratic votes for the eventual winner, David Brat.
J
2018-12-21 10:21
It might be helpful to have a Secretary of Education who actually has a degree in education (a Ph.D. in history is NOT a degree in education) and has actually worked at a k-12 school. I am not doubting this gentleman is intelligent, but what type of knowledge does he have about how DOE decisions impact k-12 education and not just higher ed?
grudznick
2018-12-21 19:09
Where are the facilitators of the gear up fiasco these days?
mike from iowa
2018-12-21 19:26
Under the haystack fast asleep. The sheep have scattered.
grudznick
2018-12-22 08:15
This is a real serious question, Mike. Although you are from Iowa and your opinion matters none to the elections in South Dakota, there are those in this great state who may actually wonder who the “facilitators” were that were not prosecuted and where they are today. If anybody knows, it would be Mr. H and he’s not saying, only insinuating there are facilitators going away free as Scott.
J, Melody Schopp’s Ed.D. didn’t do much to keep us out of the GEAR UP mess.
But if we really want a veteran with an education degree to steer things in the right direction in Pierre, maybe we should bring the guy who recommended my firing in Madison, Dr. John Sweet, out of retirement. According to his résumé, Sweet worked as a guidance counselor and superintendent in South Dakota and Minnesota from 1971 to 2012. That’s a lot more education experience than Jones.
mike from iowa
2018-12-22 08:49
Grudz, since you seem to have been asleep or unconscious for the past umpteen years, you haven’t noticed the total lack of effort to prosecute or even really investigate white collar crime in your beloved crony mess. The state gets the blame and the electors get their share for electing less than stellar public servants. Your state government stinks. I’d say try deodorant, but honest to goodness responsible oversight would go a long ways in reducing the stench.
Montana’s Supreme Court rules state voucher system violates Montana’s constitution. In a normal time South Dakota’s Supreme Court would rule the same way as Montana.
Jason
2018-12-23 10:38
Mike,
Link us to the SD statute that says vouchers are unconstitutional in SD.
As a bonus,
Link us to the Iowa Statute that says vouchers are unconstitutional in Iowa.
mike from iowa
2018-12-23 10:50
Look them up yerself, Troll. If my civics education serves me the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of which laws are constitutional. Even at state level. Knock yerself out.
mike from iowa
2018-12-23 10:52
Except some state Supreme Courts are appointed to be rubber stamps for right wing guvs and legislatures. I’ll bet even a Troll knows which ones I am talking about.
Jason
2018-12-23 10:59
Why would I look it up when you are the one that stated it?
Like we need one education will not be funded like normal.Students will continue to go out of state and get education.They will migrate to the blue states where wages are better and benefits .We will continue to lose teachers at enormous rate as usual also due to pay.Merry Christmas.
Moses, you get me thinking: will an interim Secretary be able to lobby effectively for more Legislative support of K-12 education?
Or is it possible that, as a guy with no long-term plan to stay, Jones will be able to come through on the second part of his agenda, transparency and accountability, and really go after the facilitators of the GEAR UP corruption?
Cory I hope your right.I hope its diffrent then the past.
Cooter Davenport was an honest to god actual congresscritter from Georgia. And a Democrat.
Former Rep. Ben Jones, a Democrat who played Cooter on “The Dukes of Hazzard,” was crowing Wednesday after having urged Democrats in Virginia to vote against House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Tuesday’s primary.
Cantor pollster John McLaughlin said Wednesday that this “Cooter Factor” caused a surge of last-minute Democratic votes for the eventual winner, David Brat.
It might be helpful to have a Secretary of Education who actually has a degree in education (a Ph.D. in history is NOT a degree in education) and has actually worked at a k-12 school. I am not doubting this gentleman is intelligent, but what type of knowledge does he have about how DOE decisions impact k-12 education and not just higher ed?
Where are the facilitators of the gear up fiasco these days?
Under the haystack fast asleep. The sheep have scattered.
This is a real serious question, Mike. Although you are from Iowa and your opinion matters none to the elections in South Dakota, there are those in this great state who may actually wonder who the “facilitators” were that were not prosecuted and where they are today. If anybody knows, it would be Mr. H and he’s not saying, only insinuating there are facilitators going away free as Scott.
J, Melody Schopp’s Ed.D. didn’t do much to keep us out of the GEAR UP mess.
But if we really want a veteran with an education degree to steer things in the right direction in Pierre, maybe we should bring the guy who recommended my firing in Madison, Dr. John Sweet, out of retirement. According to his résumé, Sweet worked as a guidance counselor and superintendent in South Dakota and Minnesota from 1971 to 2012. That’s a lot more education experience than Jones.
Grudz, since you seem to have been asleep or unconscious for the past umpteen years, you haven’t noticed the total lack of effort to prosecute or even really investigate white collar crime in your beloved crony mess. The state gets the blame and the electors get their share for electing less than stellar public servants. Your state government stinks. I’d say try deodorant, but honest to goodness responsible oversight would go a long ways in reducing the stench.
https://www.sheilakennedy.net/2018/12/montana-is-right-indiana-is-wrong/
Montana’s Supreme Court rules state voucher system violates Montana’s constitution. In a normal time South Dakota’s Supreme Court would rule the same way as Montana.
Mike,
Link us to the SD statute that says vouchers are unconstitutional in SD.
As a bonus,
Link us to the Iowa Statute that says vouchers are unconstitutional in Iowa.
Look them up yerself, Troll. If my civics education serves me the Supreme Court is the final arbiter of which laws are constitutional. Even at state level. Knock yerself out.
Except some state Supreme Courts are appointed to be rubber stamps for right wing guvs and legislatures. I’ll bet even a Troll knows which ones I am talking about.
Why would I look it up when you are the one that stated it?
Just admit you lied and move on.
My final word, Troll, bull tacos.