Amherst Media

Results in key education races

Florida voters rejected a bid to allow the use of state funds to go to religious institutions, including religious schools.

In Georgia and Washington, it appears that voters approved measures to permit charter schools to open.

Idaho voters appear to have overturned the “Luna laws” (requiring 2 online courses, laptops for students, and merit pay).

In Indiana, voters ousted Superintendent Tony Bennett, who has pushed an aggressive agenda of privatization of public education, including charters and vouchers.

Maryland voters approved the state’s version of the federal Dream Act that would give in-state tuition at public universities to undocumented immigrants who have applied for a green card, graduated from a Maryland community college, have no criminal record and whose families have paid state income tax.

In California, voters approved Gov. Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30, which calls for a $6-billion-a-year tax hike to fund things including public education.

In New Orleans, voters elected Sarah Newell Usdin to represent District 3 of the Orleans Parish school board.

In Michigan, voters rejected an amendment to the state constitution that would have guaranteed unions the right to organize and collectively bargain.

In Missouri, voters narrowly rejected an effort to raise the state tobacco tax; most of the new revenue was to have gone to public education.

In Bridgeport, Conn., voters rejected an expensive effort by the mayor and his supporters in the corporate world to win mayoral control over the Board of Education.

In Minnesota, voters in the Twin Cities district reelected Rep. John Kline (R) to the House, where he is chairman of the education committee.

In Illinois, U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert, a veteran of the House education committee who was endorsed by the National Education Association, lost to her Democratic rival, Bill Foster.

And the victory of President Obama for a second term may mean four more years of Education Secretary Arne Duncan.