Jonathan Kantrowitz

The Secretary of the State will hold news conference tomorrow with state Democratic & Republican Party officials and others to urge unaffiliated voters to enroll with a major party so they can vote in statewide primaries on August 10, 2010.

Attending will be Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, Democratic State Party Chair Nancy DiNardo, Republican State Party Vice Chair Catherine Marx, Tony Esposito, President of Registrar of Voters Association of CT, Representatives from NAACP, LPRAC, AAAC.

Urging people to join only 2 of the many parties in Connecticut, just because those 2 are the only ones having primaries, is just, in my humble opinion, wrong, wrong wrong for an official elected to uphold the integrity of elections for all parties and participants.

Ned Lamont released his “Better Schools for Better Jobs” plan, today. Its goal is to improve Connecticut’s education system and to prepare the state’s youth to compete in the 21st Century economy.

“Offering a world-class education to every Connecticut student is one of the most important things we can do to create jobs and grow our economy. We can do more at every level of education to prepare our kids to work and create jobs in the 21st Century. Connecticut has one of the best educated, most productive workforces in the world, and as governor, I will work with teachers, local leaders and parents to make sure we build on that strength by giving every child a fair shot at the starting line of life,” Lamont said.

Lamont’s plan includes steps to close the achievement gap, improve accountability, raise student achievement, and train students in high-demand fields that will be the foundation of our future economy. As governor Lamont will execute the plan by:

• Asking for the resignation of the state boards of education and higher education. While many members are excellent, others are mere partisan appointees. The good will stay, and the others he will replace with education experts

• Supporting early childhood education programs like School Readiness that target the children most in need

• Ensuring teacher prep programs give future educators lots of hands-on experience in the classroom and holding these programs accountable for training effective teachers, as other states are beginning to do

• Using student achievement as one of multiple aspects of teacher evaluation. Scores matter, but they’re far from the whole picture: for instance, teachers shouldn’t be on the hook for children who arrive in class just a few months before testing

• Encouraging districts facing challenges to collaborate with teachers and parents to change school schedules, calendars, and instruction methods–longer school days, for instance, may help raise student achievement

• Working with parents, teachers and administrators in chronically underperforming schools to restructure schools under proven models, such as CommPACT and Innovation schools

• Supporting community schools that provide children and families with wrap-around health, mental health, and other services and serve as true centers of the community

• Supporting vo-tech schools. Rather than closing schools like Wright Tech, we will make sure we have skilled trade workers to install solar panels, build high-speed rail, and power our 21st century economy

• Ensuring community colleges, universities and businesses work together on curricula and internships, so students graduate with the skills to land a great job

• Creating a full loan repayment program for students at state colleges and universities who study high-demand fields like renewable energy and stay in state after graduation

Lamont’s “Better Schools for Better Jobs” is the fifth comprehensive policy plan of his campaign for governor. The education plan works in tandem with Lamont’s plans to create jobs, revitalize Connecticut’s cities, reduce energy costs and fix the state’s transportation system.

Yesterday the United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Arizona in federal court. The lawsuit, prompted by passage of SB 1070 in the Arizona legislature, will argue that federal law trumps the state statute and enforcing immigration law is a federal responsibility. The Department has requested a preliminary injunction to delay enactment of the law, arguing that the law’s operation will cause “irreparable harm.”

Although states have always played a role in federal immigration enforcement, over the last 10 years more and more states have chosen to impose their local policies, priorities, and politics on our national immigration system. America can only have one immigration system, and the federal government must make clear where states’ authority begins and where it ends. The federal government must assert its authority to establish a uniform immigration policy that it can be held accountable for. In the current environment it is unclear who is responsible for setting immigration enforcement priorities and who is responsible for their success or failure.

Also, while I applaud the administration’s decision to challenge the constitutionality of the Arizona law, I urge it to also look inward and correct other policies and programs that confuse the relationship between federal and state authority to enforce immigration laws. For example, the Department of Justice should rescind an Office of Legal Counsel memo issued in 2002 which opened the door for greater state action by reaching the, politically motivated, decision that states had inherent authority to enforce immigration laws. In addition, as the American Civil Liberties Union and 521 other local and national organizations have advocated, the Department of Homeland Security should rescind the 287(g) agreement in Maricopa County, Arizona where it has become clear that the agreement is being abused.

At the end of the day, a lawsuit alone will not end the vacuum created by the lack of workable immigration laws. While the Department of Justice takes up the legal challenge, the Obama Administration and Congress must put the immigration issue squarely back where it belongs – in the halls of congress and on the desk of the President of the United States.

One of my favorite blogs, although it almost always makes me sad or angry, or both, is Connecticut’s own a public defender.

Today it tells the story of a man proven innocent but who can’t get out of jail because the right papers were filed too late. What kind of justice system is this?