Barresi Campaign
When she appears before Republican groups, state superintendent candidate Joy Hofmeister talks like a conservative, but when she communicates with her liberal supporters, she tells a different story. A review of Hofmeister’s public and previously private statements demonstrate she has repeatedly contradicted herself throughout the campaign.
“The true test of a person’s character is how she behaves when she thinks no one is watching,” said Robyn Matthews, manager for the re-election campaign of incumbent State Superintendent Janet Barresi, a conservative Republican. “When Joy Hofmeister thinks no one is paying attention, she endorses liberal policies that directly contradict her campaign rhetoric.”
Common Core
In a recent ad and in campaign speeches, Hofmeister claims to oppose Common Core academic standards. Yet in public appearances on April 15 and May 27 this year, Hofmeister called for mandating use of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills in Oklahoma. Those tests are fully aligned with the Common Core.
On its web site, the Iowa Tests publisher expressly declares, “The Iowa Assessments from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – Riverside, the assessment division of HMH, measures student achievement and growth across a continuum of next generation learning standards, including Common Core.”
Research by the Washington Policy Center also notes, “The Director of the Iowa Testing Programs reports that the new Iowa Test of Basic Skills is aligned with the national Common Core learning standards.” The Center recommended the Iowa tests as the “most cost-effective way” to meet Common Core mandates.
(Hofmeister’s endorsement of the Common Core-aligned Iowa tests can be viewed at http://youtu.be/bOhT7gU46mE. Information on the Iowa tests can be viewed at http://www.riversidepublishing.com/products/ia/index.html and https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/notes/respected-iowa-test-basic-skills-most-cost-effective-way-meet-national-testing-re.)
Taxes
At a May 10, 2014 candidate forum, Hofmeister told Republican voters she supports tax cuts. But in a July 17, 2012 email to Jenks Superintendent Kirby Lehman, Hofmeister expressed strong opposition to tax cuts.
In that exchange, Lehman declares, “Elimination of the personal income tax in Oklahoma will see the ruination of this state.” Hofmeister responds: “I agree 100%!”
That email can be viewed in its entirety at http://www.janetbarresi.com/#!hofmeister-against-income-tax-cuts/cpar.
Special-needs scholarships
Hofmeister has also endorsed efforts to gut a scholarship program for students with special needs. When one of her supporters suggested amending state law “to stop the private schools from signing up to accept the Henry scholarship students,” Hofmeister quickly endorsed the idea, responding, “Great idea!” Once that March 22, 2013 email was released to the public, Hofmeister switched gears and suddenly declared she supports the scholarship program.
That email and others like it can be viewed in their entirety at http://www.janetbarresi.com/#!lnh-emails/c1fym.
“To believe everything Joy Hofmeister says, you have believe that she opposes Common Core standards but also wants to require all Oklahoma children to take Common Core tests, that she supports tax cuts she believes will ruin the state, and that she is supporting a scholarship program for children with special needs by endorsing efforts to gut the program,” Matthews said. “But there’s a simpler explanation: Joy Hofmeister is a liberal who only pretends to be conservative in front of Republican voters. She’s just another politician we can’t trust.”
The ad can be seen at http://youtu.be/uZIVjENB03k and the video endorsement of Common Core-aligned tests and the May 10, 2014 candidate forum response to income tax cuts can be found at http://youtu.be/bOhT7gU46mE.
I am not endorsing either candidate here but there is information that needs to be cleared up.
Riverside Publishing Company produces The Iowa Test of Basic Skills and can produce a Criterion Referenced test aligning with our PASS 2010 standards. These tests can be produced with NO COMMON CORE as HB 3399 requires now in law.
Riverside Publishing Company has been in existence for 90 years. They are a solid company which is not “at the table” with the Pearson, McGraw-Hill, ACT, College Board testing vendors and the nonprofit organizations who are all totally aligned with Common Core.
Barresi accuses Hofmeister of calling for mandating use of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills in Oklahoma and says those tests are fully aligned with the Common Core.
While Barresi is correct that the web site of the Iowa Tests publisher has Common Core aligned testing. The testing Oklahoma now needs to comply with HB3399 can be ordered from the publisher WITHOUT COMMON CORE. This is a fact and has been established in meetings I have been a part of.
Barresi has no accomplishments to point out, so she’s had to resort to things like this! She got a team of people to search through thousands of old e-mails. If this is all they could come up with, Hofmeister is golden! Barresi still supports Common Core and is great at directing attention away from that fact. She is having an identity crisis! Barresi is so confused about who she is, she changed her last name on the ballet. End Barresi-Costello’s confusion by voting Hofmeister. Give Barresi-Costello the time she needs to get help!