The Liberty Pen: Is there a direct correlation between the amount of governmental spending on education and the level of academic achievement? Could it be a matter of how well the State of Nevada utilizes its funds in the arena of education that determines scholastic accomplishments?

Mr. Gino DiSimone: Qualitatively this is an easy question. Yes, there should be a direct correlation between spending and achievement to a limit, but it is not that simple. The relationship is not linear, it is an exponential rise function that asymptotically approaches, but never reaches, perfect academic achievement.  The key is to find the 90th percentile of spend and stay above it to maximize academic achievement with limited funds.  (I would do much better if I could show you a graph.)  Also, Yes, without a doubt, how the funds are utilized will affect scholastic accomplishments.  

• Going a bit more quantitative, school/educator performance assumes several items are equitable and similar:
• the curriculum is one that focuses on specific scholastic achievements
• all classroom environments are similar for each grade
• all student behaviors are similar across geographies and within grades
• all teachers teach the same way
• all schools have equal funding
• all curriculums/teacher aids/tools are the same

There are others, but this gets us started.  So, how do we break this down to measurables such that we have fully understood all the variable inputs that yield scholastic excellence.  Here-in is our foremost problem. We do not understand how to measure or control the variables. So the Board of Regents says, spend more money and that should do it.  What a bunch of hogwash.

We must have education reform. We must! Blindly cutting educational spending because our budget is awry is not reform. It is a butcher job and is not an acceptable solution.  Here again, if we must make budget cuts, we do it equally across everyone until we enact a Revenue Plan and recover.  Meanwhile we must revamp and reform our educational system.  We must take ownership of Nevada education and completely remove ourselves from the Federal Government, which mandates our curriculum and other educational processes.

I have shared the following items with a host of teachers and parents and have received standing applauds.  This is the framework of Education Reform I will enact:

1. Mission to the Educators:  Make Nevada Education number 1 in the country, and you have 4 years to do it. Stand tall.
2. Restructure the Board of Regents and lower agencies to align with the mission
3. Begin the process to remove Nevada from the Federal Education program. We will own the Education and the results thereof.
4. Change curriculum to reading, writing, math, science, history, geography and music for K-9 with vocational option for 10-12.
5. Grade level comprehensive test required to advance to the next grade.  
6. Remove age classifications for grades. Grade level is based on scholastic acumen.
7. Limit class sizes to 20
8. Compulsory parental attendance – 1 day/month for each child
9. Parental evaluations of Teachers contribute to Teacher Performance.

There are a few others, but this captures the major items.

The Liberty Pen: Do you think school vouchers and charter schools would yield greater educational opportunities? Should Nevada become more involved with endorsing school choice for parents?

Mr. Gino DiSimone: Parents should always have the choice of schools for their children. I do not believe school vouchers will solve our current education crisis.  Charter schools should be treated as private schools, receive private funding and can operate as they wish.  I believe creating competition in educational institutions may be advantageous to a degree, but I am not convinced it will solve our educational dilemma.

The Liberty Pen: I submit that teachers unions are more debilitative to the educational process and preclude forms of competition (as stated above) so that they can procure more state and federal funding. Would you agree, or am I missing an important component?

Mr. Gino DiSimone: Unions are formed because the State is not well suited to administer world class education or properly recognize strong educators while terminating poor ones.  Consequently, they set up a barrier of protection against the State. Part of the educational reforms to make Nevada number one in the country, with the highest paid teachers, will ultimately result in the dissolve of the Teachers Union as we know it within Nevada. Depending on what side of the fence you sit, Unions may be good or they may be bad. However with the reforms they are not needed. Teachers will gravitate away because the union no longer adds value. The state will hire teachers that perform (and pay them exceptionally well by comparison to what the Union could do for them) and fire those that don’t.  The parents and grade level comprehension tests are key to teacher evaluations and pay. There are some refinements, but this gets it started.

"...Their duty to the people is their foremost common trait, and that is what we lack in nearly every politician today.  It is that sense of duty to the citizenry that is the standard that I will live by, work by and fulfill when I am Governor. "

The Liberty Pen: The Tea Party movement has been described by the left as an amalgamation of intellectual derelicts, racists, birthers, gun radicals, and Nazis. Additionally, the left creates the supposition that public dissent is manifested from some cognitive defect, what is your impression of the Tea Party movement? What impact has it had on our own local government?

Mr. Gino DiSimone: Any time there is a movement that adversely affects another organization there will always be a variety of attacks.  Some of them will be true, some partly true, some spun into something unusual, and some completely false.  It is the nature of adversity and helps the groups keep the people polarized to protect their turf.  In some cases I agree, there are intellectual derelicts, but these are everywhere and in all camps.  Just look around.  The same goes with racists – they live in all groups, parties and factions as well.  

The pollution of politics is truly toxic in our media. However, the people do fall prey to it which keeps these toxins thriving. It is unfortunate and distressing, but it is reality today.   

For me the lines are remarkably simple: Any movement that tries to get America back to its roots is a good movement and I support the work. We do have wayward runaway government which consistently stretches its authority beyond the bounds of the Constitution – which should tell you something about the Supreme Court.

There are many factions that bear the Tea Party theme. (Most are Republican but not all.) Those Tea Parties that steer the people to the Republican Party are usurping the nature of the Tea Party. Tea Party originated as non-partisan for the direct purpose of getting back to our constitutional roots. It used taxes as a platform and then hit on the several other infringements.  Usurping it to steer people to Republican is nothing more than Party Politics.  Unfortunately, the Republican Party seems to think the Tea Party effort is theirs and no one else.  This is a typical move by Party Politics and absolutely predictable for the Republican Party.  If they had a little more integrity, in earnest, they should have enough respect to give credit where credit is due.  But that is not a Party policy.

The “left” will obviously attack it – again more Party politics to polarize the people. Remember, polarizing the people gives the Party strength. The Party is more interested in Party than the people.  Ask any leftist if they support the Constitution; your answer will generally be yes in some form or another. However ask them if they are part of a Tea Party or support one and you will get a completely different answer.  Party Politics working as planned.

The Tea Party is to be applauded for their objective.  Not everything they do is great, but their objective is essential.  

As an aside, just for the record, let me point out my position on these two items:

1.  Yes, show the birth certificate or leave office.  This is not a legal game and should not be treated as one.  It is a matter of honesty and should never have entered into legality.  

When there is something to hide, the guilty hide something.

2.  A gun in every home.  A gun on every hip.   Government stay out.

The Liberty Pen: What individual would you pick that exemplifies the highest standards of leadership, and how would you utilize those standards if you are elected Governor?

Mr. Gino DiSimone: This is a great question because it is the most difficult to answer.  America’s founding fathers were some of the most amazing, brilliant, bold, assertive men I have ever learned about.  I am sickened that our educational system does not teach about them or exploit their trials and conclusions which resulted in our Declaration of Independence, Constitutional Congress, Bicameral Congress, US Constitution, Bill of Rights, Federalist Papers, and so much more.   One of the early leaders that was given a black mark in my educational past was Andrew Jackson.  However, as I began my personal study of America’s foundation and early years, I discovered he was a man of amazing capacities and leadership who had the fortitude to drive America away from centralized banks. This did more to secure American prosperity than any modern American leader since Abraham Lincoln. 

To choose one among these greatest of men is nearly impossible.  However to identify the commonalities between them is quite easy. The foremost of which was their sense of duty to the people, far and above any personal motivations, which is the key to effective “governship” (my word).  Their duty to the people is their foremost common trait, and that is what we lack in nearly every politician today.  It is that sense of duty to the citizenry that is the standard that I will live by, work by and fulfill when I am Governor.   Moreover, it is by this duty the understanding that the government must not rule the people, but the people must rule the government comes from.  Indeed, I will correct the economy. I will reform education. I will create jobs. I will do a lot of things, but everything I do pales in comparison to putting the people back in charge of the government.  If I could accomplish just one thing as a Governor, I would put the people over the Government.

Ω

I would like to end this interview by thanking Mr. Gino DiSimone for taking his precious time to answer all of my questions. During our time engaged within the interview process Mr. DiSimone exemplified the highest standards of gentlemanliness and exuded a refined civility. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have met this man. You may feel disinclined to acquiesce to his ideas and or positions, but the content of his character remains unabated.  If you would like to contact Mr. DiSimone please click here.