Time for Political Courage: The Untold MAPP Story

Prior to the 2009 legislative session, I brought a resolution to the State Republican Central Committee to support the concept of early graduation that was later incorporated in the MAPP bill. This resolution was defeated! Why? Some of the old guard Republican leaders thought it was too controversial.

So, I worked, without the help of the Republican Party leaders, to develop and get a resolution passed through the legislature that had all of the major points of the later MAPP bill. This resolution passed the House and got a hearing in the Senate.

After the legislative session, Rep. Branden Durst a Democrat from Boise who liked my resolution approached me to suggest that we create a pilot program. I thought this was a great idea and MAPP was born. I partnered with Rep. Durst because no Republican offered to help me.

Now fast forward to the 2010 legislative session, MAPP passed the House 61 to 7 and the Senate 27 to 7 with no organized opposition. The IEA did not oppose it. Superintendent Tom Luna supported it. Almost every major newspaper in the state supported it. There was no controversy.

Why did the old guard Republican leadership not see the potential in MAPP? Why did they see pitfalls that did not exist?

I believe they focus too much attention on the media. They tend to cater to the media rather than focus on problem solving. I think it is time to change our focus. We need kind, thoughtful, courageous leadership with vision.