Rex Promotes Natural Resources Education For Public School Choice

by: Tim Kelly

Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 09:31:26 AM EDT

One of the many unfortunate side effects of the Sanford Years - besides mass nausea every time We hear Sanford discuss "the end of the day" - is that all efforts to substantively improve education have been subsumed by the fight over paying white people to send their children to private schools. (Yes, I'm well aware of Howie Rich's latest efforts to champion civil rights by subsidizing some appearances by Sen. Robert Ford and allowing Will Folks to use the phrase "trapped in failing schools" at least twice daily.)

Despite this, Superintendent Jim Rex has quietly and effectively pushed for expanded public school choice. (FULL DISCLOSURE ALERT: as regular readers know, my wife is general counsel for the SC Department of Education.)

One of the most interesting pilot programs underway is a partnership with the SC Department of Natural Resources that integrates conservation education and outdoor sports into a curriculum that includes field trips and after-school programs.

Rex was in Florida yesterday to talk about the program in front of a perhaps surprising audience - the National Shooting Sports Foundation summit.

More after the flip.