Gubernatorial Debate: Kalus Missed Her Big Chance

Gubernatorial Debate: Kalus Missed Her Big Chance

Ashley Kalus, the GOP candidate for governor, had a big chance to close the gap in her race against Democratic Governor Dan McKee. The moderators an McKee gave her a big opportunity. 

Going into Tuesday night's debate, she was trailing by about 10 points, if you average the public and private polls. And coming out of the debate, it is likely to be about the same.

She missed the opportunity, and the race may now be over.

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The Opportunity

McKee has been a leading education reformer over the past decade, but the pace of change has been slow and not universal.

During the debate, McKee said that he expects Rhode Island’s upcoming RICAS score to be “an all-time low” due to the pandemic. Going into the pandemic, Rhode Island's scores were, on average, 20 points lower than Massachusetts. And many communities scored embarrassingly low. 

Then, Kalus was asked about why her three children attended private schools rather than Newport public schools.

It was the perfect opportunity — the opportunity to hammer Rhode Island's status quo, the legacy of underperforming schools, and the entrenched interests that protect the underperforming education system.

But, Kalus whiffed.

She did not even take the bat off her shoulder

It was tee-ball. The ball was not even moving.

Kalus graciously could have given a tip of the cap to McKee’s effort to start the Mayoral Academy — the charter schools that have been a major success, and then she should have let loose with a home run swing.

“Governor McKee, the reason why I don’t send my children to Newport Public Schools is because they are inferior. They were inferior the six years you were Lt. Governor and the nearly two years you have been governor,” Kalus should have said.

Then, Kalus should have recited the scores of the Newport schools.

“In 2020-2021, Claiborne Pell Elementary School saw 85% of students take the RICAS assessment and just 21.7% were meeting expectations — with 51.2% partially meeting expectations, and 26.2% not meeting expectations — in English Language Arts/Literacy."

"In the mathematics assessment, only 9.6% met expectations — with 50.6% not meeting expectations."

"At Frank E. Thompson Middle School, 89% of students took the RICAS assessment. 40.9% partially met expectations in English Language Arts/Literacy. 15.2% met expectations — with 43.1% not meeting expectations."

"In math, just 7.5% of students tested met expectations — with 45.9% not meeting expectations. Those are the facts Governor,” Kalus should have said.

"Governor, with all due respect, let me repeat the middle school math number -- just 7.5% of the students are meeting expectations," Kalus could have hammered home.

And, then, she should have brought reality to all Rhode Islanders with the statement, “And Newport schools are not the worst. Not close to the worst. About half the children in Rhode Island go to schools that are even lower performing.”

But, she did not.

The affluent Kalus and her plastic surgeon husband are able to send their three children to private school.

Most Rhode Islanders don’t have that opportunity.

Game over.