“The envelope, please … hey, it’s empty!”

Imagine trying to choose the most valuable player on the Raiders, the best worker on the Edsel assembly line or determine the top health benefits of smoking cigarettes or eating deep-fried Twinkies. Imagine having to decide the Best Actress Academy Award and only being able to choose between Pamela Anderson and Jessica Simpson.

You get the point.

These thoughts came to mind just now after receiving the following announcement from the California School Board Association:

“After consideration of the $12.5 billion in cuts to education enacted this year, and additional delays in the allocation of billions of dollars of school funds, the California School Boards Association has elected not to grant an Outstanding Legislator of the Year award for 2009.”

The CSBA’s legislative committee reached this startling decision unanimously “following a comprehensive analysis of each nominee’s 2009 voting record on budget-related bills and key policy legislation. The committee felt the Legislature failed to stand up for California’s students and schools when they needed it most.”

“Sure, there are some legislators who have done good things for education, and others that we admire for their efforts,” said Frank Pugh, President-elect of the California School Boards Association, and chair of CSBA’s Legislative Committee.  “But for crying out loud, schools have been cut by $2,100 per student.  We’d be nuts to present this award to anybody in a year when the cuts are going to have detrimental effects on an entire generation of students.  We just have to draw the line somewhere.”

CSBA President Paula S. Campbell added, “There’s a reason that this association and other local leaders have been so focused on long-term state fiscal reform.  California has to figure out a way to create a system that does more than add layer upon layer of cuts to a public education system that is already woefully underfunded.  Until that happens, this association sees no choice but to hold the Legislature accountable for its actions.”

So, John Q, Legislator, you know that space you cleared on your mantle in anticipation of your CSBA trophy? You better find a potted plant to fill the space. Or wait till next year, after another California budget catastrophe plays itself out.