ARNOLD ADVOCATES PUBLIC SHAMING

Who knew he admired the tactics of Mao's Cultural Revolution?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign posted a form on its Web site asking Californians for stories about inferior teachers to support the ballot initiative to lengthen teachers' probationary period.

The form was then removed Wednesday after an Associated Press reporter called to inquire about it.

Posted on the Web site http://www.joinarnold.com the form asked: "Have a story about a teacher who just might not be cut out for the job, yet nothing can be done because of tenure? Please tell us. We'd like to share the stories of Californians like you!"

It was part of Schwarzenegger's campaign in favor of Proposition 74, which would boost the probationary period for new teachers to five years from two years....

The form used to be here. Google has it cached here.

Note the wording: "We'd like to share the stories." This isn't about traditional whistle-blowing -- reporting waste, fraud, and incompetence in the conduct of government business so it can be properly investigated. It sounds as if Arnold wasn't even going to bother with the investigations, or at most was going to have cursory checks done, and he was simply going to start telling the stories in public.

And the big tough guy, of course, backed off the minute he was challenged.

(Via DU.)