Imagine, if you will ...

My beautiful, brainy Girl has decided to ditch high school. Her rationale might go something like this:

Mom, there are a lot of things I could do. I could be mayor! Or on city council ... or, if I want it, county mayor someday!

Thanks to those idiots we refer to in nice company as the Tennessee General Assembly, she and other youngsters across the Volunteer State could make such a valid claim. Because those esteemed solons -- the same ones who think some of us love our pets too much -- rejected a bill requiring elected officials to have a high school diploma.

Bill on officials education is killed

Dumbasses. Truly dumbasses.

... critics said the proposed law would undermine voters' rights to choose among a variety of candidates and that education does not necessarily assure quality.
"This is punishing individuals who may not, for whatever reason, have the educational level that someone thinks they ought to have," said Rep. Gary Moore, D-Nashville. "A person's education level, in my opinion, doesn't really hinder the ability to serve."

These legislators have proven time and time again how unimportant education is to them. What the hell is wrong with requiring a high school or GED? I remember one commissioner in my county who couldn't read. Do we really want someone in running or city or county who is unable to read -- let alone understand -- the matters before him?

Further, is this the message we're anxious to send young people? Hey, education is overrated -- you, too, can lead your county! But not on school board or as sheriff. Because:

Under current state law, there are no educational requirements for any officeholders except sheriffs and school board members, who must show they have a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma.

So, it's OK for the men and women who are setting my tax rate not to have a high school diploma, but the sheriff better have one.

We had a sheriff in my hometown who I know didn't finish high school, yet he solved a murder. They had the accused but lacked the dead bodies. This guy found them. How?

He drove all over the county and watched the skies, looking for buzzard action.

Given my choice, I'll take an educated county mayor over an educated sheriff any day.