Platforms

Next month, we’ll hold an election to determine the direction of our country for the next four years. Last week, the two presidential candidates faced off in the first debate. I couldn’t watch it. I barely made it through the conventions. I want to believe that public education matters in this election, but I’m not sure. When I watched Bill Clinton’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, I loved the way he countered every Republican lie with facts and specific information. It made me feel a lot better to know what the Democrats stand for, especially during such difficult times: equality of opportunity, good paying jobs, an economic system that benefits everyone, and a world-class education.

     But what is an excellent education? How does a child get one? I decided to read the platforms, both Republican and Democrat, to see what each party has to say.

     First up, the Republican platform. Many items came as no surprise: parents are responsible for their children’s education, they should have choices about where to send their kids to school since a one size fits all approach doesn’t work, American dominance requires a top-notch system with high standards and accountability, along with high expectations and a rejection of the “crippling bigotry of low expectations.” 

     But there were a few things that left me reeling. Are you ready?

• Education is more than school- it is a range of activities by which families and communities transmit to a younger generation ethical and behavioral norms and traditions. (God help you if you’re gay and prefer to be a Buddhist.) Texas Republicans take this one step further: they oppose the teaching of critical thinking skills because it challenges students’ fixed beliefs and undermines parental authority. Well, there goes a world-class education: no diversity and no ability to think for yourself.
• The federal government has spent $2 trillion dollars since 1965 with no substantial improvement in academic success. Overall results do not justify that spending. We know what works: accountability, high standards, character development, and assessments on the fundamentals in math, science, reading, history, and geography. Hmmm… let’s see no mention of the arts as important to education and…all of the standards and testing and accountability in the last twenty years have not significantly improved student performance, and these were all Republican initiatives.
• There should be a renewed focus on the Constitution and the writings of the Founding Fathers with an accurate account of American history. Oh yeah, America is a Christian nation. I guess this version of history ignores religious tolerance, slavery, women, and Indians.
• Replace family planning programs for teens with abstinence education. Waiting until marriage is the responsible and respected standard of behavior. Isn’t it funny how they talk about choice but insist on a one size fits all morality?
• Legislation is needed to change the definition of “Highly Qualified Teacher” from one based on credentials to results. Schools should recruit teaching talent from business, core subject fields (science, technology, etc.) and the military (veteran)s. Ah yes, the highly qualified. Bring ‘em on! Let’s see how they manage a classroom of 30 students.
• And finally, a note on higher education. Ideological bias is deeply entrenched in    the university system. Trustees need to see that funds for public colleges are not abused for political indoctrination. Public colleges and universities should be places of learning and exchange of ideas, not zones of intellectual intolerance favoring the Left. What??? OMG, this is about intelligent design, creationism, and evolution! So, a college education becomes a means, not for deepening the intellect, but for spreading lies and conformity to one set of beliefs.

     So Republicans want education to be the foundation of morality. Democrats, on the other hand, tie education to economics. In their platform, they provide a list of their philosophy and accomplishments, which, I must say, are more reasonable and sane. And while I agree with the Democratic philosophy, we are a long way from a society that provides opportunities for all.

·     Democrats recognize education as the most pressing economic issue in America’s future, and we cannot allow our country to fall behind in a global economy. But it’s already happening! We must prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce, ensuring that American children once again become global leaders in creativity and achievement. Great, but how?

·    Our country is strongest when workers are trained with the knowledge and   ingenuity to perform at the highest levels. What does this look like?

·    In 1944 Democratic president Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill providing World War Two Veterans with opportunities for higher education. This helped create the modern middle class in America. It moved my family out of poverty for sure.

·    Our emphasis is access to higher education. In 2010, we enacted student loan reform ending subsidies to big banks and making college more affordable to millions of Americans. This saves $68 billion dollars over the next ten years.

·    We are overhauling No Child Left Behind to provide teachers with more support and resources while also holding them accountable. Race to the Top provided incentives for improvement and through the Recovery Act we are investing in early childhood through Head Start, child care and programs for children with special needs. All of this is simply not enough.

     For me, it comes down to why the Chicago teachers went on strike. Even after an attempt by Rahm Emanuel (isn’t he supposed to be Democrat?) to make teachers look like bad guys for keeping children out of school! Lauran Clawson wrote in the Daily Kos: When you make me cram 30-50 kids in my classroom with no air conditioning so that temperatures hit 96 degrees, that hurts kids. When you take 18-25 days out of the school year for high stakes testing that is not even scientifically applicable for many of our students, that hurts our kids. When you spend millions on your pet programs, but there’s no money for school level repairs, so the roof leaks on my students at their desks when it rains, that hurts our kids.

     A first rate education begins with having a comfortable, functioning school and providing teachers with the resources they need. It seems like this should be simple. So, Republicans and Democrats, what will you do about this?

     Governor Romney? President Obama? Anyone?