Kerry/Edwards on Education

From the TIB Network:

by Matt Hurley

The Tax and Sue Campaign released another whopper. This time, John Kerry addressed the American Federation of Teachers union and managed to distort the state of education to people who should know better.

"We can make America stronger by making a new commitment to our schools and our children," Kerry said. "They don't need a politician's praise. They need a President who values a good education as the gateway to a good job, a better life and the best America. And if you send me to the White House, that's exactly the kind of President we'll have."

George Bush promised to "leave no child behind" and to end the "soft bigotry of low expectations." Yet, he has failed to give our schools the resources they need (underfunding his own plan by $27 billion) and implemented No Child Left Behind (NCLB) with a top- down, Washington-knows-best attitude that hurts students.

Mr. Kerry, America HAS a President who values a good education.

Continuing to mislead America about the funding of NCLB is not going to turn out well for you. This sort of misleading statement is not the sort of rhetoric we should be hearing from the candidate who wants to "restore honesty" to the White House.

Today, almost one-third of our high school students do not graduate high school, and more and more students are priced out and not attending college -- despite the fact that a college degree is more important than ever.

We are spending more on education these days than we ever have before. We need a return on our investment. We need results. Instead of twisting the statistic against NCLB and the President, maybe we should look at the quality of student those one-third who did not graduate represent. Liberals like John Kerry are merely interested in passing kids; not making sure they have an education with which they can secure a future. Here is another problem with that "one-third" number:

For example, the number of diplomas awarded represents only about two-thirds of the ninth-graders who entered public schools four years earlier, yet approximately 85 percent of the 18- to 24-year-old population has a high school credential.

That comes from the Department of Education. Ever hear of them, Senator?

As for being "priced out" of college, that is a function of our colleges and universities and the states; not the federal government or the President. But the President's proposal does what it can to make it easier:

In addition, President Bush's FY 2005 budget includes a package of student loan program proposals to make college more affordable for students and their families and to strengthen the financial stability of the student loan programs, such as reduced interest rates for student loans, increased student loan limits, and expanded repayment options.

All that without raising your taxes. The above clip and the Presidents Education plan can be found here.

Back to the Kerry/Edwards release:

In the classroom, teachers all too often do not get paid or treated like professionals, and do not get rewards for success.

New teachers do have it rough for awhile, but educators make out a lot better than they'd let you know. The benefit package is second to none. And that tenure idea is outstanding job security, not to mention a reward for whatever passes as "success" to the district.

As for being treated like a professional in the classroom, that is a matter of enforcing discipline. Something that scool administrations don't seem to have the stomach for...must be all that liberal education they got in college.

Our schools need accountability. NCLB is an important first step in providing it. John Kerry voted for it, but now he speaks out against it. Shouldn't a candidate for President of the United States support the Four Pillars of NCLB?

John Kerry doesn't know what he's talking about when he says:

Kerry today pledged to strengthen education in America with a plan that makes reform work by fully funding NCLB, creating a new bargain with America's teachers and beginning a national campaign to raise high school graduation rates.

NCLB IS fully funded as several studies have shown. Here is one.

"We value education as the path to opportunity in America, and we value the teachers who dedicate their lives to giving our young people the best possible start in life," Kerry said. "That means understanding that we can't create good schools on the cheap. And it means ensuring that there's a good teacher at the front of every classroom in America."

We report, you deicde. Pictures say a LOT, don't they?

It's the same old scam with the Tax and Sue campaign...smoke and mirrors, distortion, and pessimism.

John Kerry Delenda Est!