I admit I am still a bit on the fence about who I plan to vote for in the presidential election. We still have plenty of time to decide. I will, however, be voting for the candidate who demonstrates he or she truly cares about education and is dedicated to improving education in America.
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(hat tip to The Daily Grind)
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As the parent of three children (two of whom are served by special education) in America’s public schools, I am concerned about the education my kids are receiving compared to the one I received.
I’ll share more in future posts.
I wish it could be that easy.
The worst obstacle, to my way of thinking, to improving education is that the realm has been given over to politicians. Our problems seem so intractable because of that fundamental reality.
No, it's not that easy. But it's a start. I'm with you on the politicians, but I don't remember it being any other way. I've been teaching ten years. Testing, testing, testing. Private school is really different.
That's my problem. I doubt taking yet another step in the wrong direction qualifies as a start.
If private schools are better why not vote for someone who will support a robust system of private schools?
I don't believe private schools are better. They are different. They don't have to test their students to death for one thing. My problem with eliminating public schools is that even with scholarships, I don't think every kid could afford to go, which would cut some kids off from an education. I don't think choice hurts, but I also don't think it's a baby/bathwater issue.
I need to gather more evidence before I decide who is all for taking a step in the wrong direction.
I wouldn't want to eliminate public schools and I surely wouldn't want to throw out the baby.
But I would like educators and parents to be able to make plans and try things, without their conversations thwarted by a thousand distant directives.
The President of the United States should have nothing to say on this topic.
But that's a lost battle.
I enjoy your blog. Keep up the good work.
Education is part of what I'm looking for that's for sure. So is the economy, foreign policy, taxes etc…
At least the early election cycle gave me a great project for my honors kids the last couple of weeks. I just started reading the final drafts so hopefully they'll have learned something from this project.
Let's play tag! (Not that you have to, of course, but games can be fun.)
So far I have not seen a single candidate in this race in either major party address the issues of education in any other terms besides — pump more money into a system that is obviously broken. The only one who deviates from this line, which is wrong but which might be the only one that the general public can understand without thinking too hard, is Ron Paul.
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/education/
(It's why I support Paul and also indicative of why there's no chance in heck he'll get nominated. )
Unless and until some candidate out there stops think of schools in terms of how much money they do or don't receive, and starts thinking about them in terms of what actually WORKS, I'll not hold my breath that any of these people could be considered an "education President" with a straight face.
I don't believe the answer is private schools. The answer is the public school system must be salvaged- and quick!