I do agree on some things from "the old guy"
Obama is all about...."change"! We'll change our future! We'll change our now! And we'll change our past (re: changing his stance and website concerning the Iraq war and a whole bunch of other things that he thinks will make him look better".
Education? Obama, while mildly going after the teachers union, seem more apt to be a "status quo" guy.
McCain - words I can like!
In his NAACP speech today, Senator McCain said this:
We should also offer more choices to those who wish to become teachers. Many thousands of highly qualified men and women have great knowledge, wisdom, and experience to offer public school students. But a monopoly on teacher certification prevents them from getting that chance. You can be a Nobel Laureate and not qualify to teach in most public schools today. They don't have all the proper credits in educational "theory" or "methodology" — all they have is learning and the desire and ability to share it. If we're putting the interests of students first, then those qualifications should be enough.
When I start hearing the heads of state of the NEA and AFT chapters talking students first and admitting that the union may not always have to be involved, I'll pay attention.
If I am elected president, school choice for all who want it, an expansion of Opportunity Scholarships, and alternative certification for teachers will all be part of a serious agenda of education reform. I will target funding to recruit teachers who graduate in the top 25 percent of their class, or who participate in an alternative teacher recruitment program such as Teach for America, the American Board for Teacher Excellence, and the New Teacher Project.
America - the land of freedom and liberty - except when it comes to elementary and secondary education. For the most part, the vast majority of the taxpayers are not given a choice. It is schools run by the unions and they have no intention of giving up their power for choice.Reform? The unions have been running the educational process for a long time - time for people to say "what's the result?" Admittedly, there are a lot of problems outside of the unions (e.g., lack of ability of teachers to discipline students, dealing with parents of a mindset that the teachers are the bad guys instead of their kids, too many layers of edu-crats, curriculum that is faddish instead of time proven and results approved, et al). But the big swing should be to allow the parents to guide their children. Not government.
School choice - words to love. After all, we are all about freedom and individual choice.
Right?
(H/T: NRO)
