Though ideological differences are blocking health care reform, education reform is bringing diverse political figures together.
Alix Walker, Staff Writer
Ideology: Moderate Conservative | Writing From: Madison, Connecticut
A bizarre bipartisan coalition for education reform has emerged: former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and liberal civil rights activist Al Sharpton. While it is a surprise to see two opposing politicians join forces on such a large issue, it speaks to both ideologies’ concern about the need for improving public education. “Education has to be the number one civil right of the twenty-first century,” Gingrich recently said, “and we can’t get it done as a partisan issue.”
Through the leadership of education secretary Arne Duncan, in September their bipartisan team will attempt to push
Photo Source: CBS News
cities across the country to fix failing schools. Philadelphia is first the list, followed by Baltimore, New Orleans and then onto other cities that struggle the most with education.
The education community is watching Obama and his administration closely to see how they will proceed on President Bush’s once-hailed but now controversial “No Child Left Behind” law. Obama has pledged to overhaul the law but, like many of his other campaign platforms, has been vague about the lengths he would go to do so. The President has vowed to make the United States the world leader in the percentage of college graduates in the population, and argues that degrees earned by students who do better in school are more helpful in the work force. Highly skilled workers are the backbone of the economy, and are crucial for filling high- skill jobs that the country will depend on for stability.
The “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) law has been somewhat unsuccessful since its enactment in 2001. Secretary Duncan believes that NCLB should stop punishing schools where only a handful of kids are struggling. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Duncan discussed how NCLB is blind to differences in educational needs, such as those of children with disabilities or immigrant children learning English. These students might struggle while the rest of the students make gains – a fact that Bush’s education law ignores. NCLB requires annual reading and math tests, which have forced out subjects like music and art from the classroom. Additionally, billions of promised dollars to fund the law never reached schools across the country and has caused hardship in many districts.
Whether or not politicians reform the law in the next few years or pass a new law, one truth remains: the education system is something that needs to be thoroughly reviewed and revised. There are two main areas which need attention: charter schools and improved access to higher education.
Duncan and Obama are both supporters of financing for more charter schools, which would relieve over-crowded public schools yet still provide free education for students K-12. Charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools, founded by educators, parents, community groups or private organizations that operate under a written contract with a state, district or other entity. This contract, or charter, details how the school will be organized and managed, curriculum and expected student achievements, and a standard for measuring program success. Many charter schools enjoy freedom from the same rules and regulations affecting other public schools as long as they continue to meet the terms of their charters, which could benefit local government’s ability to regulate, making city and regional management much easier.
Beyond high school, students have to go through growing financial demands and challenges in order to attend any university, and banks are making the loan process increasingly more difficult. Top tier colleges are often inaccessible for students from impoverished or disadvantaged communities, usually because of bad credit and lower-performing public schools. While it’s not fair to punish students for something their parents failed to achieve financially, it is a harsh reality in the current economy.
Education reform is a necessity for the future of our country and our economy. “No Child Left Behind” is actually leaving students across the country, and Obama needs to fulfill his campaign promises of reforming education. We can only hope that the debate will be less vicious than that over health care. For the sake of the children, conflicting political ideologies need work together and cannot stand in the way of reform.
Our economy cannot sustain the highest level of college education in the world. We do not need or want to invest in college educations for people who will not ever benefit from it.
What we need is a nation of technicians. We should have tech schools on every block and for every student.
I went from an entry level job to the top 5% of income earners in this country in a matter of four years because of the technical skills that I gained in high school.
Building America takes working men and women, not white collar workers. What we need are more engineers, more mechanics, more electronic technicians, plumbers, carpenters, and electricians. That is how we’re going to have our growth miracle, not by giving everyone a liberal arts education.
What about a voucher system? This would allow students in a poor school system to get the individual attention and leg up they need to get ahead. Alleviating the cost of private schools would allow parents to choose the best educational environment for their children, at no detriment to their finances. This would also address the problem of overcrowding in schools.