This link has been bookmarked by 1 people . It was first bookmarked on 10 Nov 2008, by Clay Burell.
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10 Nov 08
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The Colleague is: John McCain?
John Mc Cain attended private school and graduated from Annapolis is 1958 with a Bachelor’s degree. He ranked 894 in a class of 899 almost flunking out before graduation. That bit of information should not bother teachers, especially in public education; these professionals love a challenge with a low achiever.
What should bother teaching professionals is that because McCain’s children attended parochial schools, he is a strong advocate of school “Choice” i.e. school vouchers. According to his chief education advisor, Lisa Graham Keegan, McCain believes that parents should not limit themselves to school districts or even their own pocketbooks when it comes to their children’s education. McCain believes that all Americans have a right to taxpayer-subsidized religious education.
On October 14, 2008, a Florida judge ruled that the state's Constitution barred students from using taxpayer money for private school tuition. Yet McCain is willing to reinstate the recently proclaimed unconstitutional voucher tug of war to prove his point..
McCain also believe’s that President Bush’s controversial No Child Left Behind Act has, according to a quote in education.com by domestic policy advisor, Holtz-Eakin, “focused our attention on the realities of how students perform against a common standard. “ Holtz-Eakin and Keegan have provided no information, thus far, as to how McCain’s policy differs in any fundamental way from President Bush.
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Barack Obama attended primarily a parochial and a prep school before college. Obama is a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where his high academic record enabled him to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review, He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004.
Although the Obamas talk about strengthening public schools, Michelle and Barack send their two daughters to private schools. Public media sources indicate, however, that Obama opposes school vouchers, reasoning that such “independent scholarships” take taxpayer money away from public schools. He believes in increased funding and reforming of No Child Left Behind, and he is an advocate of increased teacher pay( albeit through the unpopular “merit” program). He promotes public pre-school programs, and grants for educational innovation.
American Teachers
In July, Obama was endorsed by The National Education Association (NEA). In October 2008, American Teacher, a publication of The American Federation of Teachers, endorsed Barack Obama. Randi Weingarten, the AFT president, said of the endorsement, “Barack Obama has walked the walk with people we represent his entire adult life.”
Neither candidate’s views dovetail exactly with the perfect educational presidential candidate. Educator’s, however, should have no difficulty choosing “the best answer” when they mark their polls on November 4, 2008.
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