Reply #5: Because he voted for it the first time around. [View All]

[LWolf]

They all did. It was Ted Kennedy's baby (and George Miller, too), and they all supported the democratic idea of "closing the achievement gap."

I spoke to him one-on-one about this in 2003, as NCLB is a deal-breaker with me. I don't know how he'll vote on the reauthorization, or even what we're going to see come to the table for a vote this fall, but I do know that he does not support high-stakes testing, and that his ideas for improving public education is to support it, not lecture, mandate, and punish.

Here is a small <snip> from his "issues" page:

The current Administration wants to box our young people in with standardized tests and a limited focus on math and science. These days, American students are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in American history and unparalleled anywhere in the world. Education must emphasize creative and critical thinking, not just test taking.

I believe we can take our children and society in a new direction by challenging this notion that education should be so limited. We ought to be encouraging art, music, and creative writing in our schools. In doing so, we recognize and fuel the wide range of talents our children possess.

Much more here: http://www2.kucinich.us/issues/education.php

I was really glad to hear him, in one of the debates earlier this summer, bring up research on brain development and Piaget. He's been listening to more than one teacher. :D