I've seen a lot of "Teachers for Wesley Clark" threads, so I decided to find out if the General really has something intelligent to say about education - virtually unheard for a candidate from ANY political party.
Below is a copy of his "Education Policy" statement, with my comments in brackets.
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Invest in the Education of America's Future
Preparing our children for global leadership
I am living proof that in this country, when you get a good education, you can achieve anything-no matter where you start, no matter what your background might be. I want every child to have the same chance I had. I want to make sure that all children have the chance to develop their full human potential.
It is therefore essential that we make public education our nation's top priority. The quality of our public education system is critical to our social and economic strength. And though public schools have served many millions of students well, we still have a substantial "to-do" list to get to a gold standard, inside the classroom and out.
President Bush's Marquee Initiative: Broken Promises
President Bush has been neither compassionate or conservative when it comes to educating our children. The No Child Left Behind Act, as implemented by President Bush, has been a failure. It is wrong to impose a tremendous new mandate on states and local communities and then deprive them of the resources they need to succeed. The Bush Administration has focused too much on narrow tests and punishments, and too little on ensuring that every child can learn and succeed.
The administration's unrealistic demands have been coupled with a state and local fiscal crunch. States have had to cut $6.8 billion from K-12 education programs in 2003. And it is therefore no surprise that thousands of schools nationwide failed to meet the states' own standards for Adequate Yearly Progress in 2002-2003. We can, and will, do better.
A Gold Standard for the Classroom
As we demand more of schools, we also need new investment in the resources and support that schools need to improve. We must:
* Meet Our Commitments. I will follow through on the commitments we make to our children. I believe that we need to fully fund the laws we pass, to ensure that no child is actually left behind. I would work to fully fund the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act and to honor the federal commitment to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
* Hiring, Training, and Retaining our Teachers. I believe that teachers are the most important leaders in America. I support initiatives that are designed to recruit the most talented teachers, to let the teaching profession continue to earn the prestige that it deserves. http://www.endteacherabuse.org/> I also recognize that these teachers must be equipped to teach the classes that they are teaching. In the older grades, we must strive to let teachers teach in their area of expertise. Finally, we have to treat teachers with more respect, by giving them the opportunities for additional training and professional advancement they need to stay at the top of their grade.
* Providing the Right Facilities. In 1999, approximately 11 million students were enrolled in schools with a building in less than adequate physical condition. Twenty-six percent of public school buildings had less than adequate ventilation. These conditions are unacceptable. I recognize the need to invest immediately in school construction and renovation so that teachers and students have safe, modern facilities with sufficient space to work and learn.
* The Right Type of Accountability. I support holding our educational institutions accountable for achieving educational progress, but I believe that we must reevaluate the measures by which we assess that progress. I think we have to look at how tests are being administered - I don't believe that tests should drive instruction. Systems of accountability must remain fair and flexible and recognize the accomplishments of schools and teachers that are making progress educating the most challenging students. In addition, we must make sure that accountability systems are designed to help schools improve-simply punishing underperforming schools without providing the resources or support they need to improve won't reach our goal.
* A Path to Success for Each Child. Not all students learn in the same way, and only by offering a wide range of educational options can we ensure that all students develop their full human potential. I do not support school vouchers for private schools. I do believe, however, that there are many ways to expand educational options within the public school system so that each child can find his or her own path to success.
Full Lifetime Education
The ever-improving American workforce demands an educational system that keeps pace with the flexible global economy. It is vital that our K-12 education be world-class, but we must also look beyond the traditional schooling years. I believe that we must ensure that Americans have the opportunity to receive the education and training they need, from cradle to grave.
* Engaging Early and Often. Good programs in early childhood years are critical to a child's development. But more than one-third of eligible children are unable to participate in Head Start due to President Bush's refusal to commit the proper resources. Each additional dollar devoted to these early childhood programs represents an investment yielding remarkable returns - so many other problems and challenges facing our education system could be avoided if the gaps were closed. I will work toward ensuring that all children have access to high-quality pre-school.
* College. My commitment to education doesn't end with high school. Too many Americans are finding that rising tuition costs make it harder and harder to go to college. And our system of financial assistance to college students is both insufficient and unduly complicated. I will be setting forth a plan to help every young person in this country get the chance to go to college.
* Continuing education. I believe that continuing education and training are essential for American workers to be able to compete and thrive in a changing global economy. I believe that the existing job training system can be improved so that it better meets the needs of employees and employers. I support efforts to streamline training programs, strengthen and simplify accountability, and expand resources so that the U.S. job training system is the envy of the world.
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Sorry folks, but this statement is spelled L-O-S-E-R in my book.
Sadly, I doubt that any of the other candidates - Democrats and George Bush alike - have anything to say about education that's much more intelligent. Why is Eduation always sent to the back of the bus in this country?
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