Sen. Alexander tells Chamber to improve education

[MonteSano]

Unfortunately, he idiotically used his speech to call for vouchers. Whadda tool.


Local businesspeople should put more effort into supporting pay-for-performance bonuses for teachers and other ideas to improve the Metro school system, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said Thursday in a lunchtime address to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

The state’s junior senator and former governor said producing better-educated workers-not recruiting companies from outside Middle Tennessee-should be the Chamber’s highest priority. He singled out bonus payments for high-performing teachers, an idea that the local teachers’ union voted down earlier this month, as a program that the Chamber should support.

“Ninety-five percent of education boils down to parents, teachers and principals,” said Alexander, R-Tenn. “It’s hard to pass a better parent law. … So, if you can’t do that much about parents, you go to work on teachers and principals.”

Appearing in Nashville during a Congressional recess, Alexander spoke for 20 minutes, also touching on his expectations for the post-election legislative session and the state’s auto industry. He tied both subjects to a call to introduce more competition into the nation’s elementary and high schools, through vouchers and financial incentives.


http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061019/BUSINESS01/61019024

[Tennessee T]

1. Ruined Tennessee Educational System

When this jerk was Governor of Tennessee he and his repuke cronies gutted the Tennessee educational system. It took Democrat Phil Bredesen to bring it back. An example is the lottery that gives a precentage to schools.