Obama Links Education Overhaul to Economy

[marketbreakaway]

The Wall Street Journal
July 29, 2010

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama on Thursday defended his administration's efforts to spur an overhaul of education, calling it a pressing economic issue that can't be ignored.

"Education is an economic issue, if not the economic issue of our time," Mr. Obama said while speaking before the National Urban League, a civil-rights organization. "It's an economic issue when countries that out-educate us today are going to out-compete us tomorrow."

Mr. Obama defended his administration's Race to the Top program, a competition that provides grants to schools that adopt high learning standards and tie teacher evaluation to student performance. The program is central to the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul the education system and has brought criticism from civil-rights leaders that it leaves underperforming minority schools behind.

Mr. Obama dismissed such claims, saying part of it "reflects a general resistance to change." He said the central premise of Race to the Top is that winners must demonstrate a plan to "deal with those schools that are failing and those young people who aren't doing well."

He added, "Let me tell you, what's not working for black kids and Hispanic kids and Native American kids across this country is the status quo."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703578104575397231569543228.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsForth

[marketbreakaway]

1. I just put 2 kids through school

Here in Broward County Florida. And I assure you that they did not get a good education even though we have a wealthy community that apportions HALF of all property taxes to education.

My son cannot read. My daughter knows nothing of science. Yet both were passed with flying colors.

Well, at least there is a beautiful 20 story mirrored skyscraper in downtown Ft.Lauderdale to house all of those school administrators making huge salaries. That's important, right?

I know that it is undemocratic of me to say so, but we need to eliminate the corrupt public education system and use vouchers.

[LWolf]

2. Ronnie, is that you? nt

[Tutankhamun]

5. Your "son cannot read"? Some kids struggle with learning to read. I know I did.

Of course I was two years old so that may explain it.

[montanto]

9. Where were you

when your son graduated without knowing how to read? Wow. Amazing.

[midnight]

3. Under no child left behind era, our science programs were

gutted. Kids across this county can't be put into large class rooms and not funded. Firing experienced teachers will not address the status quo issue. Funding all children equally will.

[yurbud]

6. or funding at all

[adnelson60087]

4. What do the black, hispanic and Native American kids all have in common?

C'mon Barack, the answer is "crushing levels of poverty". Address their families' needs for good paying jobs healthcare, and watch the crime level drop as families start to heal and communities with them. Oh, that's right...poverty is an "excuse". Notice that in communities with low poverty, the schools are regarded as being pretty good if not great? That is NOT a coincidence.

[Jefferson23]

7. Race to Bust the Unions. n/t

[femmocrat]

8. Here is the economic issue:

Paying well-qualified teachers is too expensive, so we should fire their asses and hire uncertified newbies every year or two. And while we are at it, we can bilk them out of their pensions (that they contributed to) and use that money to fund wars and bail-outs!

OK, I got a little carried away with that second sentence. :hide:

[Tutankhamun]

11. You speak the truth. That's all that matters.

[awoke_in_2003]

13. "I got a little carried away"

seems spot-on to me.

[freebrew]

10. I live in a rural area.

Full of right-wingers and a few of us 'normal' folk. We have fairly high property taxes for our area, but it's a tourist destination so lots of $$ at times. More than 2/3s of these taxes pay for education, and we have new schools built often, a brand new football field(oh joy)for our state champion(?) football team.

Our science department is tops due to another local school not funding a nationally ranked teacher's science department, that teacher moved to our school, replacing the bible science instructor we had before.

And yet, the kids by and large, receive a fairly poor education. When it comes to thinking for oneself, those skills aren't taught nor appreciated by the local community. The really rural folk are adamant against anything progressive and were in an uproar along with the RW kooks when Obama wanted to give a school speech. The local schools and boards were with them.
Caused quite the uproar from the few liberals here. But it didn't change the outcome.

Parents must stand up for their kids. Yet, they must also support the teachers. What's unfortunate is that the parents only support an agenda that benefits themselves regardless of the effect on their children.
We are now stuck with random drug checks whether sports related or not. They deem the 'privilege' of parking on the school lot as enough reason to circumvent the court's decision on who can be tested as long as the board and teachers are spared that in humility.

We also have really well paid superintendents, assistants to the supers and now even an aspiring super ready for when the one in charge retires. I don't think anyone voted on this, but that's kind of the world here in the ozarks.

Maybe it's just privilege enough to live here, right?

The problem as I see it, no one is listening to the ideas from the people that know and care how our public system works. There is nothing wrong with our schools that a little more money and attention(care) won't fix. And I believe that goes for inner-city schools as well as rural schools.

The people have been all but shut out of the process.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. They are not taught to think for themselves...

they are taught to pass a test- I think they call it TASP now. When I still had stepchildren at home, it seemed the biggest emphasis was this damn test.

[roxiejules]

12. Which economic issue - hedge funds?

DOE agenda:

Corporatize public education

Bust teachers unions

Socialize children to expect to work longer and harder to make subsistence wages.

[awoke_in_2003]

15. It has been 30 years...

since Raygun busted the ATC union. There are only a few strong ones left now, and both parties treat them the same.