Trouble lurking ahead for Obama's education focus

[proud2BlibKansan]

WASHINGTON – Signs of trouble are arising for President Barack Obama's plan to put education overhaul at the forefront of his agenda as he adjusts to the new reality of a divided government.

Giving students and teachers more flexibility is an idea with bipartisan support. Yet the debate about the overdue renewal of the nation's chief education law, known as No Child Left Behind, is complicated by political pressures from the coming 2012 presidential campaign and disputes over timing, money and scope of the update.

While education might offer the best chance for the White House to work with newly empowered Republicans, any consensus could fade in the pitiless political crosscurrents, leaving the debate for another day, perhaps even another presidency.

If so, parents, teachers and students would labor under a burdensome set of testing guidelines and other rules that many say are lowering standards.

more . . . http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110115/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_education

[defendandprotect]

1. Obama/Duncan agenda is to push charter schools ---

which undermines public education --

and attacks teachers and their union --

THAT needs to be changed!!

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Obama, Education, Focus: these three words cannot...

... cohabit a sentence comfortably, let alone a headline.

10 pts. off!

[YvonneCa]

3. So many thoughts pop into my head when I read this. Thought #1...

...Wasn't it Arne Duncan who said (paraphrasing)they'd probably keep the law and just change the name from NCLB to (a return to)ESEA? Supposedly to be less divisive...

[YvonneCa]

4. Thought # 2: Duncan HUNTER???? Junior...

...to his dad who just retired? He was brand new last year...is that the 'clout' they have on the GOP side? WOW.


Hunter: "There's room to make cuts, and I think pretty substantial cuts, that would enable us to use some of those savings on things we think work," said Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California conservative who's the new chairman of a House Education and Workforce subcommittee. "I like the piecemeal approach. ... If you do it in bite-size pieces, you can tell what needs to be tweaked as you go."

What are his credentials to know this? And don't teachers have higher credentials for this?

[YvonneCa]

5. Thought #3: I am glad to hear....

...this, although that status quo line is getting ridiculous.

Duncan: "No one I'm talking to is defending the status quo," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in an interview. "Everyone I talk to really shares my sense of urgency that we have to do better for our children. We're fighting for our country here."


For me, it's never been the goal. It's that teachers were excluded...to the detriment of being successful in reaching the goal. Excluded, disrespected, and scapegoated. Is that going to change?

[YvonneCa]

6. Thought #4: Was this what they were trying to do when...

...they started closing schools and firing teachers...giving us flexibility?

Giving students and teachers more flexibility is an idea with bipartisan support. Yet the debate about the overdue renewal of the nation's chief education law, known as No Child Left Behind, is complicated by political pressures from the coming 2012 presidential campaign and disputes over timing, money and scope of the update.


I have said before...and I still think...if Obama and Duncan don't get this right, 2012 IS in jeopardy. That ISN'T the most important reason for getting is right, though...the kids are.

[YvonneCa]

7. Thought #5: Thank you for posting this...

...proud2BlibKansan. :hi: