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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2008 > September > 09 > Entry
Both candidates need to be specific about education plans
Sens. McCain and Obama Tuesday
Here’s a sneak preview of Wednesday’s editorial about visits to the Dayton area by Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain:
At Stebbins High School on Tuesday, Sept. 9, Sen. Obama pitched mostly ideas he has supported in the past — more money for early childhood education, teacher pay, college tax credits and classroom technology upgrades.
But to make a big difference in any of those areas would require a major financial commitment. “We can do all this for the cost of just a few days in Iraq,” was all he said about how to pay for it. That’s easier said than done.
And Sen. Obama got wild applause from a crowd thick with teachers in blue union T-shirts when he mocked No Child Left Behind as only preparing kids to “fill in bubbles on a standardized test.” But he doesn’t offer a better way to evaluate student achievement beyond a vague promise that teachers should help develop “new assessments.”
What kinds of assessments does Sen. Obama have in mind, and why would they be any better?
For his part, Sen. McCain is actually even less specific about his education plans. His position can be summed up pretty simply — he (and Sen. Obama) would focus more federal money on needy pre-schoolers, and he supports expanding school choice. In Sen. Barack Obama could have picked any city in the country for Tuesday’s speech on education, but it was fitting that he chose to embrace charter schools in the Dayton area.
Arguably, this is the charter school capital of the country. From 2001 to 2006, Dayton was No. 1 in the nation for the percentage of schoolchildren attending charter schools, and the city slipped to No. 2 in recent years only because New Orleans is rebuilding its schools after Hurricane Katrina with a largely charter school system.
By saying he supports doubling federal support for charter schools — increasing that spending to $400 million — Sen. Obama moved closer to his opponen’s position. And he is disagreeing with the prevailing view among public school teachers and the National Education Association, which are among the Democratic Party’s most loyal supporters.
Coincidentally, Sen. John McCain was speaking just 25 miles to the south in Lebanon. Sen. Obama’s new affection for charter schools followed Sen. McCain’s convention speech last week in which he touted his allegiance to school choice as the primary plank of his education plan.
So both candidates favor charter schools. But voters still don’t know what either really would try to accomplish when it comes to schools, because neither has been specific.
Sen. McCain’s case, choice includes vouchers that allow students to attend private schools using tax dollars. Sen. Obama has embraced public school choice through charters, but not private school vouchers.
In opinion polls, education always ranks among the issues voters most care about. But this election season, it has been overshadowed by the economy and the war.
There’s still time for both candidates to be more direct. Now that the race has entered the home stretch, voters are listening.
(Image credits: Teesha McClam and Nick Daggy, Cox News Service)
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Education
Comments
By Carol A
September 10, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this
The McCain-Palin smear/attack ad about Barack Obama’s education plan is inexcusable. The recent sleazy ad suggests inappropriate intentions by Obama toward the young white children in the video. Distorting and spinning the truth, the ad claims that Obama’s plan supports sex education for kindergarteners. As a teacher and mother of two, I wholeheartedly support school curriculum that includes child personal safety against sexual predators. Stanger Danger and good and bad touch learning is very appropriate and necessary. The governor of a state with extremely high rates of incest, child abuse, and rape, Sarah Palin, must realize that this learning is critical in today’s society. The racist and sexually suggestive ad represents a low point for the McCain-Palin campaign. It reflect poorly on a man who brags of straight talk, integrity, and honor. It is not the leadership expected of a patriotic, religious leader. Let’s look past the excitement of the VP candidate and find out what McCain-Palin really stand for.By TRS
September 10, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
The issue wasn’t with the good touch, bad touch - all favor appropriate curriculum about child safety and warning about sexual predators. The bill included approval of curriculum which included a story about two princes who met and fell in love among other things. That seems a bit strong for a 5 year old to me. Sorry Carol - the race card won’t work on this one either. Neither will your insinuation that Gov Palin favors policies that favor child abuse, incest and rape. Why would a mother of 5 do that? Desperation is not an attractive trait when used to try and viciously destroy another person.By Mary L
September 10, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this
It’s the subtle things that matter and so it would appear the media has chosen their candidate. DDN runs McCain articles above the fold; People magazine does a piece on McCain family; and ABC features McCain with no equal time for Obama. Sad how corporate-controlled media is still a follower.By Jim
September 10, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
It’s obvious “No Child” doesn’t work, just ask anyone in the education field. McCain supports charter schools and private schools, primarily because of the huge money making potential. I believe anyone involved in public education should overwhelmingly prefer Obama and his strong support of public education verses more of the same from John McCain.By Raoul
September 12, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
I have an idea for those who support our public school system. Instead of using money to feed students breakfast and lunch, teach them about sex at early ages, cram blame-America ideas into their heads, preach victimization vs. self reliance, preach a revisionist anti-American history, and protect bad teachers who have given up, why don’t we make children learn to read, write, learn math and science, and for God’s sake, learn how to balance a budget and a check book so that when they become adults they don’t take out mortgage and car loans they cannot afford, and how to save money to buy the things they want when they can afford them.