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John McCain on Education
Education policy under a John McCain presidency would be disastrous for Arizona’s children and parents. A comprehensive analysis of Senator McCain’s record in Congress, his public statements, and influences from advisers and policy consultants shows that public schools would be thrown under the bus in a McCain Administration. Over the next week, I will post my analysis of John McCain on education and the implications of four more years of Republican education policy.
Along with supporting failed legislation and programs such as No Child Left Behind, John McCain receives advice and support from individuals connected to radical education policies and charges of mismanagement of federal funds. The threats to America’s public education system include the expansion of unconstitutional voucher programs, the continuation of abstinence-only sex-education, and the terrible possibility of privatization. Today, our focus will be on McCain’s support of the No Child Left Behind Act and the disastrous policies of the Bush Administration. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was the centerpiece of President George W. Bush’s education policy. Touted as a strong bill to improve student performance while setting high expectations for schools, teachers, and students, NCLB has fallen far short of its goals. Studies show that student achievement has actually declined and many of its mandates have been under-funded since NCLB’s enactment. John McCain voted to approve the No Child Left Behind Act, but has criticized certain aspects of the law, including its provisions for testing English-language learners and students with disabilities. However, McCain has ignored many of the other problems of NCLB, including the major funding gap and the policy of punishing rather than assisting failing schools.
In fact, John McCain doesn’t inject himself into the NCLB debate often. The Huffington Post details his various remarks concerning the law, giving vague support for amending the legislation to provide for more flexibility and more emphasis on math and science. It’s not that these are good ideas. NCLB has a lot of problems, many of them minor and can be fixed relatively easily. But John McCain does not address the major flaws of this legislation. He calls it a “monumental milestone” on Larry King, but doesn’t condemn the spending gap in the law’s mandates while voting to approve every budget sent to President Bush. Schools are getting punished because of No Child Left Behind, how is McCain supporting “school choice” when schools having their funding revoked or getting closed altogether?
John McCain’s stances on No Child Left Behind are indicative of his broader views towards public education. He is largely unconcerned with the issue of education. It is not one of his priorities. What little solutions he gives to the numerous problems with our public education system are vague and unspecific. This is deplorable in a time when American students need the resources and assistance that will be necessary in a competitive global economy with the skills and knowledge that are required for the jobs of the 21st century. This is a time for leadership, something we are not getting from Senator McCain on the issue of education.
Posted By: Tim Wilson @ Apr 7, 04:45 PM
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Education is needed to make intelligent humans.
NCLB is a joke. Let’s reform it
— Jill Apr 7, 04:52 PM Permalink