Thanks!

JDewey — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:00:07 -0700

Thanks AT! I think education is not a popular issue right now because neither candidate can come up with a good "sound-byte" answer. NCLB left so many doors wide open that it's going to take a while to resolve.

I understand his support of school choice (I agree that students need a variety of options, but within reason and with proper funding for all), but I am baffled when he encourages homeschooling and supporting public schools in the same statement. Parents should have the right to do so (even though the reality of this is scary) but I don't think the answer to public education is encouraging parents to become their child's teacher.

The King of Flip-Flops

Nick D — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:54:50 -0700

Yet another thing that makes me think that the McCain of 2000 wouldn't donate money, much less vote for, the McCain of 2008.

Way to go....

angryteacher — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:22:19 -0700

Great legislative research there, JDewey. McCain is the anti-education President; yet I know that plenty of folks will be completely distracted from the education crisis by each and every other crisis in the world.

McCain on Education

JDewey — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:19:28 -0700

This...

Against nationally imposed standards & funding strings

Q: Should federal money be linked to how well students perform on national or statewide tests?

A: I do not favor nationally imposed standards or federal funding strings. State and local education agencies should be responsible for developing & enforcing high academic standards. I don’t believe we should penalize students by taking away limited education dollars according to federal dictates. Such strings would invariably require states to spend even more money on federally imposed bureaucratic requirements-money that would be better spent in the classroom. I propose sending education funding directly to classrooms rather than having it siphoned off by federal and state bureaucracies. If this funding flows to classrooms that continue to fail, the state should have the authority to allow students to use that funding directly for programs that best meet their academic needs. Empowering parents and students through educational choice and competition is the surest path to academic excellence. Source: Associated Press Feb 23, 2000

Plus this...

Q: How can we attract the best and the brightest teachers, given the current salaries?

A: I don’t see why a good teacher should be paid less money than a bad senator. It’s important that we have merit pay for teachers, that we have teacher testing, that we do everything we can to motivate young men and women to enter this profession. There’s a whole generation that’s retiring. It is unconscionable that the average salary of a lawyer is $79,000 a year and the average salary of a teacher is $39,000 a year Source: Republican Debate at Dartmouth College Oct 29, 1999

Plus this...

Merit pay & competency testing for teachers Also promoted merit-based pay for teachers, calling higher teacher salaries an “urgent necessity.” But he added that teachers should be tested for competence periodically and fired if they don’t meet certain standards. Source: Associated Press Jun 14, 1999

Equals this??

Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. To provide an additional $5 billion for title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Voting YES would provide:

$2.5 billion for targeting grants to local educational agencies
$2.5 billion for education finance incentive grants

Reference: Elementary and Secondary Education Amendment; Bill S Amdt 2275 to HR 3010 ; vote number 2005-269 on Oct 26, 2005

Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. Vote to adopt an amendment to the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget Resolution that would adjust education funding while still reducing the deficit by $5.4 billion. A YES vote would:

Restore education program cuts slated for vocational education, adult education, GEAR UP, and TRIO.
Increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $4,500 immediately.
Increases future math and science teacher student loan forgiveness to $23,000.
Pay for the education funding by closing $10.8 billion in corporate tax loopholes.

Reference: Kennedy amendment relative to education funding; Bill S AMDT 177 to S Con Res 18 ; vote number 2005-68 on Mar 17, 2005

Buckeye State Blog - McCain on Education - Comments

Thanks!

The King of Flip-Flops

Way to go....

McCain on Education