Rebublicans/Democrates and Education
Does anyone besides me remember a campaign promise to get ride of NCLB? The Republican’s promised us accountablility and reform with NCLB-we got additional paperwork-teachers forced to teach to tests and Science and History losing out to increase Math and Reading scores.
The only thing I can agree with Sec. Duncan on is the need to increase the number of days in the school year. Let’s get honest this has not been done because there is an entire industry build on tourism, camps, and lessons that some people can afford to purchase. IN some districts this has been addressed by adding intersessions. The interesting thing about the intercessions is that they allow teachers to teach like they used to-using creativity. Teachers love them and so do the kids. Follow ups on this type of project based learning shows BETTER retenion.
It is interesting to note ” Republicans were among the first U.S. politicians to propose significant federal aid for education. But by the 20th century, the party had shifted its position to a general skepticism that at times gave way to limited support. Even at the times when backing limited aid, though, the party retained its stipulation that in administering the aid, the federal government must in no way interfere with state and local control of schools. ” These were the days I was a republican.
Then in 1985, after Reagan’s first Secretary of Education, Terrel Bell, resigned, conservative William J. Bennett took his place. Bennett announced that he would use the post as a “bully pulpit” to push conservative policies and values. Bennett argued for a Western Civilization-based core curriculum and against multicultural programs. Suddenly the influx of religion-I am Catholic-and it was clear it was HIS religious views! The first Bush advocated institutional competition among schools and adequate training for entering the job market. President Bush also renewed the call for a tuition tax credit. Ok it seemed like we were back in the realm of reality…
Then the elections of 1994. Republicans gained control of Congress, and quickly set out to slash funds from various education programs, arguing that the government’s deficit necessitates cutbacks. Republican Representative Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America” further targeted education and job training for budget reductions as Congress and the Clinton administration fought over balancing the budget. Now the far religious right seemed to be in firm control. Education regained a bit of funding under Clinton but was left in the dust as he focused on saving his own job. Enter the second Bush (Did I mention I liked his father better) and real person in charge his VP. No Child Left Behind fully entrenched the governent into the education process taking away any sense of local control and basically assumes that all children were alike everywhere! The party of limited governent became the party Of BIG HUGE GOVERNENT and BIG BROTHER. This for me was the last bullet I was going to bite and left the party. Okay there was the Patroit Act and failure to grant civil rights that also pushed me out of the party.So here I am a girl who lives in the town that gave us Gerald R Ford now a Democrat. I never thought I would see the day that the Republican party was all about more government!
Now we have a newly elected Sec of Education who agains wants to increase the role of the Federal Government. Sec Duncan…wake up!!!!! Everything you are suggesting has been done under the Republicans and failed.
Here’s a new approach-Let’s get rid of all the huge administrations in public schools. Let’s run them more like the private schools who do not have all the layers. Have a few teachers do double duty as the curriculum experts, bump their pay and get rid of the overpaid leaders who sit in offices, hold meetings, go to conferences and issue orders from on high. Teachers are not Mommies-we are professionals. We need discipline restored to the schools. Since more testing and more restrictions has not worked-how about letting the teachers take a crack at fixing things???
