President Obama called on Congress to revamp the “No Child Left Behind” education law by the time students start a new school year in September, urging lawmakers to “seize this education moment.”
Mr. Obama made the remarks on Monday at a school in Virginia, using the backdrop of a classroom to urge changes to a law that Democrats and Republicans agree is broken.
“I want every child in the country to head back to school in the fall knowing that their education is America’s priority,” the president said. “The goals of No Child Left Behind were the right goals. But what hasn’t worked is denying teachers, schools and states what they need to meet these goals.”
Mr. Obama last week met with lawmakers from both parties in an attempt to jump-start the debate over reauthorizing the law, known officially as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Enacted in 2002, it was one of President George W. Bush’s signature pieces of legislation.
It was one of Bush's signature pieces of legislation and it was a failure.
Obama, rather than ending this farce, is going to double down on it - more testing, more high stakes over those tests, more school closings, more teacher firings.
Fortunately John Kline isn't biting over renewal:
Representative John Kline ,the chairman of the House education committee, said in a statement Monday that “the president’s remarks affirm the importance of fixing the nation’s broken education system. As we develop targeted, fiscally responsible reforms, the Committee on Education and the Workforce continues to work with school officials and state and local leaders to learn about the tools they need to prepare students for the future. We need to take the time to get this right – we cannot allow an arbitrary timeline to undermine quality reforms that encourage innovation, flexibility, and parental involvement.”
How dare you take time to give President Accountability his accountability stick to bludgeon teachers, schools and children, Rep. Kline?
I only hope you have the backbone to continue to thumb your nose at renewal and the massive federal control Obama wants over public education.
Don't just do something, stand there!
ReplyDeleteSometimes passivity and obstruction is the best thing you can do.
I am all for the obstruction strategy these days, Michael - with both parties!
ReplyDelete