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With soaring oil prices, the war in Iraq, debates over the world climate, and healthcare concerns, education and literacy have taken a backseat in the 2008 presidential election. Much is at stake this presidential election; according to Education Portal, 42 million American adults cannot read, and 50 million Americans are at a 4th or 5th grade reading level. The number of illiterate Americans increases by 2.25 million each year. These startling statistics beg the question: Where do the 2008 presidential candidates stand on education and literacy programs?
…on the No Child Left Behind Act:
John McCain (R- Arizona)
From "The Presidential Field: John McCain," Washington Post online
"The principles underneath No Child Left Behind -- standards, accountability, transparency, and choice-- are a major step in the right direction; taking away power from education bureaucrats and returning it to those on the front lines of education -- the local schools, the local teachers and the local parents. It has provided support and guidance to our state and local communities to strengthen our schools, while also giving much needed flexibility for every state in the use of federal education dollars. It also contains many initiatives that have helped ensure that more federal education dollars reach our classrooms rather than being lost in bureaucratic black hole."
Barack Obama (D- Illinois)
From "Issues: Education," Barack Obama's official campaign website
"No Child Left Behind Left the Money Behind: The goal of the law was the right one, but unfulfilled funding promises, inadequate implementation by the Education Department and shortcomings in the design of the law itself have limited its effectiveness and undercut its support. As a result, the law has failed to provide high-quality teachers in every classroom and failed to adequately support and pay those teachers."
…on financing for literary programs:
McCain
Supported the Reading Excellence Act to combat illiteracy, promote adult education and strengthen teacher preparation.
Obama
Supported a reading initiative in Chicago for $4,000,000, which would offer elementary schools the opportunity to adopt a district-endorsed K-5 reading program with books from several approved publishers. This initiative will also provide new books for classrooms, and modeling, coaching and mentoring for teachers.
…on bilingual education:
McCain
From the 2007 Republican primary debate on Univision on Dec. 9, 2007
“I think the most practical value is to make English used by all Americans and all citizens, and all who come here. The only way we move up the economic ladder from the bottom rung is to know English. And I would emphasize the importance of every person who comes to this country to become a citizen and enjoy its liberties and beauty is to learn English. And I will do everything I can to help them do that.”
Obama
From the 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin on Feb. 21, 2008
“It is important that everyone learns English and that we have that process of binding ourselves together as a country. Every student should be learning a second language, because when you start getting into a debate about bilingual education, for example, now, I want to make sure that children who are coming out of Spanish-speaking households had the opportunity to learn and are not falling behind. If bilingual education helps them do that, I want to give them the opportunity. But I also want to make sure that English-speaking children are getting foreign languages because this world is becoming more interdependent, and part of the process of America's continued leadership in the world is going to be our capacity to communicate across boundaries, across borders, and that's… frankly where we've fallen behind. Foreign languages is one of those areas that I think has been neglected. I want to put more resources into it.”
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