Too Progressive

The only reason conservatives don’t want their kids to hear a speech from President Obama encouraging them to stay in school is because an educated populace means less votes for Republicans.

Over the past few decades Republicans have shown time and time again that they see nothing wrong with using American soldiers as political ploys. Touting their commitment to taking care of our veterans but not really ever backing it up with any sort of substantial legislation. Talking the talk, but not walking the walk, so to speak. Fortunately, Democrats have shown time and time again they are willing to look out for those who risk their lives looking out for us. The latest example being Senator Jim Webb’s “G.I. bill”:

Sen. Webb’s “New GI Bill,” which went into effect Aug. 1, returns a full measure of educational aid to Americans who’ve served since 9/11, when falling towers and a flaming Pentagon signaled the start of a long war against a new set of lethal enemies. The fierce fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan–between them, the wars have killed more than 5,000 Americans and wounded perhaps 10 times that number–justifies a robust GI Bill, especially since, as Mr. Webb last year told Free Lance-Star readers, “Seventy percent of the Marine Corps and 75 percent of the Army leave at or before the end of their first enlistment, so the all-volunteer military is not an all-career military. When the overwhelming majority are leaving at the end of one enlistment, you still have a citizen-soldier, and those are the people who have not been taken care of.”

This doesn’t make any sense. If I can’t walk right into a public school and get a job without the proper credentials, why should I be able to educate my own kids (if I had any) without any special training or qualifications?

The California appellate court that recently appeared to outlaw home-schooling in California has now agreed to rehear the case, raising hopes among home-schooling supporters that the court will revise its ruling.

I’m sure there are some people who can teach their kids just fine, but do we really want to leave the education of our nation’s next generation up to someone who lacks qualification? The American education system is already falling behind the rest of the world as it is. I’d like to see the California courts uphold this decision and I’d like to see similar legislation introduced here in Virginia.

Virginia may opt out of Every No Child Left Behind as soon as June 30, 2009.  That is, assuming the federal law still exist (in it’s current state or not).   Legislation cleared the G.A. yesterday that would direct the VA Board of Education to direct whether the Commonwealth should pull out of the federal school education accountability system.

Virginia is among several states in which officials have argued that the federal government has failed to provide enough funding and flexibility to carry out the No Child Left Behind law, which requires annual testing in math and reading for many children.

The measure that passed the House on Friday and the Senate on Saturday would not have an immediate impact. If the Board of Education recommends withdrawal from the federal accountability system, the bill would require the board to present a plan to the governor and legislature by June 30, 2009.

 At the Federal level, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) will introduce a bill this Spring that would amend the failed piece of legislation which requires annual testing of children in grades 3-12.  Schools must show annual progress or face a cut in funding.  Also worth noting is that in January a lawsuit by the National Education Association was revived by the 6th circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that challenged the law as an unfunded mandate.

[Cross posted on Daily Kos]

We all know Republicans loathe education because a highly educated population means less votes for them, but House Appropriates Committee chairman Lacey Putney came right out and said that education is not a Republican priority during budget negotiations this week.

Governor Tim Kaine met with budget negotiators, who were mixed on whether they thought a deal on the state’s two-year, $78 billion spending plan could be reached by Saturday’s scheduled adjournment.

Kaine pushed once more Friday for expanding pre-K statewide, but House Appropriations Committee chairman Lacey Putney said that wasn’t a priority for Republican negotiators.

Putney, an independent who organizes with the Republicans, said he didn’t think there was any way a deal could be reached by Saturday.

The negotiators are expected to meet again today to try and work out a deal.