If we are going to put the economy back on track—not just short-term crisis management, but long-term growth and health—we need a president who will invest in education. A cornerstone of any long-term economic plan must be an investment in quality public schools so our students are prepared to compete in a global economy.

Sen. Barack Obama’s vision for the future of this country, and the future of the American economy, couldn’t be more different than Sen. John McCain’s. While Obama calls for early childhood education, professional pay for educators, college affordability, parental involvement and full funding for critical education programs, McCain calls for more of the same failed policies of the Bush administration, including voucher schemes and rolling back teacher certification standards.
Obama has said education means “more to our economic future than anything.” In sharp contrast, McCain calls for freezing public education funding and pushing failed school voucher schemes. McCain’s spending freeze would, as he said, be a ‘hatchet.’ But the Bush administration has been hacking away at public education spending for the last eight years, and America’s public schools are struggling. In this economic crisis, we need a president who will invest in quality public schools, invest in our teachers and invest in the future leaders of this country.

All roads to economic security and prosperity go through our public schools. NEA members know this, perhaps better than anyone else, and that’s why NEA has launched an unprecedented effort to reach its 3.2 million members and their families—who live in every state and every congressional district.

The next president’s education policies will not only affect the lives of millions of students, it will affect the future health of the economy.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 24th, 2008 at 12:30 pm and is filed under Uncategorized .