McCain's NAACP Speech: I'll Give You School Vouchers

John McCain addresses a tough audience today: the NAACP. He begins with some kind words about his opponent:

Let me begin with a few words about my opponent. Don't tell him I said this, but he is an impressive fellow in many ways. He has inspired a great many Americans, some of whom had wrongly believed that a political campaign could hold no purpose or meaning for them. His success should make Americans, all Americans, proud. Of course, I would prefer his success not continue quite as long as he hopes . . . Senator Obama talks about making history, and he's made quite a bit of it already . . . Whatever the outcome in November, Senator Obama has achieved a great thing -- for himself and for his country -- and I thank him for it.

But the focus of his speech is education -- in particular, school vouchers:

Democrats in Congress, including my opponent, oppose the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program. In remarks to the American Federation of Teachers last weekend, Senator Obama dismissed public support for private school vouchers for low-income Americans as, "tired rhetoric about vouchers and school choice." All of that went over well with the teachers union, but where does it leave families and their children who are stuck in failing schools?

Last year, McCain skipped the NAACP convention, citing scheduling conflicts.

Comments

[AllenD]

I am a Obama supporter but I will give McCain props for showing up. He is a decent man who is on the wrong side of this election. Too bad he wasn't the Repug nominee in 2000!

[sweetieheartsobama]

Yes, school vouchers. He'll give african-americans school vouchers and that will solve our problems with high gas costs, high food costs, healthcare, etc.

John McCain really understands black people. How could they not vote for his great platform he put forth today?

[levelshot]

In McEd's own State the voucher/charter school system is a complete failure. Read here:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/12648

[KaAp]

It was horrible horrible horrible and left the schools in a mess

[tanyainsacramento]

umm bills and legislation he worked on while in senate

Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education
Establish teaching residency programs
Increase early intervention services
Middle school curriculum improvements
Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid
Summer learning programs
TANF financial education promotion
Higher education
Build capacity at community colleges
Campus law enforcement in emergencies
Support for teachers


In the 110th Congress, Senator Obama reintroduced the Innovation Districts for School Improvement Act. Under this initiative, school districts would submit plans on how they would become centers of reform.

Higher Education Bill Includes Obama Proposals to Improve Teacher Training, Fund Predominately Black Institutions; Obama, Emanuel Introduce Bills to Establish Teacher Residency Program

Senator Obama worked with Senator DeMint to introduce the Education Opportunity Act in the 109th Congress. This proposal would make grants available to low-income high school students to earn college credit at their local university or community college.

Barack Obama's first bill as a U.S. Senator was the HOPE Act (Higher Education Opportunity Through Pell Grant Expansion Act) which would help make college more affordable for many Americans. The bill would increase the maximum Pell Grant from the then current limit of $4,050 to a new maximum of $5,100. Through his work on the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Obama has worked to increase the maximum Pell Award to $5,100 next year, and to $5,400 over the next several years, an increase of 25% over current levels.

[circusfifthfloor]

"Democrats don't care about kids" Nice try there sparky. How is a $3000.00 voucher gonna help a single mom earning $25,000.00 a year pay for a private school that cost $12,000.00 per year? This has nothing to do with conservatives and liberals. It has everything to do with using your head. I can see why Fox has such good ratings. Don't come into the PAINT unless you got more game than that.....CFF

[tanyainsacramento]

this is insulting!
its like the school version of the gas tax holiday

how bout enabling the black community
how bout creating better public schools
how bout taking some of that war money and investing it into ending poverty in the USA
how bout rewarding teachers for work instead of time..creating more enthusiasm and a better learning environment
how bout FIX IT..school vouchers dont fix anything..what about college? how bout making sure that kids have all the resources needed tohelp them successfully enter and graduate from a college

gawd this is wrong on so many levels

[Pquilson]

throwing money at education has not worked. check DCs test scores. That is a district which spends more per student than nearly anywhere. The test scores are atrocious.
it will require parental involvement.
the teachers unions care not one whit about education, aside from a means to receive their income, in my opinion.

[vcsmith]

You're on the right track. Not much will come from a couple of meetings and a stipend. It may be that the problem with education is that not everyone is preordained to become an investment banker. Its getting to the point where we are spending more to educate people than than they able to earn in the next 20 years of their life. What are the goals? What are the objectives?

[Binx101]

McCain might as well take credit for ending slavery in the US

- after all, he was surely a close adviser and good friend of Lincoln, no ?

Binx101
The Almost Daily Binx
http://binx101.wordpress.com

[PuppaX]

Stop exaggerating. McCain was barely a tyke when Lincoln was shot.

[SaulGoode]

I don't want kids to have school vouchers because I get a lot of $$$$ from the NEA, and I really don't want kids to succeed.

- Baracky

[chronic]

I see you haven't graduated from elementary school.

So go to bed and let the grown folks talk!!

[Texas4Obama]

I am glad Senator McCain said those nice things about Senator Obama - now McCain should vote for Obama in November :)
Obama '08

[Bruges]

Thanks to Tator for saying a fundamental truth. The ability to get a degree in Education has ruined the high schools in this country. The NEA hasn't helped. Most of the urban public schools are disasters, even though the cost per student is around $10,000 or more and with most of the money going to the poorer areas. Vouchers may not be the best or only answer for kids in failing and dangerous schools, but they should be an option. What changes did Obama effect in Chicago? Were his educational policies better than his public housing policies?

[BabsfromKS]

Have you ever taught in an urban high school?

[tanyainsacramento]

umm bills and legislation he worked on while in senate

Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education
Establish teaching residency programs
Increase early intervention services
Middle school curriculum improvements
Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid
Summer learning programs
TANF financial education promotion
Higher education
Build capacity at community colleges
Campus law enforcement in emergencies
Support for teachers


In the 110th Congress, Senator Obama reintroduced the Innovation Districts for School Improvement Act. Under this initiative, school districts would submit plans on how they would become centers of reform.

Higher Education Bill Includes Obama Proposals to Improve Teacher Training, Fund Predominately Black Institutions; Obama, Emanuel Introduce Bills to Establish Teacher Residency Program

Senator Obama worked with Senator DeMint to introduce the Education Opportunity Act in the 109th Congress. This proposal would make grants available to low-income high school students to earn college credit at their local university or community college.

Barack Obama's first bill as a U.S. Senator was the HOPE Act (Higher Education Opportunity Through Pell Grant Expansion Act) which would help make college more affordable for many Americans. The bill would increase the maximum Pell Grant from the then current limit of $4,050 to a new maximum of $5,100. Through his work on the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Obama has worked to increase the maximum Pell Award to $5,100 next year, and to $5,400 over the next several years, an increase of 25% over current levels.

[SaulGoode]

Opposition to vouchers is proof that Democrats don't care about kids.

[abigail1]

let's say you give every kid in Detroit a 3000 voucher. Where is the kid going to use it? the shrinking population has lead to the closing of most of the religious and private schools in the city, just as it has messed things up for public schools. And how are those kids supposed to get to school in the suburbs? And how are their parents supposed to come up with the other 10,000 that it will take to cover the tuition at one of those schools? And how are those kids supposed to get into those private schools when they take fewer students than apply as it is? Are you going to make the schools take them? Are you going to force them to take 3000 as tuition? Cause you can't, their private schools.
Vouchers sound great to people who live in places where there are a number of great private schools that they'd like to get their kids into, but those are not the places where schools are in the most trouble and not the places where the kids need the most help.
Democrats and Republicans care about kids, Democrats just care about all of them.

[abigail1]

and before you say it I know it's "they're private schools" not "their private schools."

and before you say that my lack of grammar is evidence of America's failing public schools, let me tell you that I went to private school.

[mypov123]

Sorry I disagree with you. I believe that the Republicans' support of school vouchers and "charter schools" are an excuse not to adequately fund and support the PUBLIC schools that exist and are struggling, especially when it comes to schools in the inner city.

I agree with Sen. Obama that the No Child Left Behind law needs to be reformed, because the children aren't benefiting when teachers spend more time giving standardized tests rather than actually TEACHING their students. I have an aunt that teaches at an elementary school in inner-city Baltimore, and she complains about this all the time. They punish the schools who don't perform well enough on these standardized tests, yet they dont' give teachers adequate time to teach their students so that they can have a better chance of performing on the tests. It's a law designed to give the government an excuse not to fund "certain" public schools because they're not performing to a certain standard on these tests.

[mypov123]

School vouchers and "charter schools" are also one way to further segregate students according to race. Instead of allowing the abandonment of the public schools that are struggling, parents and teachers should be banding together to demand that the government provide more support for public schools, vouchers and charter schools aren't the answer.

[BabsfromKS]

The root causes of poverty need to be addressed.

[danoj]

Wrong opposition to vouchers proves Dems are beholden to the teachers union and don't care about kids, and for all the voucher nay sayers competition is always the answer for improvement. Merit pay for teachers and schools competing for students will breed better schools. The schools that can't make will get tied to a tree and beat over the head with aclub just like any business that fails.

[BabsfromKS]

yeah, and kick out all those kids who don't sit quietly in their seats!

[SaulGoode]

It won't happen. Pelosi won't allow it. She's too beholden to the NEA...and they don't want the populace educated. They would lose their base that way.

Subjugation through dependence.

[1differentdrummer]

You know, if the effort and expense was made to improve public schools instead of draining their budgets to finance vouchers, public education would once again be world class. McCain and the others of the privileged classes spray this fine brown mist about vouchers as if public schools are inherently bad and private schools are inherently good. With the correct number of kids per class, (a superior private school has two teachers per nine-kid classes) the correct tools, superior teachers who can only be attracted by superior conditions and appropriate salaries and the right kind of administration, you'd see schools as good as Finland's. Our schools were once far better than the rest of the world.

[Purobi]

Thanks for an excellent post. Let's give tax break to the richest and make sure public education is not funded fully. That will do the trick Repugs are looking for.

[abigail1]

you do know that there is a correlation between education level and the likelihood that a person is a Democrat, don't you? The higher ones education level, the more likely they are to be one. The reason why there are so many professors who are liberal, is because there aren't that many conservatives with PHDs.

[Chbronze]

education or indoctrination ?

[RedWhiteandBrooklyn]

So... you're a supporter of that shining example of private eduction, George W. Bush?

ROFLMFAO!

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama July 16, 2008

Enough talk of money for education no matter which way. It's time for other people. What do yo u mean no money for education. Ex- Governor Gray Davis of California made education his priority. We always hear of teachers needs. It's time for other people and their needs for this is a Government of ALL Americans. Everyone equally should be considered and not terribly neglected as job seekers and poor. This negligence of others than those gettting educated who so far have done nothing for America since its in a terrible bind now as Iraq War and its continuing violence,Economy,highGas prices is as follows:

The National Coalition and National Law Center for November 2007 states,"In many cities there is not enough facilities for soup kitchens to feed people 3 times a day 7 days a week. Food pantries give only one box of food a month. nationalhomeless.org Select Feeding Intolerance and Myths of homeless peole and hunger.

Eva Hart A Christian In Army 62-70

The National

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama July 16, 2008 Continued

THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND NATIONAL LAW CENTER REPORT OF JANUARY 2006. In Dream Denied Anti-Panhandling Laws

Let me add here another fact since I am on 15 minute Express Internet and used up my one hour with SFC Library card. From Dream Denied and Violation of Constitutional Rights select then anti-camping and anti-sleeping laws Report of January 2006 it states,"In many cities there is not enough shelter space." Also cities are attempting to make it illegal for survival on public property for homeless. nationalhomeless.org From The National Coalition for the Homeless and National Law Center Report of January 2006. Remember too Time limits on Welfare including whole families as stated in Nov 23, 2002 Contra Costa Times Newspaper. Shorttime shelters as well. In Pittsburgh,Pa a poor person cannot panhandle 25 feet from a religious assembly and food vendors. Churches and others must feed homeless within city limits or be fined $2,000.

Mr. Don Whitehead,Executive Director, of the National Coalition for the Homeless states,"We need to address the root causes of homelessness as affordable housing, livable wages, and proper healthcare for poor and Civil Rights protection instead of ordinances and laws that are inhumane in cities. This is a sad picture for the homeless trying to survive and cannot. Eva Hart A Christian In Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Def 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama July 17, 2008 Continued


I want to thank Kinko's on Daniel Burnham Ct.,VanNess Ave.,Sfc for their wonderful and superb and superlative help and knowledge in helping me with my important Report of scarce food,jobs,shelter resources in US. Cindy,Wayne,Arturo,Arvind,Jeremy,Lorenzo know their skill and job well. They helped me tremendously in knowledge,fairness and honesty , and guidance in getting this Scarce Food,Jobs,Shelters Report together. I thank them and people can thank them too for their kindness. Eva Hart A Christian In Army from 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109

[lennix]

still trying to play us for fools the gop has never being for us and never will and the few tokins they have in the gop is worst we are not dumb please this is 2008 what ever you see ontv and the movies is not true its just that you have the control of the msm so you put thus mess out so no we are not foold by your lies

[PuppaX]

I am a strong supporter of Obama and feel that McCain is a moron, but I believe that Democrats are way off on school vouchers.

It seems to me that school vouchers are to Democrat ideologues what the Iraq War is to Republican ideologues. Keep pouring good money after bad because admitting to failure would be too painful. In the meantime, many real people suffer because of a commitment to a failing policy.

What would be so bad is some kids went to private schools? We already know that the amount of the vouchers wouldn't come close to the amount of money public schools are given to educate each child, so there is a net GAIN to the schools. Smaller class sizes? Great! A more involved parent body? Terrific!

I don't even understand why the rank-and-file teachers are upset about vouchers. More, higher-paying, private-school jobs sounds like it should be a good thing. The only reason I can come up with is their fear of accountability.

I have seen the teachers' unions wield tremendous power. They generally seem to use it with little regard to the expense to the children in their care, especially when someone starts talking about them being made accountable for something.

[tanyainsacramento]

vouchers dont cover the $$ amouint of private schooling

instead we need to fix the public schooling..good education should be free..teachers should be getting paid more..and the whole school system should be upgraded to better suit the progress of the students

vouchers is like the gas tax holiday...its not a fix

[docallen001]

I agree with tanyainscramento. If all of the private schools had to accept anyone who applied and anyone could have a voucher, then the private schools would face the same problems that the public schools have. The trouble in this country is that not only do we get our basic knowledge through sound bites, but we also rush to accept the easy fix that does not take any effort on our part.