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Description
In the 2000 election, President Bush's pledge to combat the "soft bigotry of low expectations" was a pillar of his compassionate conservatism and crucial to his razor-thin margin of victory. That election begat the now-controversial No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The law has split the Right between those who cheer accountability and those who jeer federal overreach and insufficient attention to school choice. Among the Left, those who see a punitive law that's unfair to teachers scuffle with NCLB hawks committed to closing racial achievement gaps. So far, those debates have drawn little attention on the stump, as the campaigns focus on Iraq and immigration, terrorism and taxes. Will education matter in '08? Are the political parties as deeply divided on education issues as on tax issues and foreign policy? Two leading political consultants--Democrat Chris Lehane and Republican David Winston--offer their takes. Lehane calls for the Democrats to seize the mantle of reform, while Winston assures GOP candidates they need only to stay the course.
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The Democratic Take
The 2008 presidential election stands as a "change" election. The public's anxiety over the challenges globalization poses to the future of the American Dream is driving a desire for the country to change direction. The American people understand that what will give the nation a competitive advantage in a global marketplace are the skills, creativity, and drive of its citizens.
Today, America's public education system gets a "gentleman's C." Our public school students consistently rank average or below average in international comparisons of student achievement. A study by University of Pennsylvania researchers, which has been used to counter arguments that America's public education system is not working as well as it should, found that the U.S. was generally a bit above average when compared with other industrialized nations and in the middle in the important subjects of math and science. Imagine the public outcry if a study concluded that the U.S. was in the middle of the pack or just slightly better than average when it came to our per-capita income or our nation's military strength?
Given the enormous changes taking place in the world, the current education achievement gap between low-income and affluent students, and the logical nexus between a nation's economic strength and the quality of its public education system, it is incumbent on our country to put in place a national education strategy. Leaders in the Democratic Party have the opportunity to step up to the plate and provide leadership and public policy solutions.
First, a national education plan would animate the Democratic Party's ideological commitment to providing equal opportunity for all. It is imperative that minority children receive the same level of educational opportunity as white children. If we want high-tech businesses and high-quality jobs being developed in the United States rather than in China, all of our children need to be prepared to earn a good living. We simply cannot afford to allow segments of our population to lack the skills needed to compete in the global economy.
Second, whenever the U.S. has moved from one era to another, the public has historically looked to the government to take the lead in addressing the attendant challenges. This pattern holds true today, whether the challenge is global warming, terrorism, immigration, disaster relief, or education. For the Democrats, a party that philosophically believes that government should and can play an important role in providing for both the national and economic security of our country, the public's desire for government action is an enormous opportunity to demonstrate leadership (see Figure 1).
Third, a national education strategy offers Democrats the chance to best the Republican Party politically by standing as protector of the American Dream. Communicating a clear economic philosophy will help the party beat the standard Republican play that raises the specter of higher taxes in every discussion about investing in the country's future. Linking a high-performing public education system with a strong economy and our country's national security at a time when voters, especially middle-class voters, are connecting... |
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