Bush to Defend 'No Child Left Behind'

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Mon, Jan. 05, 2004

Bush to Defend 'No Child Left Behind'
DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush is defending his "No Child Left Behind" initiative against Democrats who, in fighting for a political advantage on the education issue, argue that the law is too rigid and is being shortchanged by the administration. (snip)

(snip) Bush and other Republicans praise the law, signed on Jan. 8, 2002, saying it expands testing and toughens standards for teachers, schools and students. The initiative, however, has lost support of some Democrats who say too little money has been spent on the mandated actions.

Critics, expected to speak out more frequently as the campaign season heats up, have argued that the funding increases that Bush touts aren't nearly enough to cover the costs of the new requirements, including the expense of creating tests and processing their results.

"We agree with the whole idea of standards and accountability, but it isn't being funded the way everybody thought it would be," Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers, a union representing more than 1 million teachers, said in a telephone interview Sunday. "An increase that is billions short of what you need to carry out the mandates just doesn't do it."
(snip/...)

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/breaking_news/7635782.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Ok folks the boy is now ON THE DEFENSIVE!

[shanti]

14. would that the dems ALWAYS

kept him on the defensive!!

[Just Me]

18. NAIL THEM TO THE WALL!!!

Now is the time for the HAMMER!!!

Educationally speaking, "they" want all of "us" to accomplish with pennies what they had to struggle to accomplish with their own millions (and our taxpayer billions to boot)!!!

[truthisfreedom]

2. bushco shall learn that The Democratic Party will not stand by as bush

pays lip-service to his empty promises. he's a LIAR.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. He's going to defend a federal law that is really another unfunded

mandate to the states that is a pretense for terminating federal aid to public schools which will weaken them overall by disqualifying entire school systems and good teachers, and which by turn, will be the reason why there will be a NEW mandate for vouchers for parents who want their children to leave public schools to attend better private schools (untouched by No Child Left Behind standards).

From a Republic point of view, this is a brilliant scheme. Using children to destroy one more brick in the wall of democracy.

[bleedingheart]

4. Yes it is more unfunded mandate

no sense of having a law which doesn't include any funding.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

11. Two Million Bucks

That's what NCLB is costing my kids' school district (and me, as a homeowner). The district's budget is already stretched wafer thin, and this two-million-dollar torpedo means that we'll have to pass a tax levy just to stay afloat. Half the school districts in Ohio are in similar condition.

That should have called it the "Public School Bankruptcy Act." It would have bee a more accurate description.

[KayLaw]

5. For Pete's Sake!

Notice how the article is written. It's all framed to make the issue look like politics as usual: " Democrats fighting for political advantage"..." Critics expected to speak out more frequently as campaign season heats up." He said, she said, Democrats playing politics , blah, blah, blah...

[chelaque liberal]

10. There goes that Liberal Media again....

It's not that the Dems are fighting a bill that will hurt a lot of schools in poor areas, it's that they are trying to get a political advantage. Give me a break!

BTW, Molly Ivins covers the issue well in Bushwhacked.

[Dimsdale]

6. ..in fighting for a political advantage on the education issue..

I see the need to mention that in the first sentence. What the Dems and the liberal unions who support them claim must certainly be taken with a grain of salt. This smacks of the ol' "the democrats will say anything to regain power" talking point. That ChimpCo will say or do anything to keep it is out of the question.

[gator_in_Ontario]

7. I think he followed in the footsteps

of bruther jeb...cuz we all no how good of an edumacation the chillins in flawda git!

[eileen from OH]

8. Good, let him.

I don't think they have any idea how wildly unpopular NCLB is from all over the spectrum. I really hope they make a big campaign issue out of it, because they won't get one teacher's vote. Including teachers that voted for Bush last time. And teachers are a group that DO vote.

eileen from OH

[Skidmore]

9. The phrase "Texas Miracle" should be on the lips

of every Dem candidate for nominee...Pelosi, Daschle, and every congress/senate person should be screaming "Texas Miracle" till they are blue in the face. I don't understand why our efforts have been directed at tearing this party apart while *'s administration has left us with so much material to work with.

[Atman]

12. He will make a speech in front of a backdrop

That says "Improofing Emjucashun" and pose with the 14 kids he didn't actually leave behind. All of them, coincidentally, will be the children of contributors to his campaign. Or cardboard cutouts printed in China.

[McHrozni]

13. Well, the name of the project sounds nice...

[shanti]

15. that's all that's "nice" about it!

n/t

[wellst0nev0ter]

16. He Needs To Defend It

Because how else is he going to get the conscripts to create his Sphere of Influence in the mideast?

[Gin]

17. hes on the ropes....hit him with your best shot and keep hitting him

until hes out like a light... or the dim bulb that he is.