Elections 2008: Student Voices on the Education of Latinos

President-elect Barack Obama has designated the head of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as the new Secretary of Education. After a heated debate in the blogosphere and in the media between those who favored Linda Darling Hammond, including the teacher unions and many teachers and organizations, including ASPIRA, and the Democrats for Education Reform (that includes the Chancellor of NYC Public Schools and other mostly non-educator democratic reformers), the President-elect decided on what can only be considered a "compromise" candidate, Arnie Duncan. Duncan is said to be on neither side of the debate and who has cultivated both groups. Of course, it didn't hurt that Mr. Duncan knows the President-elect well (and play basketball together) and that he is from Chicago.

Mr. Duncan has had a relatrively long tenure for a head of the CPS, and has instituted a number of reforms. He also seems to have worked well with teacher and community groups. There is still debate as to whether these reforms have actually worked, much the same as with other reformers such as Chancellor Joel Klein in NYC and Michelle Ree in Washington DC.

My question is, how do you think the new secretary will do? What should his priorities be? How do you think he will help/hurt Latino students, especially English Language Learners. What role should Dr. Hammond have, as one of the leading education experts in the country who served as Mr. Obama's lead education policy advisor during the campaign? What about the teachers unions? 

Lets see.

Ron

President-elect Barack Obama has designated the head of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as the new Secretary of Education. After a heated debate in the blogosphere and in the media between those who favored Linda Darling Hammond, including the teacher unions and many teachers and organizations, including ASPIRA, and the Democrats for Education Reform (that includes the Chancellor of NYC Public Schools and other mostly non-educator democratic reformers), the President-elect decided on what can only be considered a "compromise" candidate, Arnie Duncan. Duncan is said to be on neither side of the debate and who has cultivated both groups. Of course, it didn't hurt that Mr. Duncan knows the President-elect well (and play basketball together) and that he is from Chicago.

Mr. Duncan has had a relatrively long tenure for a head of the CPS, and has instituted a number of reforms. He also seems to have worked well with teacher and community groups. There is still debate as to whether these reforms have actually worked, much the same as with other reformers such as Chancellor Joel Klein in NYC and Michelle Ree in Washington DC.

My question is, how do you think the new secretary will do? What should his priorities be? How do you think he will help/hurt Latino students, especially English Language Learners. What role should Dr. Hammond have, as one of the leading education experts in the country who served as Mr. Obama's lead education policy advisor during the campaign? What about the teachers unions? 

Lets see.

Ron

President-elect Barack Obama has designated the head of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as the new Secretary of Education. After a heated debate in the blogosphere and in the media between those who favored Linda Darling Hammond, including the teacher unions and many teachers and organizations, including ASPIRA, and the Democrats for Education Reform (that includes the Chancellor of NYC Public Schools and other mostly non-educator democratic reformers), the President-elect decided on what can only be considered a "compromise" candidate, Arnie Duncan. Duncan is said to be on neither side of the debate and who has cultivated both groups. Of course, it didn't hurt that Mr. Duncan knows the President-elect well (and play basketball together) and that he is from Chicago.

Mr. Duncan has had a relatrively long tenure for a head of the CPS, and has instituted a number of reforms. He also seems to have worked well with teacher and community groups. There is still debate as to whether these reforms have actually worked, much the same as with other reformers such as Chancellor Joel Klein in NYC and Michelle Ree in Washington DC.

My question is, how do you think the new secretary will do? What should his priorities be? How do you think he will help/hurt Latino students, especially English Language Learners. What role should Dr. Hammond have, as one of the leading education experts in the country who served as Mr. Obama's lead education policy advisor during the campaign? What about the teachers unions? 

Lets see.

Ron

We have elected a new President of the US. Sen. Obama is now organizing his transition team. The main task of the team will be to identify people to serve in his administration -from Cabinet positions to lower level appointees. He also has amn education policy agenda. You can see it at: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/

What do you think of his agenda?

What do you think the main qualifications and experience be for the new Secretary of Education?

What do you think the priorities should be for the new Secretary and the new Administration on education issues?

Let me know.

We are definetely in the home stretch of the 2008 presidential election. I hope everyone is familiar with the cadidate's positions on education, and that everyone will vote!

No matter who you favor, now we must help "get out the vote" - how about it?

The Obama Biden campaign has just released its education plan. You can find it at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/

What do you think?

Both presidential candidates have bee trying to court the Latino vote. The question is, who would do the most for the Latino community after elected?

This is from the Obama web site. What do you think?

Barack Obama is committed to strengthening our public schools to maximize our country's greatest natural resource - the American people. Obama believes that we must equip poor and struggling districts, both rural and urban, with the support and resources they need to provide disadvantaged students with an opportunity to reach their full potential.

THERE IS MORE

This is a summary of John McCian's position on Education. They are quotes from his web site. The cornerstone of his education proposals are accountabilty, high standards and school choice. What do you think?

"Public education should be defined as one in which our public support for a child's education follows that child into the school the parent chooses. The school is charged with the responsibility of educating the child, and must have the resources and management authority to deliver on that responsibility. They must also report to the parents and the public on their progress.

 "John McCain believes that we can no longer accept low standards for some students and high standards for others. In this age of honest reporting, we finally see what is happening to students who were previously invisible."

"If a school will not change, the students should be able to change schools. John McCain believes parents should be empowered with school choice to send their children to the school that can best educate them just as many members of Congress do with their own children."

"John McCain will place parents and children at the center of the education process, empowering parents by greatly expanding the ability of parents to choose among schools for their children. He believes all federal financial support must be predicated on providing parents the ability to move their children, and the dollars associated with them, from failing schools.