By Cynthia McCabe and Kevin Hart
January 27, 2010 — There will most certainly be talk of education in tonight’s State of the Union address, but those who will be most affected by the speech’s message about education policy have a few things of their own to say.
NEA Today asked member educators and support professionals what they would say or want to hear in President Obama’s message.
(A report from The Washington Post Tuesday night indicated Obama will propose a major funding increase for elementary and secondary education for the coming year, making it one of the rare increases in what the paper says will be a tight budget.)
Their answers focus on everything from more respect and professional pay for educators to providing much-needed education funding boosts to doing away with one-size-fits-all testing. “What I don’t want to hear is more about our need to be fixed,” says Dani Piontak Tucker, a veteran middle school language arts teacher in Hacienda La Puente Unified School District in California. “We aren’t broken. How about supporting pubilc education in deed and words? We are educated professional committed to America’s future in a way no one else is. Why doesn’t he remind everyone of that?!”
Here’s a snapshot of what other educators are hoping to hear as they sit down to watch the speech tonight at 9 p.m.:
“Any teacher with 10 years of service may forgive their student loans.”
Tim Johnson, art teacher, Auburn, California. (After ten years teaching, he still has $60,000 in student loan debt.)
“Give more money to universal pre-k and Head Start. Both programs are so important to our at-risk babies.”
Debbie Burns, Virginia Preschool Initiative teacher, {Petersburg, Virginia
“That I’m as valuable as a doctor or accountant and will be paid as such. That arts education matters as much as state exams if not more. And how we can capture the attention and imagination of our middle and high school urban youth so they stop dropping out and acting up.”
Laverne Mickens, magnet elementary dance and drama teacher, Springfield, Massachusetts
“I want to hear him say we’re done with NCLB! I’m familiar with the regular classroom teacher’s concerns about it and I agree. As a specialist, what I see on my end is that my program (music) gets kicked in the teeth constantly because we’ve got to keep those test scores up at all costs! I’m sick and tired of kids coming in late to my 30 minute classes because they were finishing up some (I’m sure) NCLB related work — all that does is put my own classes behind. Music isn’t an “extra,” it’s part of the national standards and needs to stop getting the short end of the stick.
NEA Photo/Norm Lono
It’s been found in study after study that kids who are involved in their school music programs do BETTER on their academic work, so come on, let’s use some common sense here. Scrap NCLB and scrap this constant testing mentality!”
Rita Wells, 5th-6th grade orchestra teacher, Billings, Montana
“Parents need to be held accountable for the education for their children. Educators can only do so much and even less when parents are not actively involved.”
Stan Coller, 7th-grade American history teacher, Kingman, Arizona
“I would like to hear him say that he trusts educators to do the right things, that he funds the mandates that come from the feds, that he stops listening to politicians who are far removed from the classrooms, and that he gets back to the basics and supports the working class people who will be the ones that bring the U.S. back.”
Lynn Mason, 6th-8th grade physical education teacher, Belding, Michigan
“I would like for him to tell the states that they cannot continue to cut state funding for public schools by whatever amount is sent from the national level. Georgia’s governor takes the stimulus and cuts that much more. We are hurting in Georgia!”
LaNelle Kenney Holland, hospital-homebound teacher, Carrollton, Georgia
To see the latest on the conversation, head to NEA Today’s Facebook discussion on the topic. Click here
Following the speech several outlets want to hear the public’s reaction. Head to:
- Neatodayaction.org, to post your thoughts at NEA’s new political action website.
- PBS NewsHour wants viewers to upload 60-second videos with their thoughts on the speech. Click here. Producers will select the best responses and feature them on the network’s website.
- At CitizenTube on YouTube, viewers can upload a question and President Obama will answer several. Head here.
Does anyone care about Jersey City? Who is really using all the money we had. We are populated with musicians of high calibur, their children are 3rd and 4th generation musicians that don’t know it. How should criminals be in positions where they are allowed to make decisions about our children and the future of our educators. Why don’t we have a contract? We are people who are fighting the oppression, depression, manulipation, and supression of our forefathers among the prejudices of all. Our people die on the streets, our homes and vehicles are broken into (gangs are too present), our parks are so full of chronium, millions must be spent to fix the problems, the water is not clean, it has chronium, the air smells like September 11th. Yet, we work every day in schools that under equipted and ill prepared to help students face the future, “due to budget restraints.” These men and women in power need a wake up call, when they allow this corrupt way to exist. It is an embarassment to hear our politicans again in the media. Help Mr. and Mrs. Obama, Heeelllpp!!!!
NCLB has just about killed music,chorus and band. Thanks alot congress! LOL.