Conservative Student News

Photo credit: www.usc.edu

With Election 2008 on the minds of most people one issue that everyone seems to agree on is that education is one of the most important, if not the most important key to success in life. Education is not really talked about in debates. When I tell people that I am a teacher, most assume that I am a democrat. The stereotypes that follow teachers are that we are pro-union and detest No Child Left Behind (NCLB). People are surprised when I tell them that I am a conservative and a teacher. I will admit that it is hard to find another fellow conservative in the teacher's lounge but that does not stop me from voicing my opinion. With the presidential race down to three candidates here is a review of each of their policies on this key issue as well as a sneak peek on working in an atmosphere where being conservative is the minority.

John McCain voted for NCLB but also added that he would like to see more charter schools, and more vouchers when they are approved by the schools. He wants to reward good teachers while removing the bad ones. He believes that "there is no equal opportunity without equal access to excellent education." Schools must be properly funded because they are responsible for educating our future generation. McCain wants schools to engage in competition for good teachers, believing that this will allow teachers to get paid better and make the schools more responsible. Schools should not be safe-havens for the uninspired and irresponsible. McCain also strongly believes in the parent's choice to remove their children from failing schools and get them to good schools via vouchers.

Barack Obama's view on education is one shared by many democrats in Congress. He believes that the philosophy of NCLB is a good one, but he also believes the department of education has not implemented NCLB correctly. Obama wants to focus on keeping good teachers in schools by raising their salary and offering rewards mostly in terms of pay to those teachers deemed to be "excellent teachers." For higher education he wants to cut tuition costs in all schools and also increase the federal pell grant fund to make more scholarships available to students who need it.

Hillary Clinton bangs her "experience" drum again when it comes to education. Her job as a staff attorney in the Children's Defense Fund, (CDF) provided her experience to work with every kind of student. "As the nation's First Lady, Hillary promoted the Prescription for Reading program, encouraging pediatricians to "prescribe" that new parents read to their children. She helped create Early Head Start in order to prepare students from low income backgrounds for school. She also spearheaded the administration's efforts to grow an after-school program from a pilot program of $1 million to a $1 billion program, serving children in all 50 states. As a senator, Hillary worked to reform and fully fund No Child Left Behind. She helped enact legislation to recruit and retain teachers and principals to high-need areas. Looking to her website, HillaryClinton.com, it says, "She has been committed to strengthen and fully fund our special education system." Clinton wants to get rid of NCLB and like Obama wants to increase government grants to students, reward excellent teachers, and get more money to schools.

As a college student currently teaching in a high school, I would have to say that as a whole, I see the student body as quite liberal; the teachers are also predominately liberal. I sometimes wonder whether teachers are actually liberal or just follow along with their union or fellow teachers. I understand that having unfunded mandates to schools can be frustrating and NCLB has its problems, but is there no other solution to the problems found in education?

My solution lies in something conservatives have been preaching about for years: The development of strong families. Strong families who care about their child's education are crucial in the growth of successful students. Psychological studies have shown that parents involved in their children's lives and education generally raise successful students. Whether it be a single parent or two-parent-strong family, they are key to the solution.

Minnesota has one of the highest bars in terms of teacher education which means we produce generally higher quality teachers. Let's keep that going for all colleges in Minnesota. In terms of funding, there are numerous ways to bring good changes without resorting to the state and federal government. Don't get me wrong, we do need state and federal funding, but we need to look elsewhere. Lots of companies give grants to schools that apply for them for new technology or supplies. And, of course, levies that school districts try to pass offer individuals a chance to vote whether they want to support funding or not.

Conservative solutions do not just throw money at the problem. The old saying goes, "If you give someone a fish, they will want one tomorrow. But if you teach them how to fish they will be fed for a lifetime." Conservatives want to support all schools, not just public schools. Let the school districts work their own way and encourage them to share successful ideas. The government doesn't know the schools better than the districts.

If parents want to move their children to a successful school they should be allowed to via vouchers by NCLB. Let the schools or school districts choose how they reward teachers in terms of pay. Less government involvement means more choices for individuals because individuals know how to an education suited for them better than the government. More choices means more solutions for good schools and good schools lead to good educations for students which lead to success in higher education and careers and all of that leads to a better society.

Conservatives do not detest education or spending money on education. Conservatives are concerned about the disparity between the United States and other countries when it comes to test scores. Like me, many conservatives want to see our schools successful. Conservatives have the same goals that liberals do in that we want the best education possible for our students; we just have different ways of getting there. It's time to show Minnesotans and Americans for that matter that there are positive alternatives to big government involvement in our education system.