McCain Supports School Choice, too
Friday, September 5th, 2008 By Beth Lear
Senator John McCain received some of his loudest applause last night after lauding school choice for all children nationwide. He proclaimed the need for the right to attend public schools, private schools or charter schools, while slamming the union-dominated system that has failed far too many of our kids.
Where’s Barak Obama on this issue? Well, “He was for it before he was against it,” but he was against it before he was for it. Earlier this year when discussing the successful Milwaukee voucher program, Obama remarked to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that “…my attitude is you do what works for the kids.” His campaign quickly followed that suggestion of support with a strong denial: ”Throughout his career, he (Obama) has voted against voucher proposals and voiced concern for siphoning off resources from our public schools.” And they noted that Mr. Obama’s education agenda “does not include vouchers, in any shape or form.”
So, Obama’s been all over the page, although his support for charter schools seems consistent. And it would be good to remember that the American Federation of Teachers endorsed Hillary (while the NEA pretended they couldn’t make up their mind), not Barak, in the primary. So school choice supporters may have Senator Obama’s ear, or at least he’s stated publicly that he intends to keep an open mind.
McCain, though, he really gets it. And Milton Friedman would be proud. McCain noted that it was competition that was needed to help improve failing public schools. The free market still works! And Senator McCain even referred to school choice as “the civil rights issue of our time,” agreeing with supporters who range from Ken Blackwell to Alveda C. King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece.
So where does that leave Ohio? It’s possible that either presidential candidate could encourage greater school choice nationwide, and join the movement that Republican Legislators in Ohio have championed and often led. And that means it’s a good time for our Governor to “get with the program”. The needs of kids and parents should ALWAYS come before the wants and desires of greedy union leaders.
