WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A healthy economy
requires a healthy public education system, and Sen. Joe Biden made it
clear in Thursday's vice presidential debate that an Obama
administration would correct the misguided education and economic
policies of the last eight years.
The following can be attributed to Dennis Van Roekel, president of the
National Education Association:
"The economy is front and center on the minds of most Americans, and
Sen. Joe Biden made it clear Thursday that the long-term plan for a
healthy economy is to invest in public education and make a college
education affordable. Quality public schools will be the 'engine' we
need for economic growth. But to be that engine, and provide students
with a 21st century education, our schools need adequate resources and
our teachers deserve respect.
"Gov. Sarah Palin's comments about No Child Left Behind simply don't
match up with McCain's policies. McCain supports NCLB, but opposes
funding the law's mandates. He has voted against $5 billion for public
schools, and his freeze on spending would shortchange 4.2 million
disadvantaged children of the reading and math help they need. That's
not reform, that's more of the same.
"McCain's health care policies would hit the middle class the hardest
with a new tax on employer-provided health care benefits. With current
costs averaging about $12,000, the McCain proposal doesn't even come
close to helping Americans meet that need and insure their families. It
would leave 20 million Americans out of employer-sponsored coverage.
The real solution, as Obama has outlined, is a plan that would provide
hardworking families, including NEA's 3.2 million educators, the health
care they need."
The
National Education Association is the nation's largest professional
employee organization, representing 3.2 million elementary and
secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support
professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students
preparing to become teachers.