Public Calls for Change: Will the Next President Get the Message?
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Last night, both U.S. presidential candidates fielded questions from the American public in a town hall-style debate. Not a single question about education was raised, though Senator Obama did manage to slip in a couple mentions of education (after energy and health care) and making college more affordable.
Despite the lack of attention, the public clearly has questions about the future of education. Take for example the results of the recent PDK/Gallup poll released this past August. In his latest Is It Good For the Kids? column, ASCD Executive Director Gene Carter highlighted the challenges, as reported by the U.S. public in that poll, facing our nation's schools. Carter writes,
" . . . fewer than 2 out of 10 Americans believe No Child Left Behind (NCLB) should continue without significant change, and only 1 in 4 think the legislation is helping their local schools. In addition, Americans fear U.S. schools are not keeping up in today's global economy. About half gave schools in Europe and Asia grades of As and Bs, compared with more than 60 percent who assigned U.S. schools Cs or below."
Are these concerns getting through to our would-be leaders? What do you think should be the most important education issue for the next U.S. president? Take our poll, and share your comments.
Why isn't preparing students for the digital, global world on this list? Where's the recognition that global workforce changes require that we go far beyond simply 'prioritizing STEM subjects.' Why didn't this poll recognize that it's the 21st century and that maybe we should be preparing kids for it?
Sorry. I find many of these choices uninspiring compared to the BIG problems facing P-12 education and the next President...
Posted by: Scott McLeod | October 09, 2008 at 06:07 PM
I'm always confused as to what preparing kids for the 21st century specifically means. Like, I think an equitable (drop outs, ach. gap) education is a pretty good prep for any century.
And then, where are (or aren't) those 21st century specifics reflected in either candidates' campaign platform?
Posted by: Joe Box Wine | October 10, 2008 at 02:41 PM
thnx
Posted by: Driver | November 02, 2008 at 07:47 PM