The Dog Ate It.

The National Education Association (NEA) officially endorsed Barack Obama this past July. It was no surprise; the NEA has supported the democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1976. What was surprising, however, is that it took so long for the NEA to choose a candidate to endorse. Usually, the NEA announces their support for a candidate during the primary season, but was delayed due to the political battle between Obama and Clinton.

Ideally, NEA would have endorsed a candidate during the primaries, but our members were like voters everywhere. They were split between Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton. But it's now apparent that Senator Obama has secured the necessary number of delegates to win the Democratic nomination. With such a clear picture of what Senator Obama will do for public education and his commitment to partner with NEA on issues that affect our members across the country, every public school employee needs to get squarely behind the Obama candidacy.

The NEA began their selection process more than a year ago, beginning with the candidates submitting questionnaires created by the NEA Political Action Committee (NEA-PAC). Following the questionnaires, acceptable candidates were interviewed. From there, a decision was made. John McCain did not receive an interview, because well, he never submitted the questionnaire.

That's correct. The man who claims that his opponent is wrong for education did not even submit a questionnaire to attempt to gain the support of the largest union in the United States. But what does he care? The only educational initiative he's ever supported was to abolish the Department of Education.

The Issues

There are many issues that revolve around education; the contrast between the two is frightening. Here are the major issues. My thoughts are in italics. Thank you to the NEA for providing this information.

Obama: Supports

McCain: No public information available.

Obama: Opposes

McCain: Supports

Obama: Supports

You need to turn off the television sets...And have a curfew and go to your parent-teacher meetings and help your child with homework. And if your child [receives] a bad grade, don't blame the teacher.

McCain: Focuses his comments about parent involvement on vouchers and school choice.

All federal financial support must be predicated on providing parents the ability to move their children, and the dollars associated with them, from failing schools.

Providing parents with the financial support to move their students away from failing schools will not solve the real problem: the failing school.

Obama: Supports

McCain: Opposes

Any educator will tell you that the smaller the class size, the more individual attention students will get.

Obama: Opposes traditional pay for test scores, but supports some forms of enhanced compensation.

McCain: Supports pay for test scores.

The NEA opposes pay for test scores, but supports some forms of enhanced compensation. As an educator, I believe that rewarding teachers for their students' standardized test scores is absolutely ridiculous. It's such a waste of my time and yours that I'm not even going to debate it.

Issue: Expand Healthcare, Create Universal Health Insurance

Obama: Supports

McCain: Supports expanding health care, opposes universal insurance

Obama: Supports

McCain: Opposes

Must be nice to be wealthy and not have to worry about sending your children to college.

The Man With the Plan

Barack Obama has a plan for reforming education. If you are a supporter of John McCain, I'm asking you to reconsider; not for you, but for your children and the future of this nation.