The Senate Stifles Education

I read in my NEA Today online that Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell has blocked the revisions in the education jobs bill that has moved from the floor of the House. I would first like to thank the members of the House for investing in education over big banks and automobiles. I am not saying those bail outs were not necessary; I will leave that aside because the focus of this blog is education, but I am saying that investing in our future will pay larger dividends.

Senator McConnell has placed many bills on the Senate floor requesting minority party privileges and placement on committees, as well as backed the bail outs of the banks. This raises a question for me, why bail out the banks, but leave the blue collar workers within education without a rope to hang on to. Or perhaps I should say, he tossed us the rope by which we will hang ourselves this year. The education system of America is facing a crisis and this "bail out" is what we need to keep class sizes down so that our students are able to get the individualized attention they need. More over, it will help many students simply get to school by keeping the bus driver on his/her route.

I wonder whether or not the Senator's grandchildren, if he has any, are in public schools. I also know that many independent and private sector schools are facing huge cuts sending some of these children to public schools. Is he thinking about his grandchildren while he cuts the legs out from under the American education system? Will they be in an overcrowded classroom? Will they have to take extra bus routes to get to school? Will there be enough staff in the cafeteria to prepare the number of meals needed?

I know that the bill may not have passed in the Senate, but to not even let it be brought to the table? This completely shocks me. We are in the country where we once could dream and do anything. It seems like we are willing to sacrifice that dream in these times.

I wonder what our President Dennis Van Roeckel is saying about the class of 2020 now? I implore the other Senators to reconsider the jobs bill and defeat the motion by Senator McConnell.