Presidential candidates tend to avoid education issues
Column by Jay Mathews/Washington Post
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney declared his candidacy for president last week. I went to his Web site to read his ideas about education. There weren’t any. The same thing happened when I went to former House speaker Newt Gingrich’s campaign site. Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty’s Web site had a bit more — a piece beating up on teachers unions, a speech saying the federal government should give states more flexibility in fixing schools and an appreciation of former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle A. Rhee. Business executive Herman Cain’s Web site called for less federal and union interference in education reform and more rewards for the best teachers. Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) wants to end federal education spending, except for tax credits for parents. That’s about it for the Republican candidates. (more...)