Education

The unfunded mandates set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) hamper the progress of school districts. I know, I’m a teacher and I’ve seen this first hand.

Instead of improving education, No Child Left Behind has left the burden of funding on local tax payers to fund the gaps.

Property taxes are rising because the Federal and State governments do not provide enough funding for the measures it imposes on our local schools.

If we are to make any real progress in education, parents and teachers must work together. Studies have shown that a major indicator of student success is parental involvement.

Still, parental involvement alone cannot make up for the mishaps of No Child Left Behind. Critical thinking and a love for learning are vital for children to use later in life. Good teachers provide those skills, not just the rote learning required to master standardized tests.

I strongly oppose voucher programs which divert taxpayer money to private schools and weaken our public school system.

• I oppose all public funding of private school tuition
  
• Repeal “super majority” requirement on bonds and levies
  
• Reducing class size, as approved by voters
  
• A dedicated education trust fund protected from political meddling
  
• State wide preschool for all four year olds