Rep. Fattah discusses state of public education
Triangle News Desk
Issue date: 5/13/05 Section: News
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Fattah promoted his GEAR UP program and a Student Bill of Rights during his speech. GEAR UP helps disadvantaged middle school students enroll in college although it could face a severe funding cut over the next year. Fattah's Student Bill of Rights would hold states accountable for providing a number of fundamental elements for learning to all of its classrooms.
"He is a very strong advocate and supporter of the public schools, and much of his legislative work has been geared towards improving schools, and preparing students for college," said Sean Miller, Political Communications Director for the Drexel Democrats. "He has a lot of passion for education and really believes his plans can improve education in America."
Fattah suggested moving away from locally controlled, property-tax funded systems, and towards state-controlled systems to level the playing field for public education.
"What we need to do as a nation is move away from the old notions that created the K-12 as we know it today," Fattah said.
In many urban and rural areas, where property tax revenues are not as high as wealthy suburban areas, students can go through their middle and high school years without ever having a qualified teacher teach them their subjects.
"The truth is that throughout higher [education], a large number of students who present themselves as undergraduates are not yet ready at the level the higher education institutions want them to be," Fattah said.
After the speech was completed, Fattah opened up the floor up to questions. University President Constantine Papadakis and a number of students asked questions ranging from the costs of a transition to state-controlled public education to Fattah's stance on the No Child Left Behind Act.
Fattah also criticized vouchers to send students to charter schools when the public schools were not performing well enough. He said that the idea behind the school vouchers was to "take the parents who were hollering the loudest to get better schools and let their students get out."
While Fattah's visit to the University was sponsored by LCoB and the Public Policy Forum, the Drexel Democrats were also instrumental in bringing Fattah to campus. After Republican Senator Rick Santorum came to visit, the group had been looking for equal time for Democratic viewpoints.
"He was very clear and passionate about the subject and really convinced the crowd that something needs to be done in America," Miller said.
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