At Least the News Hour Covers Issues, Like Education

The only traditional news program I watch is PBS' News Hour with Jim Lehrer. Today they barely mentioned lipstickgate and instead of talking about the sex-ed ad, they devoted a segment to the candidates positions on education. It should appear here within a day. Update: It's here.

NewsHour started out with the basic facts: Both want to: Reform No Child Left Behind, Reward teachers who serve in under-served schools, and Provide merit pay to high-performing teachers. Obama opposes school vouchers, McCain supports them. Obama proposes $19 billion in new education spending, McCain wants spending to remain at current levels.

Then they had representatives from both campaigns and asked questions.

They started out with the sex-ed thing and the McCain representative said read the bill, it's quite comprehensive. Here's the bill, it says "age appropriate education" and parents can opt their kids out.

I thought the Obama representative was good and gave concrete information.

Obama introduced legislation, signed into law a few weeks ago, that would train and supply high quality teachers to teach in areas of need. Obama talkedabout education yesterday. He proposed funding and measures to increase education and additional resources into school choice. He wants to double federal funding of charter schools with a broader portfolio of choice, over 6 choices: magnet, charter, montisori schools, etc. He doesn't believe in pouring public financing into private schools. Supports fixing No Child Left Behind (NCLB), better accountability and measurement but needs funding to achieve those goals.

She also attacked McCain a bit saying he opposed efforts to hire more teachers, fully fund NCLB, and make college more affordable. And later said McCain voted over and over again against NCLB, additional training for teachers, Head Start.

I found the McCain representative to be a bit evasive and thought she was trying to play word games. An Obama ad they played said McCain had stated he had wanted to get rid of the Department of Education. The representative said McCain supports the Dept of Ed and it's just a lie. The fact is, it's not, McCain was for getting rid of the Dept of Education, as were other Republicans (it is new, Carter moved it out of the Dept of Health, Education and Welfare). But saying it's a lie is a lie.

She also said McCain helped fund public charter schools in AZ in 1994. She said real dollar funding for education has quadrupled since 1958. She said educators agree the problem isn't more money. Let money follow children into education wherever they can get it. McCain supported NCLB and since then federal education funding has increased almost 50% but achievement gains haven't gone with it yet. He's a strong supporter of standards and accountability. But there weren't more specifics.

Here are their two websites on the plans for education. You tell me which is more comprehensive and sensible? Obama on Education, McCain on Education. Be sure to click through to the policy papers. One of Obama's is 15 pages.