Blaming teachers is not an education policy

From the inbox:

Philadelphia, PA – While visiting Bluford Charter School in Philadelphia, Mitt Romney continued to avoid offering innovative ideas for education reform, instead spending his time blaming teachers and pushing a proposal that would funnel funds from public education to private schools.  Education reform needs a collaborative approach that focuses on student achievement by bringing together students, teachers, parents and the community.

“Romney hasn’t offered any ideas that would help kids succeed in the classroom.” Said Philadelphia AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Liz McElroy. “Blaming teachers is not an education policy.”

“At a time when school budgets have been cut to the bone, Mitt Romney wants to take money out of our neighborhood public schools to spend on vouchers, private schools, charters and other gimmicks. Our schools need equitable and stable funding to improve student outcomes. They need collaboration, and not conflict, between teachers, parents and community leaders to improve achievement.”  Said Jerry T. Jordan, President, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers

Mitt Romney has a history of making statements on education that are detached from the reality that our students, teachers and parents are actually facing.

Romney: “The Effort To Reduce Classroom Size May Actually Hurt Education More Than It Helps.” (No Apology, Pg. 216)
Reality: At Romney’s prestigious private school Cranbrook the average class size is 14 (Cranbrook Website), while the Pennsylvania public school system is 22.4 (National Center for Education Statistics).

Romney: “We don’t need to spend more on education. We need to spend it more wisely.”(Boston Globe, 10/12/94)
Reality: As governor, Romney used budgeting gimmicks that led to the layoffs Of 14,500 Teachers, Police Officers, Librarians, And Others. (Boston Globe, 1/09).  In addition public school teachers in the United States spent more than $1.33 billion ($356 per teacher) out of pocket on school supplies and instructional materials in the 2009-2010 school year. (The 2010 NSSEA Retail Market Awareness Study).

Romney: “My best advice is find a great institution of higher learning, find one that has the right price, and shop around.” (Townhall Meeting, 3/12)
Reality: By the end of Mitt Romney’s tenure as Governor of Massachusetts, Community Colleges Costs were “59% Higher Than National Average” and Public Four Year Colleges Were 34% Higher. (MassINC, Paying for College, 4/06)