Obama-homeschool stance

[Papillon Mom]

Does anyone have any info on Obama's homeschool views? I can't stand his politics but I want to be prepared. He seems a very likely next president. A read a passing reference that wasn't hostlie in his book (Chapter 6, I think), 'The Audacity of Hope'.
Anyone have any other info?
Thanks

[Lily]

That seems to be the only reference available. He doesn't seem to want to change what is working, therefore, no other quotes available.

Heck, he's one of the very few candidates I would vote for.

[bruisin]

I don't want to get into politics, but I am going to say that I'm going to look at the 'bigger' picture & decide.

I certainly don't want a president that is anti homeschool, but I'm not going to vote for anyone based solely upon that, either.

[Theodore]

http://www.ontheissues.org/Barack_Obama.htm

He seems to support the existing system. Probably neutral towards homeschooling, but he does want to throw more tax dollars into the black hole that is public education. About all you can say in his favor is that he's not actively against us like Hillary or Edwards.

[gregos]

His educational views are very backwards in regards to education. He is for expanded pre-k services, which means more kids would be sifted and sorted into the educational gulag system. Everything as I read it, appears to shower more money on the way things are. He is for merit pay, something which the NEA detests, but that they know he can be co-opted on. I'm not going to have a lot of democrats to vote for in regards to Homeschooling. Hillary helped push through the elements of "Goals 2000" which is a complete disaster due to it's subjective, smarmy nature of "assessing" rather than testing.

[Theodore]

Well yes, but if the OP was asking about Obama, I assume they want to vote Democrat. Obama is the least awful choice.

[Papillon Mom]

WHOA!!!!
As OP--- I want to adamantly deny wanting to vote for a democrat!!! I'm a Ron Paul supporter and have already voted in my primary!
I just want to be as prepared as possible for the likely UNFORTUNATE results of election 2008.
This is the first time I have ever been thought a liberal! I feel dirty!!! I may never be clean again!!!!
Thanks for the info... anything else?
Amanda

[Theodore]

How are you going to vote if we're stuck with McCain or Huckabee vs Obama? Obama is more likeable than either, and his policy probably isn't that far off from Huckabee's. Clinton winning the primary would make the decision a lot easier, as I'd go so far as to donate to make sure she doesn't win.

[Lily]

His educational views are very backwards in regards to education. He is for expanded pre-k services, which means more kids would be sifted and sorted into the educational gulag system. Everything as I read it, appears to shower more money on the way things are. He is for merit pay, something which the NEA detests, but that they know he can be co-opted on. I'm not going to have a lot of democrats to vote for in regards to Homeschooling. Hillary helped push through the elements of "Goals 2000" which is a complete disaster due to it's subjective, smarmy nature of "assessing" rather than testing.

You can't overhaul a complete system overnight. What would you prefer to see?

Expanding pre-school and funding Head Start better isn't the same as making sure every child goes to preschool. That would require changing several state laws, since around half the U.S. still has compulsory attendence laws starting between age 6 and 7 years old.

And I'd much rather see teachers get merit pay and the system work with individual teachers than treating them all like a lump - mixing the good with bad, no recognition at all. This sets it up perfectly for parent to then be able to choose who their child's teachers will be. It's not a change that can be immediately enacted, though.

[Papillon Mom]

Oh Theodore,
Please don't be so short-sighted! I would swim through shark-infested waters to vote for McCain or Huckabee before Obama. Obama and Hillary have nearly IDENTICAL voting records. Think about judicial nominees, burdens on small business, second amendment rights... the list is too long to imagine!
Think Again!
Amanda

[Theodore]

Clinton and Obama, while not that far off in terms of voting record up to now, still have a good deal of difference between them in how far they'd be willing to go if they had the power.

For instance, Hillary:
- Universal pre-kindergarten (Aug 2007)
- Establish right to education from pre-school thru college. (Jun 2007)
- Opposes merit pay for individual teachers. (Apr 2000)

Obama:
- Pay "master teachers" extra, but with buy-in from teachers. (Aug 2007)
- Free public college for any student with B-average. (Jul 1998)

Hillary:
- Pledges to support $50B for AIDS relief in US and world. (Dec 2007)
- Insurance companies cannot deny people coverage. (Oct 2007)
- Voted NO on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000. (May 2006)
- Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
- And of course, there's Hillary's health care plan.

Obama:
- Tackle insurance companies on reimbursement system. (Oct 2007)
- Increase competition in the insurance and drug markets. (Aug 2007)
- No need to mandate coverage; just let people afford it. (Jul 2007)

They both want to throw lots of money at the problem, which is bad, but Hillary will end up wasting a much higher percentage of that money. It's pretty much the same across the board. So from my point of view, it's just as important to block Hillary as it is to make sure than an electable Republican wins the primary. When it comes to the general election, of course, Obama is still a rich liberal.

[ncmom]

Politics is a touchy subject and I have found that if you don't agree with another person who believes opposite you that it can create friction. That being said I am not endorsing either party but I do think that before anyone jumps on the obama or clinton bandwagon you should check out their home states and see how they feel about them. I lived in IL under Obama's reign and wouldn't vote for him if he were the only candidate. He is only out for himself and he and his wife like to play the race card too, they did it while he was in the Senate and do it now on the campaign trail. If you are an average person he couldn't care less about you! The people in Chicago may love him but that whole city is one big democratic ticket. I lived in IL across from STL (aka downstate) and most of the people there, that would discuss politics with you, didn't like him. Problem is that Chicago has millions of people voting democrat and down state has far fewer so even if all of them voted rep or ind it wouldn't matter and the whole state looks like a democratic state. I don't know that much about Hillary other than I don't care for her either. I am a vote for the lesser of the two evils kind of person. So I just listen and will decide at the last minute which candidate I think is lying to me more and vote for the other one.

Now for schooling, IL does have good homeschool laws. You pretty much are on your own. You don't have to notify anyone, test, or anything else, but it was like that when Obama was elected to the senate. The public schools are just OK in IL. I do know that most of the funding for schools stays in Chicago and from what I hear from people I know up there, their schools are still bad. Makes you wonder what they were doing up there with all that money.

[Theodore]

A lot of the best-funded schools in the nation are also the ones producing the worst results. Funding obviously doesn't correspond to effectiveness, it's more a matter of how well-educated the community is and how much it values education (vs sports or liberal agenda or whatever).

[ClassiclyAmber]

You won't 100% agree with any candidate, but Huckabee has the most morals and best views on current issues:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.Home

[sunnie_skys]

Does anyone have a link to where Hillary or Edwards say they are agaisnt homeschooling? I can not believe any candidate would say "NO" to homeschooling, or at least say it outloud. Edwards is my choice so far for all other topics other than homeshcooling. I can not just look at a candidate and say im voting for him because he is for or against one or 2 things. For me it is between Edwards and Huckabee, but not because of religion or homeschooling. Those are the farthest things from my mind when I vote.