Mike Gravel (D) On Education
Ledyard King / USA Today
On No Child Left Behind law
Former Alaska senator Mike Gravel says he doesn’t like the No Child Left Behind education law, saying its emphasis on testing has robbed students of a well-rounded education. The law requires every state to test students annually. Schools failing to make academic progress over several years could be closed or have their faculty replaced.
“Principals constantly prep students for the tests by cutting not only art, gym and music but also history and science,” he wrote in The New York Sun on Aug. 30, 2007. “No wonder children are bored with school.” Gravel was not in office when President Bush signed the law in January 2002.
On making college affordable
Gravel says low-income students who want to attend college should be given tuition assistance. He wants to provide technical training to those who don’t want to attend college. He would give tax breaks to companies that hire and train teenagers to perform technology-based jobs.
Other education priorities
Gravel supports government vouchers for low-income students, a longer school calendar and merit pay for teachers. “Why should teachers with energy, excitement and talent be paid the same as the ones who don’t make an effort?” he asks.
Gravel also points out that American students spend far less time in school than their Japanese and European counterparts. He advocates an education system that would require students to begin school at a younger age and to spend more hours a day and more days a year in school than they do now.
