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Tom Tancredo on Education
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
He supports tax credits for parents to enroll their children in private, religious or home schools, taking money away from the public schools.
I suggest schools return to a more traditional course of study and that the public focus shift to certain non-school factors, like parental involvement, which studies show are the most important determinants of student performance.
I also believe that before Congress provides funding for new education programs, Congress should first and foremost fulfill its long-standing obligation to IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act]. Without this critical funding, state and local school districts have been forced to divert money from other important programs to meet the existing mandate of IDEA. By fully funding the Federal government's share of IDEA, local school districts will be able to spend more money on other priorities, such as school constructions, hiring teachers, or improving school technology.
The fact is, there are some great public schools and some lousy private schools. Without the benefits of free-market competition, however, there is little if any incentive to expand the number of the former or eliminiate the latter. The rules that actually produce a successful school are the same for everyone everywhere. A school succeeds because it (a) maintains high academic standards, (b) maintains a disciplined environment, and (c) presents a challenging curriculum. There is no reason that public schools cant "play by these rules." To do so, however, requires a tremendous amount of effort and commitment by everyone involved. The present system offers educators no incentive to maintain this effort over a long period of time.
Tancredo states his opposition to "increased federal involvement in education" as the reason he voted against the No Child Left Behind Act.
He voted in favor of No Child Left Behind, but he now says he opposes increased federal involvement in education.
Tancredo opposes increased federal involvement in education, including the No Child Left Behind Act.
Federal involvement should be limited. Educational control is best left in the hands of parents.
Congress should pass legislation that would give local schools and school districts more flexibility in spending education dollars as they see fit.
Voted NO on requiring states to test students. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: Voted NO to pass a bill that would authorize $22.8 billion in education funding, a 29 percent increase from fiscal 2001. The bill would require states to test students to track progress.
Bill sponsored by Boehner R-OH; Bill HR 1 ; vote number 2001-145 on May 23, 2001
States or school districts who have their agreement approved [by the US Secretary of Education] would be able to combine funds from a few or all of the federal K-12 education programs they administer at the state level, to use as they see fit. In exchange for this flexibility, participating states would be held to strict accountability standards.
Control over the education of our children must be in the hands of the parents.
Vouchers would make all educators, public and private, play by the same consumer-imposed rules of high standards in academics and discipline.
Vouchers would offer an option for parents who want their children to have the 3 Rs, and instruction in knowing right from wrong, instead of the mushy "affective" material that occupies nearly half the public school curriculum in some places.
He favors vouchers and charter schools as a means to create competition in education. He said American higher education is among the best in the world because colleges and universities compete for students.
With reference to school intergration Tancredo stated: charter schools were the answer.
When asked in republican debate if anybody on the stage does not believe in evolution: TANCREDO, HUCKABEE, and BROWNBACK raises their hands, indicating that they do not believe in evolution
2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007
Education control is best left in the hands of parents. and supports implementing a "no-strings-attached" voucher system to provide parents with the ability to chose schools. He [Tancredo] also stresses the importance of children pursuing a traditional curriculum and the need for close parental involvement in educational development. [He would support giving vouchers to parents so they could choose to send their children to a school which reflects the parents religious or social preferences.]
The greatest threat to democratic ethos is the radical multicultural curriculum we now see working its way into the public schools. This is an ethnocentric curriculum, politicized in the extreme. For the multiculturalists, race and ethnicity have become the one and only lens through which all historical events are examined. [supports school of choice which would allow parents to send their children to a school which reflects the parents religious or social preferences.]
He calls congress hypocritical for sanctioning race based caucuses, stating: If we are serious about achieving the goal of a colorblind society Congress should lead by example and end these divisive race based caucuses.
The Independence Institute prepared the ground for Connerly's assault on affirmative action policies in Colorado by publishing an attack on the University of Colorado's diversity administration in January 2007. [Presidential candidate Tom Tancredo served as the institute's president for five years.]
He denounces Affirmative Action.
Congress should pass legislation that would give local schools and school districts more flexibility in spending education dollars as they see fit.
Federal involvement should be limited. Educational control is best left in the hands of parents.
Congress should pass legislation that would give local schools and school districts more flexibility in spending education dollars as they see fit.
Federal involvement should be limited. Educational control is best left in the hands of parents.
Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror. Voted YES on Children's Prayers Resolution: Expressing the sense of Congress that schools should allow children time to pray for, or silently reflect upon, the country during the war against terrorism.
Bill sponsored by Isakson, R-GA; Bill H.Con.Res.239 ; vote number 2001-445 on Nov 15, 2001
Tancredo sponsored a bill requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer: H.R.1, S.73: No DOE funds shall be available to any educational agency which prevents participation in constitutionally protected prayer in public schools by individuals on a voluntary basis. No educational agency shall require any person to participate in prayer or influence the form or content of any constitutionally protected prayer in such public schools. H.Con.Res.199 (Nov 19, 1999, Bonilla et. al.): Expressing the sense of the Congress that prayers and invocations at public school sporting events contribute to the moral foundation of our Nation and urging the Supreme Court to uphold their constitutionality. H.J.RES. 54: Recognizing the authority of public schools to allow students to exercise their constitutional rights by establishing a period of time for silent prayer or meditation or reflection, encouraging the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and refusing to discriminate against individuals or groups on account of their religious character or speech.
H.R.1 01-HR1 on Jan 31, 2001
Tancredo sponsored a resolution for a School Prayer Amendment: H.J.RES.52 (2001), H.J.RES.66 (1999), S.J.RES. 1, H.J.RES.12, H. J. RES. 108, & H. J. RES. 55: Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prohibit individual or group prayer in public schools or other public institutions. No person shall be required by the United States or by any State to participate in prayer . Neither the United States nor any State shall compose the words of any prayer to be said in public schools. H. J. RES. 78 (1997): To secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.
H.J.Res.78 97-HJR78 on May 8, 1997
Voted Yes to pass a bill that would raise the loan forgiveness amounts from $5,000 to $17,500 for elementary and secondary math, science, reading, and special education teachers in low-income schools.[This is voluntary program of loan forgiveness in exchange for public serivce.]