 Batavia, NY: On Tuesday, August 12th, Jon Powers, Iraq war veteran and the endorsed Democratic candidate in NY-26, hosted an education forum with a group of eight other teachers in the 26th district to discuss the issues most salient in the classrooms across our area. This meeting came a day before Powers released his Education Plan and received the endorsement of the New York State United Teachers Union.
From the press release:
"Jon is the far and away the most qualified candidate in this race to take on the challenges in education," said John Costello, NYSUT's Assistant Director for Legislation. "It will be refreshing to have more people with classroom experience in Washington that understand the implications of policies like No Child Left Behind. He's right on the issues and we are proud to back him."
NYSUT is New York State's largest union representing 600,000 classroom teachers and other school employees across the state.
The Powers Campaign today is also pleased to announce the formation of Teachers for Powers.
Attending the education forum were principals Charles Herring of LeRoy high school, Jim Thompson, an assistant professor at Medaille College and a retired elementary principal, two elementary teachers, Christine Frew and Debbie Karas, art teacher Lorie Longhany, ELA teacher Sue Bell, and reading teacher Sue Powers, who is also Jon Powers' mother.
The overall consensus in the room was that early intervention is crucial to addressing the achievement gap for at-risk students. Ideas such as "birth to five" being the critical stage and also a goal that every 3rd grader should be reading at their grade level by the time they leave third grade. Said Jim Thompson "I don't want to wait to 6th grade."
Vocational training was also emphasized in addition to ensuring summer school and after school programs are funded. Additionally, an investment in the arts to reach students with different strengths was proposed.
The subject of No Child Left Behind drew criticism from nearly everyone in attendance, with 'the test' being considered flawed in its implementation and purpose. Not having enough time to teach to children's strengths was emphasized as a major flaw with NCLB.
Powers himself referred to the "human capital" this area possesses and how to retain that capital in Western New York. His education plan includes a component similar to ROTC wherein there would be loan forgiveness over time for teachers who stay committed to educating kids.
Other components of the plan are reforming NCLB, opposing vouchers, supporting Teach for America, expanding Pre-K and Head Start, reducing interest rates for federally backed loans from 6.8% to 3.4% by July 2011, apprenticeships in addition to vocational training, and encouraging lifelong learning.
This is a very good plan but I think the issues of poverty, single teenaged parents and school size also need to be considered in any future forums Powers conducts. After all, if a child is hungry, how can he learn? If a child comes from a home with environmental stressors and instability, how can he learn? This is one reason why schools implemented the breakfast program and an example of how the schools can help kids learn by addressing some of their more immediate concerns.
Powers is the only candidate in NY-26 who is taking action and going out into the community to hold forums, to get answers to help find solutions to our educational concerns in Western New York. Powers always refers to his campaign for Congress in NY-26 as "our campaign," emphasizing the grassroots effort his campaign is built upon. In closing, Powers said "We are on the edge of lots of good things." I couldn't agree more.
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