RA Action:

News from the NEA Annual Meeting

July 2, 2007

Edwards: Tests don't make public schools better

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards touched on many of the themes that have characterized his political campaigns yesterday, but he saved the force of his rhetorical fire for the No Child Left Behind law and the dire effects testing is having on the educators and students in the nation's public schools.

Watch a video clip of Edward's speech.
NEA Members may also view an archived version of Edward's full speech (requires log-in).

"A test does not tell us what we need to do help our children to learn," Edwards said, holding up a red T-shirt bearing the NEA message, "A Child is More than a Test Score."

"A test does not prepare our teachers, a test does not give us the information we need to make our public schools better," Edwards said.

It was with evident pride that Edwards told the crowd that he, his wife Elizabeth, and their two children have all attended public schools. But he also said they have watched with concern as months upon months of their children's school time have been devoted to preparing for tests—time he said would have been better spent in learning that would result in critical thinking skills.

Edwards laid out education reform proposals that he said would produce greater results. He called for an expansion of early childhood education; investment in—not punishment of—underperforming schools; new incentives to recruit quality teachers in high-poverty rural and urban areas; and higher pay, for teachers and education support professionals alike.

He finished by making a strong case that building a first-rate public school system has to be the cornerstone of any nationwide effort to reduce poverty and fulfill the American ideal of equality for all citizens. To roars of approval from the delegates, Edwards said the next president of the United States must seek counsel from the nation's educators.

"Our responsibility is to build one public school system that actually works for all of us. No one knows better than you what needs to be done to make this happen."