Two weeks ago, I had a bit of fun at Ed in 08's expense. One of our readers accused me of unfairly picking on the poor initiative (get it?). Well, we could feel sorry for Ed in 08??? or I could point you to the latest findings of the Washington Post-ABC News poll and we can continue our joviality. Question six asked, ???What is the single most important issue in your choice for president???? Take a wild guess how many people picked education. Take a guess, seriously.
1%. Yes, that's right, 1% of people think education is the single most important issue in their choice for president. What's more, that's down one percent from August when education was the most important issue for??? wait for it??? 2% of survey responders. Wow. (I know there is a margin of error here and losing one percentage point is not statistically significant, but still, a decrease is a decrease.) Predictably, it's behind the economy, health care, Iraq, terrorism, and energy. But it's also behind "morals/family values," "abortion," and "ethics/honesty/corruption in government." Wow, great job Stronger Schools. Education is not even as important as governmental corruption. Of course it is unfortunate that education is not on the national radar (although it is on the states' radars) but my sour mood was immediately brightened once I took another look at the Puget Sound Business Journal article that spilled the beans on the Ed in 08 funding stoppage in the first place. Ready for a laugh?
The foundations say the campaign has made education an important issue, and there is no need to spend more.
Oh yes, 1% definitely means education is an "important issue." Absolutely. Which definition of "important" were you using here, guys? The one that says "important, adj.: to make absolutely irrelevant, laughably passe, and a waste of money"? That one? Silly me, I guess my dictionary is out of date.??
And,
"I think the real question is, are we pleased with the results of the campaign, and yes we are," said Karen Denne, a Broad Foundation spokeswoman.??
Oh, which results are those? That education is the top issue for 1% of voters? Brilliant.
Though [executive director of Strong American Schools and a former deputy campaign manager for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign Marc] Lampkin declined to provide spending details, he said Strong American Schools has had 800 meetings or contacts with candidates, their staff or key advisers, has supported or attended nearly 900 events in key states and has collected more than 33,000 petition signatures. The Broad Foundation says about 4,000 news articles have referenced the education campaign.??
Since when was quantity touted over quality???
And how about this part,
Lampkin said presidential nominees John McCain and Barack Obama have cited at least two of Strong American Schools' three policy pillars: creating clear learning standards, improving teaching, and giving adequate time and support for student learning.??
Right, and obviously Ed in 08 has special intellectual rights to those three "pillars" and absolutely no one else could ever possibly support them. Oh, and I'm a rocket scientist in my free time.??
(HT to the ladies at Campaign K-12.)
