The Educator-in-Chief

More than one politician in my lifetime has promised that they would be “the education president.” Back in 2000, both major party candidates declared their intent to revolutionize the federal government’s role in education, and they were by no means the first to make such a pledge. But no American president in recent decades has truly lived up to that title, as evidenced by the statistics that President Barack Obama cited yesterday in a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce:

“In 8th grade math, we've fallen to 9th place [in the world]. Singapore's middle-schoolers outperform ours three to one. Just a third of our 13- and 14-year-olds can read as well as they should. And year after year, a stubborn gap persists between how well white students are doing compared to their African American and Latino classmates.”

President Obama later spoke of too many schools with dropout rates of over 50% and how, in a single generation, America has fallen from 2nd to 11th place in the portion of students graduating from college. Reports like the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and the Programme for International Student Assessment still show the United States as one of the leading nations in education, but they also show how we have clearly started to cede our advantage to the rest of the world—especially when you look at student achievement in 8th grade and beyond. So, will President Obama actually be the "education president"? It’s far too early to tell, but it’s clear he’s made no small plans for our public school system, and PTA is excited about what we can accomplish by working with his administration.

After identifying the key items of his education agenda yesterday, news outlets and blogs were quick to seize upon the five pillars of education reform cited by the President—many reports of which you can find through U.S. News & World Report. However, too many commentators, it seemed, missed his final “ingredient”:

“Yes, we need more money; yes, we need more reform; yes, we need to hold ourselves more accountable for every dollar we spend. But… no government policy will make any difference unless we also hold ourselves more accountable as parents—because government, no matter how wise or efficient, cannot turn off the TV or put away the video games. Teachers, no matter how dedicated or effective, cannot make sure your child leaves for school on time and does their homework when they get back at night. These are things only a parent can do.”

Already in Washington DC for the PTA national legislative conference, PTA’s leadership didn’t waste a moment in emphasizing this vital role of the family. National President Jan Harp Domene spoke of the importance of giving “parents the tools they need to be effective in supporting their students’ education, including increasing funding for Parental Information and Resource Centers and strengthening parent involvement provisions in No Child Left Behind.” National CEO Byron V. Garrett added, “It is vital that parents remain involved in decisions that have a significant impact on students’ lives, which in turn can positively affect the future of America’s economy and status as a global leader.”

What we here at PTA want to know is: what do you think about the President’s ambitious education agenda? There seems to be something for everyone in his plan (regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum): from $5 billion for early education, to reforming our testing standards and assessments, to the possibilities of teacher merit pay and longer school days/years—and much, much more. The President gave us a lot to talk about, so if you haven't heard his speech yet, watch the video online or take a look at the transcript, and let’s hear what you have to say…

From the Reflection Pool

Whether you witnessed President Obama's swearing-in on television, through the Internet, or in person on the National Mall, I think few would disagree with the idea that the enormity of this Presidential Inauguration cannot be understated - in any respect. Of course there was an unprecedented number of people flocking to Washington DC, filling a two-mile stretch from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial Tuesday morning, lining a parade route that afternoon, and attending countless balls (official and not) that evening. Not to mention the millions and millions more who gathered in homes, theaters, classrooms, and coffee shops across the country to share this moment with their fellow citizens.

The event itself was huge on a scale almost unimaginable, but the sheer size of the Inauguration was not the limit of its grandness. Nor did its magnitude end with the notion that the same generation of people who lived through segregation now helped make a black man the President of the United States. In electing Barack Obama to the highest office in the land, we have also placed immense expectations on him. Not just to be worthy of this watershed moment in American politics, this realization of a dream at least 45 years in the making - but also to be the man who can lead us through "gathering clouds and raging storms." And so it was only fair that with his inaugural address the President asked equally great things of us:

"The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor - who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom."

I was standing in the considerable shadow of the Washington Monument when these words carried all the way across the Mall to my ears. I thought of the revolutionaries who names aren't mentioned with the founding fathers, the unnamed activists who marched with Dr. King, and the untold millions of PTA mothers and fathers and members who have done so much for children these last 112 years. I also thought about how many people have committed themselves to students' health and education through PTA today. Two million people came to the Mall to see a President take his oath, and the nation's capital nearly had to shut down to accommodate all of them. There are more than twice as many people in PTA right now. Can you imagine what would happen if every single PTA member stood up and said to our government: "Give us better schools"? They might not shut down the town, but our legislators would certainly have to listen. They'd have no choice.

Giving every child in this country a first-rate education is our duty, and it is not an easy task. It will be hard work and it will not happen overnight. But if we can work together, and we convince our families and neighbors and leaders that our mission as PTA members is for the common good, then there is no reason to doubt President Obama's promise: "All this we can do. All this we will do."

A Call to Service

It was a long drive from Chicago to Washington DC yesterday, leaving plenty of time to ponder the historic moment that is now just hours away - and for those of us not behind the steering wheel, there was plenty of time for reading, too. It seemed appropriate to bring my book of great 20th century speeches along on this road trip, and when we passed through Trumbull County in Ohio, I found myself flipping to an address from one of Trumbull's sons, Clarence Darrow. Darrow was a well-known attorney in my hometown of Chicago nearly a century ago, and it was one of his closing arguments that was reprinted in this anthology. One particular passage from this 1926 courtroom speech struck me as perfect prelude to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and the commitment to community service that has become inseparable from this national holiday:

"Every human being's life in this world is inevitably mixed with every other life and, no matter what laws we pass, no matter what precautions we take, unless the people we meet are kindly and decent and human and liberty-loving then there is no liberty. Freedom comes from human beings, rather from laws and institutions."

Since my plans for today involved sightseeing, spending time with friends, and taking in all things inaugural, I found a community volunteering opportunity to participate in before I left Chicago. In fact, it was my alderman who invited me (and everyone else in his ward) to volunteer at an elementary school in the area. Much to my pleasant surprise, the response was overwhelming. The school had dozens and dozens of volunteers show up on a Saturday morning to work in the library, paint murals in the hallway, and work on art projects for (and with) students. I only wish that every school was as lucky as this one. But, really, it's not a matter of luck. It's simply a matter of asking people to take part in the life of the schools around them, regardless of whether they have children in their classrooms. I probably would not have known about this chance to volunteer if my alderman hadn't asked me to pitch in.

PTA is world renowned for it's incredible parent volunteers, and deservedly so. But even with over 5.3 million members, there's no shortage of work that still needs to be done on behalf of children. There are thousands of schools in this country, many with needs that go unmet: related to arts instruction, access to regular recess, or properly maintained facilities - all things that volunteers can help provide, all things that people from the community would be willing to give if only they were asked. President-elect Barack Obama is calling Americans back to a life of service, asking all of us to participate more fully in the lives of our fellow countrymen and neighbors. I hope more than a few PTAs will follow his lead and ask the people in their communities to join them. This is a unique moment in our shared history - let's make the most of it.