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for 2006 Pennsylvania Primary Election Legislative Candidates
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Pennsylvania's system of funding public education? What should the Pennsylvania Legislature do, if anything, to improve the system of funding public education? (75 words or less) Simply put, there are no effective controls or proper accountability processes to make sure the funds are spent efficiently. Funds are being spent under umbrella rules and mandates for a one size fits all - and that doesn't work effectively. The legislature should work at reducing rules and mandates thereby allowing municipalities and school boards to govern education, which in turn would allow more local control with less government intervention. 2. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to meet the requirements of Pennsylvania's regulations for academic standards and graduation requirements as well as the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that expects every student to demonstrate proficiencies on state assessments in reading, math and science by 2014, and for all schools to demonstrate "adequate yearly progress" (required by NCLB) toward that goal? (75 words or less) First, the legislature needs to know what the problem is, before they try to assist with it. Academic standards should be "goal oriented", not mandated by pressure. The threat of "government intervention" for those who do not meet the standards is wrong. Public school systems are more imprisoned than penitentiaries. Inmates have more rights and freedoms than teachers do - and that has to change. 3. How should the Pennsylvania Legislature assist school districts to close the academic achievement gaps that exist among groups of students in schools and school districts across the Commonwealth? (75 words or less) If we are to admit there are "gaps" among "groups" with academic achievement, then we must stop using the umbrella term of "discrimination". There are students that simply do not have the ability to learn, and they never will. Until that is once again accepted, then the problem of "gaps" shall continue and the problem shall remain. We must get rid of the "mainstreaming" principle and return to "selective groups" of achievement. 4. What, if anything, should the Pennsylvania Legislature do to increase access for young children in Pennsylvania to high-quality pre-K programs and full-day kindergarten programs? (75 words or less) If the legislature could reform property taxes, and if they could reduce mandates, and if they could return governmental control to the local school boards, and if education could become quality once again, then I believe the citizens of local school districts would be more than happy to support "pre-school" programs. Government intervention would be just as detrimental to these programs as they are to the existing public school system. 5. What is your vision of the public education opportunity that should be available to every child in Pennsylvania and what will you do to accomplish that goal? (75 words or less) Public Education Reform has always been a priority of mine. My position is to reduce government intervention from mandates and give more control to the local level. I realize that many of those mandates are primarily Federal in nature. So, if I get elected as State Representative, I would lobby to become a member of a Federal board or commission for Education. That's where I would like to make my case. 6. Is there anything else that you will do to strengthen Pennsylvania's public education system? (75 words or less) We will not reform education simply by continuing to throw money at the problem. A system of reward and punishment should be left to the training of circus animals. If we want quality, then each system must be allowed to exhibit their pride through their own skills and abilities - whatever that may be. Throw away the umbrella and allow freedom for competition. The three R's put a man on the moon - we haven't gone much farther since.
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