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Obama invokes Lincoln and Kennedy in schools shake-up
Paul Thompson11 Mar 2009
President Barack Obama marked his first 50 days in power by announcing a major overhaul of America's education system.
Despite the economic problems facing the nation, he warned that the country could not ignore the need for reform. He said failure to act now would result in the "American dream" no longer being open to many school leavers.
Promising a "cradle to career" overhaul of the education system, he insisted action had to be taken to reverse years of decline and that America's future prosperity depended on it.
Aware of criticisms he is taking on too much, he invoked the names of former presidents to show that he was capable of handling more than one crisis. "I know there are some who believe we can only handle one challenge at a time," Mr Obama said.
"They forget that Lincoln helped lay down the transcontinental railroad, passed the Homestead Act, and created the National Academy of Sciences in the midst of civil war.
"Likewise, President Roosevelt didn't have the luxury of choosing between ending a depression and fighting a war," Mr Obama told the US-Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "President Kennedy didn't have the luxury of choosing between civil rights and sending us to the moon."
The president called for more investment, better teachers and longer school hours. Promising to boost early education and higher learning, Mr Obama, who benefited from a Harvard University education and private schooling in Hawaii, said he also wanted to introduce merit pay for teachers.
He said the merit awards would treat "teachers like the professionals they are, while also holding them more accountable.
"Let there be no doubt: the future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens," Mr Obama said. "Yet, despite resources that are unmatched anywhere in the world, we have let our grades slip, our schools crumble, our teacher quality fall short, and other nations outpace us."
Mr Obama also announced he is to create a new White House women's council to ensure all government agencies consider how their policies would affect women.
One of his personal advisors and close friend Valerie Jarrett will head up the council.
Reader views (6)
The virtually-endless 'tinkering' with the education system by Labour has created a true mess. Every two weeks Labour has a new brainwave on education -- as the system goes further and further downhill. From one of the best education systems (if not the best) in the world 50 years ago, the U.K. system surely has to be one of the worst. Young people in the U.K. graduate now unable to read, write, spell or add 2+2. Whereas Labour has had twelve years of failed attempts at improvement, Obama is taking on the problem afresh. Good luck to him. He can't do worse than here.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 12/03/2009 10:31
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Looks like America is going to end up like Brown's Britain!
- Mark A, Warrington England, 11/03/2009 18:55
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Another socialist planning to tinker with education. Sound familiar?
- Rogan, Irving, 11/03/2009 17:15
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Obama has big ideas and a big ego to go with them.
- Judith C, London, England, 11/03/2009 12:27
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Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that Obama cannot announce anything without a slick speech to accompany it?
"I hereby declare, in the spirit of my forefathers, that I need to visit the bathroom, following as I do, in the footsteps of Kennedy, Lincoln and anyone else important who has ever needed to perform a Number 1".
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 11/03/2009 12:11
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"announcing a major overhaul of America's education system."
There's announcing and there's doing, does no one remember Blair's education, education, education speech? What a load of drivel that turned out to be.
- Bob, Cheam, 11/03/2009 11:02
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