Iris Salters - MEA President

Detroit News Article - Friday, June 27, 2008: © Copyright 2008 The Detroit News. All rights reserved.

Iris Salters - MEA President Friday, June 27, 2008
Labor Voices

Jumpstart the economy by investing in schools

Education shouldn't be a marginal issue in election
Iris Salters
Political candidates are overlooking a surefire way to jumpstart the economy and create jobs this election year. I'm talking about strong public schools. Education is the best way to fix the economy and put more people to work -- and we all need to make sure candidates discuss the issue during the campaign and act on it after they're elected. Despite a lot of talk and media coverage of state and federal campaigns, you sadly won't hear much about schools. There's a lot to compete with: Who'll end the war in Iraq? Keep terrorism from America's heartland? Slow global warming? Cut taxes? Keep gas prices from hitting $5 a gallon?

Schools are low on the priority list, save for some casual references in stump speeches. We sat through 41 presidential debates this past year -- education wasn't mentioned in two-thirds of them. In a recent story about political news coverage, the prestigious Columbia Journalism Review put it this way: "To call education even a marginal issue in the rhetoric of the campaign trail at this point would be severe overstatement."

That's sad.
Why?

Because an estimated 20,000 Michigan students will drop out of school this year.
Because the economy increasingly relies on how much Americans know. Because employers want trained workers and will move to communities and states that have them.
Can you name a single state or nation with a strong economy but a weak education system?
From the state House to the White House, we need policymakers who understand the important link between effective schools and a vibrant economy.
Yet, when it comes to rebuilding the economy and growing more jobs, most politicians pitch Band-Aid solutions such as stimulus checks or tax breaks for wealthy corporations. Instead, investing in our public schools would yield far greater returns for both our economy and our students.

What we need in America right now is a one-point plan of action to fix the economy and create more jobs: great public schools for all students.

Consider these points:
Research shows investments in education have a greater net impact on job growth, income growth, income distribution and productivity than tax cuts and business subsidies.
Businesses are attracted to states with skilled workers. When Google moved to Ann Arbor in
2006, company officials said they wanted to locate in a community with trained workers.
Ask any real estate agent about the impact of effective schools on home sales. People want to live where the good schools are.

We've heard a lot about change this year. Voters want it. Candidates promise it. Change can be good, especially when it comes from the ground up. If enough of us believe schools are the proving grounds for workers and the foundation of a healthy economy, then candidates will change the focus of this campaign and provide solutions to strengthen public education for all students.

That's change we can all believe in.

Iris Salters is president of the Michigan Education Association, a union that represents
teachers and education support staff. Mail letters to The Detroit News, Editorial Page, 615 W.
Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226, fax them to (313) 222-6417 or e-mail them to
letters@detnews.com.

Find this article at:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/OPINION01/806270316
Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article.

© Copyright 2008 The Detroit News. All rights reserved. 6/30/2008



Home | News | Board of Directors | ©2005 CMC