After the energy and excitement of the convention many people are wondering how they can get more involved in the Obama campaign and in education issues in particular. We wanted to spend some time today letting you know about a number of specific ways you can get or stay involved in Barack Obama’s efforts to win the presidency and address the major educational challenges of our time. Please respond this week if you can–time is short and every voice counts.
1) First easy thing you can do is send a quick email. You’ll receive periodic timely updates on Obama education policies, speeches, and events as well as options for your further involvement.
2) The second and most urgent thing you can do is sign and forward to others the new attached letter of support for Barack Obama’s bold education plan. The attached letter reflects the principles we discussed and shared last week in Denver–and the Obama campaign has formally agreed to post it on their website as a letter of support. To sign it, just mention in your email to that you agree to sign this letter and include your full name and state of residence and role. Our goal is to provide a massive show of stength from educators across the country that there is strong support for the leadership Senator Obama has shown on education issues. We will be tracking signatures on this blog and expect to release a list of initial signers by the end of this week.
If you support the principles enunciated here but do not want to formally endorse the campaign for political or professional reasons, feel free to sign up to just support the principles by emailing this same email address indicating you would like to show support for these principles that undergird the platform.
3) Mention in your email if you’d like to receive agendas and conference call dial-in information for several education conference calls that will be held between now and election day.
Each nightly conference call the week of September 18th-25th will be devoted to a different topic in education–i.e., early childhood one night, teacher quality the next next night, higher education, etc. Participants will be able to hear an update from education advisors to Senator Obama and his campaign and will be able to ask questions as well. As an event host and organizer, you will be able to participate in a smaller, even more in depth monthly conference call in September and October.
We have personally seen Senator Obama’s deep, personal commitment to student achievement and educational equity in his educational policymaking and s peeches, in school visits, and in candid conversations with young people, educators, business leaders, and parents. Barack Obama’s own words best describe his commitment and his assessment of current results in American education. After highlighting several disturbing educational statistics Obama says, “This kind of America is morally unacceptable for our children. It’s economically untenable for our future. And it’s not who we are as a country. We know there are great American schools that are beating these odds and proving that the color of your skin or the size of your parents’ bank account shouldn’t determine your educational achievement. Now it is our responsibility to make sure that every American school ensures all kids can reach the American dream.”
We look forward to you joining us to help Barack Obama transform the course of education for a long to come.
–Guestbloggers Mike Johnston and Jon Schnur, education advisors to Senator Obama
I stand corrected (Erin). This is disappointing, it’s not really a blog, just as Virginia Walden Ford’s entries were not blogs either. I fear that by continuing to post advertisements on this site you will not help Obama’s chances at all.
Mike and Jon, glad you are guestblogging. Could you address Sen. Obama’s take on special education issues at some point, or at least point me to his position statements on special education?
Some of us have been asking the campaigns for statements on special education and have basically received nothing in reply. Perhaps one of the nights of Sept. 18-25 will be devoted to special education, as it is a large percentage of the federal education budget. If so, could you at least let us know which night? We asked the McCain counterpart on this blog to address special education, and we have heard nothing. I am hoping we will get a different response from the Obama campaign. Thanks much.
Last year visiting a student in the hospital, I asked if she had heard Michelle Obama’s criticism of NCLB testing. She replied so sweetly, “Oooooh. She cares.” My student then cooed to her newborn, “Michelle Obama cares for you.”
My student approves of this message.
Yawn. More press release posting. This is a waste of time to read. The Obama people are as bad as the McCain people.
As a Democrat I am so very dissappointed in these two “blog” posts. Principles? How about a specific policy or two? You have free rein of a great website to talk details and you give more platitudes. You just reinforce the perception that BHO doesn’t have any real plans. And the request for support? Give me a detail or two. Sad, sad, sad.