The Journal & Courier is probably the best place to go for information about the extremely crowded ballot for Indiana’s Fourth Congressional District. Steve Buyer decided to step down, leaving an open seat. This started a run to fill it. The Journal & Courier asked the candidates about federal education spending.
On the Democratic side, Tara Nelson suggested that the federal government should be available to shore up shortfalls locally, particularly ensuring things like language, arts, music and sports as well as providing for four year community colleges for middle and lower income families. David Sanders recommended more equitable funding, eliminating unfunded mandates and giving local control to the schools. Federal loans should improve affordability and reliance on standardized tests should be reduced.
On the Republican side, Jon Acton says stakeholders should be “held accountable for future success.” He is also against unfunded mandates, and thinks communities that desire local control should not be punished.
I didn’t really understand Cheryl Denise Allen’s response, but here it is: “I am pleased with the grant programs issued by the government. Any student that needs money is provided for through this program. Some funds similar to these are initiated through K-12. Maybe make tuition programs for the lower grades might be a possibility.”
Jim Hass wants school boards to set standards for themselves, wants parents to set standards for their children, and wants children to govern their own behavior. He thinks the federal government should encourage efforts in math and science and thinks that experimentation should be allowed by lower levels of government.
Brandt Hershman says that, for the most part, he wants state and local government rather than the federal government setting standards for education. (That’s pretty much the status quo, right?)
Todd Rokita’s answer started off pretty boilerplate then got a little garbled: ” I support expanding the affordability of higher education, simplifying the financial aid system and undoing the government takeover of student loans to increase access to financial aid.” The federal government made changes to the federal student loan program. Not sure how the federal government can “take over” its own program. There are efforts afoot to cut out the middle man for federally guaranteed loans. So, the most charitable I can be is to conclude that Secretary of State Rokita doesn’t understand the issue terribly well.
Mark Seitz says that federal funding should be used to support K-12 education but money accepted comes with a requirement that certain standards should be met.
PJ Steffens & Eric Wathen want to get rid of the Department of Education and unfunded mandates.
Daniel Dunham, Charlie Henderson, and Mike Young think the federal government has no business doing anything with education. Henderson supports “states rights.” (Follow up for Mr. Henderson or any states’ rights purist: does the sanctity of states rights extend to drug legalization?)
Sounds as if that one lady was saying we could implement vouchers for elementary kids. On the whole, you seem to have a very uninformed slate. Rokita has no idea, just repeating republicant talking points.
I feel sorry for the people of the district, first buyer and his fake foundation and neglect of the veteran’s homes (I think that was the committee he was on–or the hospitals) and now this slate of people with no idea on how to play an important and productive role in education from the federal level.
I just got Mike Young’s campaign letter. It made me hate him even more.
I will say that I was discussing the FAFSA program that already makes funding and government grants available from high school up through college until a bachelorette degree is acheived.
I was saying that I could see FAFSA programs for all educational levels. While enrolled in college I have seen that FAFSA more than provides enough money for tuitions, and books, not to mention additional fees that the college attaches.
I think that school lunches should be provided, and that no matter what income level the school, and state should provided a lunch for its students since they are required to attend, by law, the required eight hours or face imprisonment for neligect of a dependant or minor. Since we mandate that they attend, we should make sure they are fed. It seems that in recent years when I have discussed it with teachers they seem more concerned with what they deem as underpayment for their level of college and degree. I have to remind them that they work only nine months a year and receive a full years pay, as well as a handsome benefit package. Prehaps this information comes a little to late, but for the most part I did notice, and have for years since my father was in politics that most printed newspapers, as well as other news programs are democratic or owned and operated by democrats.