Obama speaking in Dayton, Ohio. (italics mine)
A woman asks: "What is your plan to correct President Bush's 'Every Child Left Behind Policy?'"
Obama says the concept is a good one. But he's in favor of a well-rounded education -- art, music, second language. The republicans jumped on Obama yesterday on the latter.
We should want our children to have more knowledge and skills, he said. "I know because I don't speak a foreign language. It's embarrassing." He's dead on, so right on this. Kids should be taught a foreign language, or two, or three, as early as possible because that's when they're most receptive. Chinese might be the better language to learn, though.
The problem with No Child Left Behind was in the execution, he said. "He left the money behind for No Child Left Behind."
Schools didn't have resources, he said.
Teachers have been pressured to teach to the test, which is hard for the teacher and uninspiring for students.
Then, he points out "if parents don't parent then it's not going to work." He says this all the time to black and white audiences and apparently, a version of this -- when Obama said black fathers need to be more responsible -- was Jesse Jackson's beef. He thought that Obama was railing against black fathers to gain white support. Obama is an equal opportunity railer.
Also, a side note. CNN just cut the video during the town hall, then reverts back to the beginning of the video, while still saying "live." Actually, I believe it's never live. There is a time delay.
I think CNN does this so that it can have something original to report on without bloggers also having access. It's happened a lot lately. Perhaps it's a technical glitch.
