The
following is a transcript of a speech Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, at the Democratic National
Convention.
I'm
here tonight as a parent with two young children who attend a wonderful public
school. No one has more at stake in this election than our kids, and that is
why we need to re-elect President Obama!
Our
president knows education is about jobs. It's about giving every child a shot
at a secure middle-class life. Right now, we're in a race for jobs and
industries of the future. If countries like China out-educate us today, they'll
out-compete us tomorrow. The president believes that education begins at home
with parents who take responsibility. But he also believes that teachers
matter. In his first two years in office, he helped save the jobs of 400,000
educators.
And
President Obama didn't just invest resources; he demanded reform. And 46 states
responded by raising education standards. The president also believes teachers
must be respected and paid like the professionals they are. No teacher should
have to teach to the test. Great teachers should be recognized and rewarded.
And
President Obama also knows that higher education is an economic necessity. He
fought to keep student loan interest rates from going up. He fought for Pell
grants. He took the big banks out of the federal student loan program and
passed billions of dollars in savings on to young people. This year alone, he
helped nearly 10 million students afford college.
The
president knows that the path to the middle class goes right through America's
classrooms. That was his path. That's America's path. However, his opponent
believes differently.
Under
the Romney-Ryan budget, education would be cut by as much as 20 percent. Think
about what that would mean: 200,000 fewer children in Head Start, fewer
teachers in the classroom, fewer resources for poor kids and students with
disabilities, fewer after school programs. Ten million students could see their
Pell grants reduced, putting higher education further out of reach. And these
cuts wouldn't create jobs or pay down the deficit. They would go toward a huge
new tax cut for those at the very top.
In
order to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires, Governor Romney will cut
education for our children. That's the difference in this election. They see
education as an expense. President Obama's sees it as an investment. That's the
choice in this election. And that's why our president needs four more years!
