EDUCATION
The Northwest Progressive Institute believes that American democracy cannot be healthy without a strong, free, and equal public education system in place to teach our nation's children and young adults.
The Declaration of Independence, authored in 1776, states in part:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
We believe that every child is entitled to (and should enjoy) an enriching and fulfilling life. Every child deserves an opportunity to succeed and prosper. A strong and robust public education system gives every child such opportunities and discriminates against no one.
We affirm that is difficult, if not impossible, to help our children to lead happy and successful lives unless we ourselves are leading happy and successful lives. Each of us, therefore, has a moral responsibility to lead a cheerful and rewarding existence and teach our children the same.
We believe in a public education system that encourages and emphasizes parental involvement. A child's parents are his or her first and best teachers. Supportive parents can make a huge difference in their child's success.
We believe that our society's teachers cannot lead happy and successful lives unless they are fairly paid and make enough to support themselves without having to work at other jobs; therefore, we strongly support fair pay for all teachers and support professionals.
We are against the use of public money to fund private schools. A voucher system for private schools is the first step towards dismantling the public education system in favor of a private, two-tiered education system which benefits only one class of Americans.
We believe, in the words of George Lakoff, in a vibrant, well-funded, and expandng public education system, with the highest standards for every child and schools, where teachers nuture children's minds and often the children themselves, and where children are taught the truth about our nation - its wonders and its blemishes.
We are in favor of providing every young adult access to a quality college education, where each individual is free to choose and pursue the career of his or her choice and acquire the skills and knowledge needed for success in that field.
We reject the notion of an "either or" proposition for public education - we believe we need both reform and additional funding if our public education system is to remain vigorous and healthy. We declare that the "No Child Left Behind Act" is an unfunded mandate, sets a "one-size-fits-all" menality and is seriously flawed. Therefore, we believe it should be repealed and replaced with a stronger policy.
We believe our vialues, and our vision of public education, is shared by a majority of the American people and the people of the Pacific Northwest.
We call on elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels of government to embrace this vision and work together to make it a reality.
© 2006 Northwest Progressive Institute.
Northwest Progressive Institute is a TVIWA organization.
