Obama calls for funds to stop teacher layoffs as student-to-teacher ratios rise

[cali]

Hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs have been lost in the US since 2009, according to a new White House report. Photograph: Rex Features

President Barack Obama has called on Congress to release billions of dollars in funds to counter the damaging impact of teacher layoffs on America's education system.

A report released Saturday by the White House found that more than 300,000 teaching positions had been lost since the end of the recession in 2009, resulting in a 4.6% bump in student-to-teacher ratios.

In his weekly address, Obama struck out at obstructionists in Congress for blocking provisions that would support states in preventing further job cuts and help them rehire out-of-work teachers.

He also took a swipe at Republicans for putting forward a budget that he claimed would further impact teacher numbers.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/18/us-elections-2012-education?newsfeed=true

[HiPointDem]

1. This administration's education policies are part of the reason.

President Obama voiced support Monday for the mass firings of educators at a failing Rhode Island school, drawing an immediate rebuke from teachers union officials whose members have chafed at some of his education policies.

Speaking at an event intended to highlight his strategy for turning around struggling schools by offering an increase in federal funding for local districts that shake up their lowest-achieving campuses, Obama called the controversial firings justified.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/01/AR2010030103560.html

[cali]

2. Regardless, this is still a move in the right direction

Obama and the admin should be called out when they're wrong. Conversely, it should be noted when they do something positive.

[HiPointDem]

3. Their ed policy is a travesty & disaster, & I'll bet good money if Obama *really* wants this money

he'll use it to hire more Teach for America scabs.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. "Obama and the admin should be called out when they're wrong"? Really?

You really believe that?