Obama on school reform

Another friend replied with further information about what Obama's said about school reform:

A friend had forwarded the email you had sent, and I noticed you said, "I wish Obama would be more forceful in supporting alternatives for students trapped in failing schools, such as charter schools (two words that don't appear in his book), but at least he understands the problem, views the status quo as "indefensible" and is willing to advocate changes that place him in the camp of genuine reformers in the Democratic party."

I just wanted to direct you to a speech Barack gave within his first month of arriving in the Senate in which he said, "We also know that some of the best ideas in education don't come from Washington, but from local schools all over America. That's why charter schools are a great way for us to learn from experiments in Topeka and Springfield that schools in Chicago and L.A. can replicate in their own classrooms. And because the success of your businesses depend on your ability to fill jobs with great minds, we need more corporate and private investment in our schools. John Doer's work with the New Schools Venture Fund is leading the way on this front, and we should all commend him for that." http://obama.senate.gov/speech/050308-remarks_of_senator_barack_obama_at_technet/index.html

Also, (http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Barack_Obama.htm), if you check that site out, it has 'Barack Obama on Education,' it has, among other

• Supports charter schools and private investment in schools. (Jul 1998)

Worth taking a look at.