Weingarten Weighs In on Obama Speech
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten had a quick briefing with reporters yesterday on all the edu-action this week.
Asked about President Obama's defense of the Race to the Top program to the National Urban League, Weingarten said it's only natural that the president would focus on the $4.35 billion initiative. She also acknowledged that, despite her union's qualms about certain aspects of the program, Race to the Top demonstrates the power of federal education spending.
"This is one of the president's signature initiatives," she said. "The Race to the Top has proven something really important: that the federal government knows how to be a lever for change."
Of course, in the AFT's view, the Race to the Top is not the be-all-end-all of education reform. The president has
Asked about President Obama's defense of the Race to the Top program to the National Urban League, Weingarten said it's only natural that the president would focus on the $4.35 billion initiative. She also acknowledged that, despite her union's qualms about certain aspects of the program, Race to the Top demonstrates the power of federal education spending.
"This is one of the president's signature initiatives," she said. "The Race to the Top has proven something really important: that the federal government knows how to be a lever for change."
Of course, in the AFT's view, the Race to the Top is not the be-all-end-all of education reform. The president has