Some Great Questions Got Asked ... and Answered

Half a loaf is better than none. That's what I was told as a boy.

Keep that in mind as you read on.

As a matter of policy, we don't talk about candidates by name. We're not about supporting one candidate over another. We're trying to get the presidential candidates to talk about our schools and what needs to be done to get them to the point where they can prepare every student in America for college or for work or life.


This week the Democratic candidates sat down with Charlie Rose and answered questions submitted by readers of the Huffington Post, Slate and Yahoo. We were delighted when education made the cut for these interviews. Only the three most popular topics were selected. It shows that real people with real questions want to hear what the canidates have to say about education. And, when given a chance, they will force the candidates to address it.


So Rose asked each candidate two questions about education during his 15 minutes with each. Those questions produced 28 minutes of substantive talk about education. That's not overwhelming, but it's better than nothing.


And while we can't give you answers - you'll have to find those through the "debate" sponsors, Huffington Post, Slate and Yahoo - we can give you questions so you can see what other folks are concerned about.


Like I said, half a loaf is better than none.

• Let me turn to education and begin with a user question. This one from Rochelle Williams, who said if we are founded on the concept of equal opportunity, though not necessarily equal result, and education is a great equalizer, shouldn't a college education be free?


• Even though No Child Left Behind did not reach all the objectives that perhaps the president and certainly those who supported it expected, was it worth supporting?


• Turning to education. Has the debate so far in this campaign paid enough attention to education? And what ought to be in the debate?


• Just a quick follow-up before I take a user question. Why do you think that is, that education has not come along as fast as other changes in our society?


• This is a user question coming from someone you know, I'm sure: Jonathan Kozol, teacher and education writer. And he says, "How do you feel about the testing mania forced upon our children by No Child Left Behind?" Quoting him, "It's driving out half the bright young teachers in our urban schools because they refuse to see their classrooms turned into robotic test-prep factories. Those of you in Congress, what do you plan to do to change it?"


• Let me turn to education. And this is again a user question, from Corinne Kailogue, who says, "As a teacher in both the rural South and the urban North, I'm interested in your perspective regarding the parent/teacher dynamic. In your opinion, who plays the lead role?"


• Here's a question-a user question from Kathy Henry. She basically says, how do I encourage my children to attend college when they see their college-educated mother get laid off and has not been able to find gainful employment?


• Education today in America. Do we need to rethink education in any particular way as far as you're concerned?


• I want to turn to education now. Tell me what you think the debate ought to be about -- education in America and how we are failing our children?


• This question comes from a user, Elise Morretti, from Hawaii. She says, "I'm a new special-education teacher and already observing how students with special needs are not getting the services they are legally entitled to. How do you make sure these children, and all the other children in America, are not being left behind?"