Mike Huckabee on Education

MAronson--Period 4

“Music and art, teaching the stimulation of the creative side, is absolutely critical to a total well-rounded education.”
Mike Huckabee, a former republican Arkansas Governor, makes the fight for education one of his top priorities. Huckabee’s own past shows his commitment to school and music programs that go on inside schools. With a Master’s degree form Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he’s received a high education, and naturally wants the same for the future of his country.
Huckabee states that “as President, [his] education agenda would include working towards a clear distinction between the federal role in assisting and empowering states and in usurping the right of states to carry out the education programs for their students.”
Clearly, Huckabee wants the government to assert the educational goals for America overall, but to each state his own. This action unites the American people while allows them to be individuals.
More importantly, Huckabee is aware of the needs for education in regards to employment. He wants to encourage students to excel at what they do so that in time, they can succeed in the work force. In accord with this notion, America on the whole will succeed. “Business leaders I met weren’t worried about creating jobs, they were worried about finding skilled and professional workers to fill those jobs.” There will always be jobs to be done—but who will be the most competent? Huckabee’s eye is on the future.
Because Huckabee’s campaign is centered on planning for the future, many of his aspirations need concrete plans. As the governor of Arkansas, Huckabee worked on improving school’s “report cards.” He tried a two-year plan that would educate kids in art. Math scores improved, abstract thinking was encouraged, and what would be considered as “bad behavior,” decreased. “We all know the cliché of thinking outside the box: I want our children to be so creative that they think outside the cardboard factory.” He created “intensive reading and math programs that went back to basics” and “test scores rose dramatically.” This proves that Mike Huckabee has experience on improving education and makes a stronger case for him come election time.
Art and Musical education is just as important to Huckabee. By exercising what we have now, America will be stronger in the future. He believes that our nation depends on the creative generation ahead. Music and art are his “Weapons of Mass Instruction.” By infiltrating the schools with music, art, math and reading programs, Huckabee encourages Americans to strive for the better, set the bar higher, and ultimately succeed as a nation. He calls for the testing of teachers as well as students, and the removal of teachers who don’t do their job. Cleaning up the school districts will prove for a smarter and more stable America.
George Stephanopoulos interviewed the Arkansas native on the education of illegal immigrants. When approached with the statement. “Aside from the scholarships, if a child of an illegal immigrant went through high school in Arkansas, he would get the same in-state benefits as other Arkansas residents do. Yet if a student was coming in from Colorado, they would pay higher tuition.” His only response was, “is he better off going to college and becoming a taxpayer as opposed to not going to college and potentially becoming a tax-taker?” His stance is clearly just asking which is the lesser of two evils? Huckabee may be a bit overzealous with granting education to everyone.
Huckabee’s focus on education caused a ridiculous amount of spending during his time as Governor of Arkansas. “The Cato Institute gave his a D on fiscal policy, noting that spending had increased at three times the rate of inflation during his govern ship.” Being a fan of high taxes, he raised them to pay for his expenses. Huckabee could just be making American’s pay a high price for education.
Huckabee’s obsession with improving schools has had a positive effect on schools—but only Kindergarten through Eighth grade. “Huckabee’s education record has remained mainly on his K-12 initiatives.”
On the other hand, many agree with his ideas on school reform. Reports show that “The number of Arkansas children enrolled in home schooling has tripled since Mike Huckabee became governor,” and by repealing outcomes based education, he “moved Arkansas public schools toward a more traditional system.” Many of the people in Arkansas are happy with this outcome and support him because of his strong beliefs and standards in regards to education.In summary, Mike Huckabee is an advocate for a higher education. He believes that teachers should be tested before giving them their own classroom. He thinks that it is important that students are involved with a creative activity such as art and/or music because America’s future is through the creative minds of today’s kids. He also believes that the children of immigrants should not be turned away from education, but rather, welcomed into it. Altogether, Mike Huckabee sets up a tough argument for all those in opposition of education in America.

Sources:

Cox, Jerry. "White House Bound: From Hope to Higher Ground." www.blogger.com. 12 Nov. 2007. 6 Feb. 2008 .
Gerstein, Josh. "Secret Huckabee Turns Out to Be Clintonesque." The New York Sun. 3 Jan. 2008. 7 Jan. 2008 .

"Issues: Educations and the Arts." Mike Huckabee for President. 6 Jan. 2008 .

Leonard, Monique. "Mike Huckabee's Education Platform." Parent Student Loans. 9 Jan. 2008. 7 Feb. 2008 .

Lucas, Fred. "Some GOP Concerned About Huckabee's Immigration Views." Cybercast News Service. 7 Jan. 2008. 7 Jan. 2008 .

"Mike Huckabee Biography." Biography. 7 Jan. 2008 .

"Mike Huckabee." Daily Mail. 7 Jan. 2008 .

"Mike Huckabee on Education." 6 Jan. 2008 .

"Right Questions, Wrong Answers." National Review Online. 2007. 6 Jan. 2008 .