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Oct 13, 2010

AZ GOP congressional candidates unite against education

Arizona loses big if Republicans keep pledge to scrap U.S. Department of Education

PHOENIX -- It's common on the GOP campaign trail: The candidate makes a chest-thumping pledge to get rid of this, get rid of that. The crowd cheers.

But when Republicans Paul Gosar, Ben Quayle, David Schweikert and Jesse Kelly make campaign pledges to minimize or eliminate the Department of Education, nobody should be cheering. These candidates are pledging to further devastate a state education system that even Gov. Brewer admits has been “cut to the bone.”

In fiscal year 2009, Arizona's school system received more than $1 billion in funds administered by the U.S. Department of Education. And Arizona's higher-ed students received billions more in direct support in the form of grants and loans. So when these Republicans make their reckless pledges, here's what they'd be taking away from us:

• grants and other assistance for K-12 programs, career and technical education, and higher education, among other program areas;
• Pell Grants for thousands of students from Arizona, as well as thousands of students attending institutes of higher education in Arizona; and
• federal student loans;
• grants to provide academic support for children from families below the poverty level;
• grants that cover a portion of the excess cost of educating children with disabilities;
• grants that provide college money to the children of servicemembers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

[Source: U.S. Department of Education]

"Instead of standing up for Arizona schoolkids, Gosar, Quayle, Schweikert and Kelly are reading cue cards from their national GOP bosses and obeying the failed agenda of their Wall Street benefactors," said Luis Heredia, Arizona Democratic Party executive director. "These four are as bad for Arizona as Jan Brewer and her Republicans in the state Legislature, who protected tax loopholes for country club dues while slashing education funding."

"All of them should be ashamed," he said, "and not one of them deserves the votes of hard-working Arizonans."

Background: Where they stand on the Dept. of Education:

Gosar: “The role of the fed is none.” (referring to education)
 [Rural Arizona Conservatives Meet & Greet, 5/12/10]

Quayle: “And you can start with the Department of Education, by getting rid of a lot of the powers they have there...” [6/14/10 North Phoenix Tea Party Forum]

Schweikert: “If you love the Department of Education, DON’T vote for me.” [June 17, 2010, Fountain Hills Tea Party Meeting]

Kelly: “… in fact, the entire Department of Education can go away.” [Northwest Republican Club Debate, 2/11/10]