Profiles in Courageousness Tackles Education Reform

A new book has just come out this week from Last Stand for Children Board Member and United States Congressman Jack Kimble of California's 54th District.   The book is a combination of the Congressman's life story and a road map for a Republican future.   Now, as you might expect, Kimble does not tread lightly on the sacred cows of education reform.  Here's one excerpt from his book giving his views on education:

In education, I am in agreement on a lot of President Obama's policies, but we are failing our school children.  Nearly 25% of all American high school students in 2008 scored in the bottom quartile of state standardized tests in reading and 10% scored in the bottom tenth in math while at the same time teachers unions continue to provide their membership with $20,000+ retirement packages and a lavish lifestyle that includes automobiles and oftentimes private home ownership. 

Too much of a child's day is taken up with classes like music, art, and social studies, which are not even tested.  These classes have been created by teachers unions trying to create jobs and give teachers prep periods.  All children should focus on reading and math exclusively during the school day.

Our research has shown that the best teachers to motivate inner city youth are white, fresh out of college, and preferably from a privileged background.  We also have found that the easiest way to assure that all student get a quality teacher is to increase class size.

Too often, the voice of the business community has been stifled in discussions of what is best for the children of this country.  It is time for the business community to instead stifle the voices of the less successful and enable us to do for our schools what we have done for our economy. 

This is powerful thinking and represents the cutting edge of the education reform movement.   As you know, like Students First and Stand for Children, we have a bipartisan approach to education reform.  However, Congressman Kimble clearly has higher aspirations than the House of Representatives and we are literally salivating at how pro-education reform a Kimble administration would be.  I think anybody who cares about our children owes it to themselves to read this powerful book from a great man.