By Alexis Stodghill on Sep 27th 2010 1:08PM
Filed under: News, Education
From Yahoo News:
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama started the school week Monday with a call for a longer school year and said the worst-performing teachers have "got to go" if they don't improve quickly.
Bemoaning America's decreasing global educational competitiveness, Obama sought in a nationally broadcast interview to reinvigorate his education agenda. At the same time, the president acknowledged that many poor schools don't have the money they need and he defended federal aid for them. But Obama also said that money alone won't fix the problems in public schools, saying higher standards must be set and achieved by students and teachers alike.
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Recent Obama Photos
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (C) greets U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (L) along with U.S. President Barack Obama (R) during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) September 23, 2010 in New York City. President Obama joined sixty-four current and former heads of state in attending the sixth annual meeting of the CGI. The commitment of CGI members has improved the lives of more than 220 million people in 170 countries, according to President Bill Clinton. The 2010 meeting features a session on 'Peace and Beyond in the Middle East'.
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Recent Obama Photos
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (C) greets U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama (L) along with U.S. President Barack Obama (R) during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) September 23, 2010 in New York City. President Obama joined sixty-four current and former heads of state in attending the sixth annual meeting of the CGI. The commitment of CGI members has improved the lives of more than 220 million people in 170 countries, according to President Bill Clinton. The 2010 meeting features a session on 'Peace and Beyond in the Middle East'.
Recent Obama Photos
President Barack Obama attends a bilateral meeting with President of Kyrgyzstan Rosa Otunbaeva on September 24, 2010 in New York, New York. Obama has been in New York since Wednesday attending the annual General Assembly at the United Nations where in a speech yesterday he stressed the need for a resolution between Israel and Palestine a renewed international effort to keep Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.
Recent Obama Photos
Former President Bill Clinton and US President Barack Obama during the annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) September 23, 2010 in New York . The sixth annual meeting of the CGI gathers prominent individuals in politics, business, science, academics, religion and entertainment to discuss global issues such as climate change and the reconstruction of Haiti.
Recent Obama Photos
President Barack Obama attends a bilateral meeting with President of Kyrgyzstan Rosa Otunbaeva on September 24, 2010 in New York City. Obama has been in New York since Wednesday attending the annual General Assembly at the United Nations, where yesterday he stressed the need for a resolution between Israel and Palestine, and a renewed international effort to keep Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.
Recent Obama Photos
First Lady Michelle Obama (C) applauds with Yoo Soon-taek (R), wife of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, after US President Barack Obama spoke to the United Nations General Assembly September 23, 2010 at UN headquarters in New York.
Recent Obama Photos
President Barack Obama (R) and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao hold a bilateral meeting on September 23, 2010 at United Nations in New York City, New York.
Recent Obama Photos
President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon before addressing the Millennium Development Goals summit at the United Nations headquarters September 22, 2010 in New York City. Over 140 world leaders will attend the Millennium Development Goals summit, a three-day conference on ending global poverty, hunger and disease within the next five years. Obama is on a three-day visit to the United Nations and will address the General Assembly and world leaders again on Thursday.
Recent Obama Photos
President of the United States of America, Barack Obama addresses the 65th session of the General Assembly at the United Nations on September 23, 2010 in New York City. Obama used his address to the annual gathering of world leaders and diplomats to pledge for international support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Recent Obama Photos
U.S. President Barack Obama participates in a toast at a luncheon hosted by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during the General Assembly at the United Nations September 23, 2010 in New York City. The annual gathering looks to highlight pressing global problems of war, poverty and environmental degradation.
Recent Obama Photos
U.S. President Barack Obama (R) attends a bilateral meeting with President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon of Colombia September 24, 2010 in New York City. Obama has been in New York since Wednesday attending the annual General Assembly at the United Nations, where yesterday he stressed the need for a resolution between Israel and Palestine, and a renewed international effort to keep Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.
Recent Obama Photos
Asked in an interview if he supported a year-round school year, Obama said: "The idea of a longer school year, I think, makes sense." He did not specify how long that school year should be but said U.S. students attend classes, on average, about a month less than children in most other advanced countries.
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Comments: (4)
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By: rasfanta on 9/27/2010 9:47PM
But fiscal equity is a big start.
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By: BeeBee on 10/02/2010 11:13AM
Im completely behind the President's plan to overhaul our educational system. You can't fix the system using the same old formula. We need to focus on what's best for the students, not just for the teachers, and sometimes that notion can be hard to accept for some people. I am inspired to go back to school to become a great teacher myself, because money can not fix the problem alone, but great teachers can.
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By: Acai Reduce on 10/04/2010 2:14AM
In my opinion, Obama has proved one of the greatest president for USA till now . And Now , He is doing good for Education.I am entirely agree from his decision.Definitely,It will prove new tradition of education system.
http://acaireducesite.com
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By: John N on 10/11/2010 9:21AM
The president is correct, "money alone will not fix our schools." However, in our culture where we pay entertainers, atheletes, and politicians, teachers are not look upon with much admiration and are not reverered in our culture. To attract the best and brightest teachers, you must compensate them so that it is commenustrate with other professions. The problems facing education is multi-layered, but if our young people are our most precious resources, why not give our teachers their weight in gold.
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