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Joe Biden Debuts Education Plan, Then Touts It to Teachers’ Union Joe Biden Debuts Education Plan, Then Touts It to Teachers’ Union
(32 minutes later)
HOUSTON — Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Tuesday released the first major policy platform of his campaign, a sweeping education proposal that urges federal investment in low-income schools, supports universal prekindergarten and higher teacher pay, and, he added in a public appearance later, opposes for-profit charter schools.HOUSTON — Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Tuesday released the first major policy platform of his campaign, a sweeping education proposal that urges federal investment in low-income schools, supports universal prekindergarten and higher teacher pay, and, he added in a public appearance later, opposes for-profit charter schools.
But in keeping with his more moderate tendencies, the education plan also focused on priorities that are widely accepted in Democratic circles, appearing to stop short of the bolder promises from some of his campaign rivals and skirting entirely a number of the more controversial issues in education policy.But in keeping with his more moderate tendencies, the education plan also focused on priorities that are widely accepted in Democratic circles, appearing to stop short of the bolder promises from some of his campaign rivals and skirting entirely a number of the more controversial issues in education policy.
Mr. Biden’s campaign introduced the proposal ahead of a town hall event in Houston on Tuesday evening with an influential teachers’ union, the American Federation of Teachers, which represents an important Democratic-leaning constituency and a coveted endorsement for Democratic presidential candidates.Mr. Biden’s campaign introduced the proposal ahead of a town hall event in Houston on Tuesday evening with an influential teachers’ union, the American Federation of Teachers, which represents an important Democratic-leaning constituency and a coveted endorsement for Democratic presidential candidates.
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The plan initiates a new phase in Mr. Biden’s presidential campaign, which began last month and has so far been light on specifics, even as many of his rivals have pushed out one policy paper after the next. Mr. Biden’s advisers expect the focus on policy to intensify in coming weeks.The plan initiates a new phase in Mr. Biden’s presidential campaign, which began last month and has so far been light on specifics, even as many of his rivals have pushed out one policy paper after the next. Mr. Biden’s advisers expect the focus on policy to intensify in coming weeks.
“How do we increase the dignity of work, how do we increase the professionalization of how you’re treated, unless we pay you what you are remotely entitled to?” Mr. Biden said Tuesday, speaking in a Houston union hall to a diverse group of members of the teachers’ union.“How do we increase the dignity of work, how do we increase the professionalization of how you’re treated, unless we pay you what you are remotely entitled to?” Mr. Biden said Tuesday, speaking in a Houston union hall to a diverse group of members of the teachers’ union.
He received a warm introduction from Randi Weingarten, the group’s president, who called Mr. Biden “our North Star” in the Obama administration and later praised his plan as “the kind of muscular investment we urgently need to meet the needs of America’s kids, their families and their educators.” He received a warm introduction from Randi Weingarten, the group’s president, who called Mr. Biden “our North Star” in the Obama administration and later praised his plan as “the kind of muscular investment we urgently need to meet the needs of America’s kids, their families and their educators.” The plan also earned praise from the president of the National Education Association, another powerful teachers’ union.
At the event, Mr. Biden did have one notable interaction with one of those children: After a 10-year-old girl asked him a question about the divided state of the country, Mr. Biden gave a lengthy answer that touched on the importance of immigration to the nation’s fabric, before remarking to the young questioner, “I’ll bet you’re as bright as you are good-looking.” She told him that her favorite subject was journalism, so Mr. Biden proceeded to bring her to the back of the room, where journalists and TV cameras were congregated, and put his hands on her shoulders. Mr. Biden did have one interaction that raised some eyebrows among online commentators: After a 10-year-old girl asked him a question about the divided state of the country, Mr. Biden gave a lengthy answer that touched on the importance of immigration to the nation’s fabric, before remarking to the young questioner, “I’ll bet you’re as bright as you are good-looking.” She told him that her favorite subject was journalism, so Mr. Biden proceeded to bring her to the back of the room, where journalists and TV cameras were congregated, and put his hands on her shoulders.
The moment raised some eyebrows among online commentators. In the weeks leading up to his entrance into the race, a number of women said Mr. Biden had made them uncomfortable by touching them, leading to a reckoning around the physical way he has often interacted with women in public. In the weeks leading up to his entrance into the race, a number of women said Mr. Biden had made them uncomfortable by touching them, leading to a reckoning around the physical way he has often interacted with women in public.
But in the room, it was received with laughter, and Mr. Biden went on to say, “The reason we are who we are is called a free press,” to some of the loudest applause of the gathering. But in the room the moment was received with laughter, and Mr. Biden went on to say, “The reason we are who we are is called a free press,” to some of the loudest applause of the gathering.
In the proposal circulated by his campaign, Mr. Biden called to triple the funding for Title I, which directs money toward schools with high populations of low-income students. The campaign also said that Mr. Biden would move to require school districts to put those funds toward “competitive salaries” for teachers and educators, at least in part.In the proposal circulated by his campaign, Mr. Biden called to triple the funding for Title I, which directs money toward schools with high populations of low-income students. The campaign also said that Mr. Biden would move to require school districts to put those funds toward “competitive salaries” for teachers and educators, at least in part.
That Title I money would also go toward closing “the funding gap between white and nonwhite districts, and rich and poor districts,” the campaign said, as well as expanding access to universal pre-K for students ages 3 and 4.That Title I money would also go toward closing “the funding gap between white and nonwhite districts, and rich and poor districts,” the campaign said, as well as expanding access to universal pre-K for students ages 3 and 4.
In his proposal, Mr. Biden said he would promote diversity in schools by re-implementing guidance issued by the Department of Education during his time as vice president, as well as by providing grants for school districts that pursue diversity efforts. That does not go as far as a proposal from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has advocated funding “school transportation to help integration, ending the absurd prohibitions in place.” Mr. Biden was an opponent of busing, as the technique is known, when the issue came to the forefront in the 1970s.In his proposal, Mr. Biden said he would promote diversity in schools by re-implementing guidance issued by the Department of Education during his time as vice president, as well as by providing grants for school districts that pursue diversity efforts. That does not go as far as a proposal from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has advocated funding “school transportation to help integration, ending the absurd prohibitions in place.” Mr. Biden was an opponent of busing, as the technique is known, when the issue came to the forefront in the 1970s.
Mr. Sanders has also urged the tripling of Title I funding, and he has called for a minimum of $60,000 for teacher pay, tied to the cost of living and other metrics.Mr. Sanders has also urged the tripling of Title I funding, and he has called for a minimum of $60,000 for teacher pay, tied to the cost of living and other metrics.
Senator Kamala Harris of California has pushed an especially far-reaching teacher pay proposal, calling for a $13,500 raise for “the average teacher in America,” a plan that would cost more than $300 billion over 10 years. Her campaign has said it would be paid for through a more robust estate tax.Senator Kamala Harris of California has pushed an especially far-reaching teacher pay proposal, calling for a $13,500 raise for “the average teacher in America,” a plan that would cost more than $300 billion over 10 years. Her campaign has said it would be paid for through a more robust estate tax.
Mr. Biden pointed to closing some tax loopholes and limiting deductions when he turned to discussing payment for his proposals, and he also said that some of his plans, like free community college, could offer economic benefits like increasing the gross domestic product.Mr. Biden pointed to closing some tax loopholes and limiting deductions when he turned to discussing payment for his proposals, and he also said that some of his plans, like free community college, could offer economic benefits like increasing the gross domestic product.
His campaign’s written proposal did not touch the issue of charter schools, a fraught question in the Democratic primary. But asked about for-profit charter schools by an attendee at Tuesday’s town hall event, Mr. Biden replied that he did not support federal funding “for for-profit charter schools, period.”His campaign’s written proposal did not touch the issue of charter schools, a fraught question in the Democratic primary. But asked about for-profit charter schools by an attendee at Tuesday’s town hall event, Mr. Biden replied that he did not support federal funding “for for-profit charter schools, period.”
The crowd applauded.The crowd applauded.