Exclusive: The Politics of Education At the Aspen Ideas Festival
Editor-in-chief Campbell Brown engages in a conversation with Frank Bruni, Jonathan Capehart, and John Dickerson regarding the education policies in America and how these policies might have an impact on the upcoming presidential election.
In 2004, President George W. Bush defended the war on terror during a time of significant global changes. In 2008, Senator Barack Obama presented hope and change amidst an economic recession. The presidential elections have a unique way of revealing the deepest concerns of Americans and providing a glimpse of a more promising future.
This election cycle is no exception. With increasing worries about income inequality, economic opportunities, and racial equality, some experts are contemplating whether the year 2016 will finally give substantial attention to the urgent issue of public education from the national candidates.
During a recent gathering of renowned political journalists, the discussion revolved around the politics of education in the upcoming presidential race. The general consensus was that the outcome will depend on who wins the nomination in a field already crowded with 15 candidates on the GOP side. On the Democratic side, there are currently five candidates running.
Frank Bruni, a columnist for The New York Times, expressed his belief that public education will be a central focus in this election more than any previous one. He stated that economic inequality and social mobility have already become significant topics, making it impossible for candidates to discuss these issues without addressing education.
Bruni, John Dickerson from CBS’s "Face the Nation," and Jonathan Capehart from The Washington Post gathered at the Aspen Meadow Resort on June 29 for a discussion titled "The Politics of Education in the 2016 Presidential Election." The event, hosted by the Walton Family Foundation, attracted 130 attendees and coincided with the Aspen Ideas Festival, an annual forum for leaders in media, business, politics, academia, and the arts. The festival’s theme for this year was "Smart Solutions to the World’s Toughest Challenges."
The panel discussion was moderated by Campbell Brown, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Seventy Four, a non-profit news site focusing on education and funded by the Walton Family Foundation. Highlights of the discussion can be seen in an exclusive video. Prominent figures in attendance included David Bradley, chairman and owner of Atlantic Media Co., and his wife Katherine, president of the D.C.-based education non-profit CityBridge; Katie Couric, the Global Anchor for Yahoo News, and her husband, financier John Molner; Ron Brownstein, a writer for National Journal; Charles Blow, a columnist for The New York Times; William Kristol, a political commentator; Walter Isaacson, the CEO of the Aspen Institute; Mitch Landrieu, the Mayor of New Orleans; Marc Sternberg, leader of the Walton Family Foundation’s K-12 improvement initiatives; and Carrie Walton Penner, a foundation board member and long-time education reform leader.
Brown, a former White House correspondent and CNN anchor, questioned the panel about how the presidential candidates are likely to address the pressing education issues in the country. She asked if people are genuinely interested in hearing politicians discuss this issue and if this election has the potential to bring education to the forefront of the political agenda.
According to the journalists, if Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida, secures the Republican nomination, education will likely become a central theme in his campaign. Historically, Bush has supported reform-oriented policies like vouchers for students in underperforming schools, Common Core standards, and teacher accountability. Bruni suggested that Bush’s education platform could define his candidacy in a similar way to his brother, former President George W. Bush, who was known as a "compassionate conservative" and implemented the No Child Left Behind Act.
However, Dickerson argued that Bush’s record on education could work against him in the primary contests, as many of his Republican rivals strongly oppose the Common Core. He noted that opponents of the Common Core view it as government interference in an area they consider sacred.
On the Democratic side, the party has traditionally relied on support from teachers unions in terms of funding and getting out the vote. Capehart mentioned that their opposition to some reform-oriented policies may put Hillary Clinton in a difficult position on the left. Dickerson suggested that Clinton will likely try to navigate both sides of the issue until she is forced to take a clear stance.
The question is whether Clinton needs the support of the unions to secure the election. Bruni pointed out that in certain instances, like Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York and Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago, leaders did not require the teachers unions to win their respective elections. He raised the question of whether Clinton can make it through the primaries without aligning somewhat to the left on education.
According to Bruni, whether you agree with it or not, Rubio has presented a highly detailed proposal for higher education.
For certain candidates, other related issues may overshadow their education platform. "When it comes to Chris Christie and his conflicts with the teachers union, I believe that delves into another matter, which is temperament," Capehart commented. "He handled it in a way that turned off many individuals."
However, Capehart mentioned that all the candidates have the ability to connect with voters by discussing how education can enhance their lives. "We have just emerged from the most severe economic crisis in any of our lifetimes…people are still striving to recover from it."
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