Behind: No Child Left Behind — An Oral History

Summary

The transcript discusses President Bush's commitment to education as a civil rights issue and a top domestic priority. It highlights the bipartisan effort to pass the 'No Child Left Behind' act, emphasizing the urgency to address educational disparities. The narrative underscores the emotional and spiritual connection between political leaders, like Bush and Ted Kennedy, in their joint mission to improve education. It also reflects on the challenges in reauthorizing the act due to a lack of bipartisan spirit and the potential negative impact on underprivileged students if educational standards are not maintained.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ President Bush prioritized education as his top domestic issue and worked to convince Republicans of the federal role in education.
• 🤝 The bipartisan cooperation, especially between President Bush and Ted Kennedy, was crucial in shaping the No Child Left Behind Act.
• 🔗 The Act was seen as a civil rights issue, aiming to ensure equal opportunities for all children regardless of their background.
• 🤔 There was a sense of urgency to address the flat results and achievement gaps in American education.
• 🤝 The aftermath of 9/11 brought about a spirit of unity, which helped to refocus efforts on passing the education bill.
• 🏆 The No Child Left Behind Act was a product of hard work and a shared vision for the future of American education.
• 📉 The reauthorization of the law faced challenges due to a lack of bipartisan spirit and growing complexity of issues.
• 🌐 The script highlights the importance of recognizing the global competition in education and the need to improve American education standards.
• 📚 The speaker expresses concern about the potential for a pendulum swing in education policy that could disadvantage certain groups of students.
• 💔 The emotional impact of undereducated populations and the potential for social alienation is a significant concern for the speaker.

Q & A

Why did President Bush decide to sign the bill at a public school?

President Bush chose to sign the bill at a public school to emphasize the importance of education, which he considered one of the most important places in America.

What was President Bush's stance on the Department of Education during his campaign?

During his campaign, President Bush advocated for not only retaining the Department of Education but also strengthening its federal role in education as a civil rights issue.

What was the bipartisan aspect of the No Child Left Behind Act?

The bipartisan aspect was the shared sense of urgency about flat educational results and widening achievement gaps, which transcended party lines and led to a collaborative effort to improve the situation.

Who were the 'big four' members that President Bush hosted in his first week of administration?

The 'big four' members were Ted Kennedy, Judd Gregg, George Miller, and John Boehner, who were key figures in the bipartisan effort to pass the No Child Left Behind Act.

How did the meeting between President Bush and the 'big four' impact the legislation process?

The meeting led to a deep emotional connection and a commitment to work together, which was pivotal in crafting and passing the No Child Left Behind Act.

What role did the events of 9/11 play in the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act?

The aftermath of 9/11 generated a spirit of unity and cooperation, which helped to reignite the push for the No Child Left Behind Act and facilitated its passage.

Why was the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act delayed?

The reauthorization was delayed because Congress could not find the bipartisan spirit necessary to address even the easy problems, leading to more significant and complicated issues by the time reauthorization was considered.

What was the general premise of the No Child Left Behind Act regarding educational opportunities?

The premise was that all children, regardless of race, economic status, disability, or language, deserved equal opportunities to succeed and should be held to the same high standards.

What is the concern expressed about the future of education if the bipartisan spirit is not recreated?

The concern is that without a shared sense of purpose and vision, the pendulum in education may swing back, potentially leading to low-income kids, English learners, and children of color being disadvantaged once again.

What is the speaker's personal reflection on the importance of education for future generations?

The speaker reflects on the heartbreaking prospect of future generations being alienated and suffering due to undereducation, emphasizing the need for a strong and equitable educational system.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Bipartisan Effort in Education Reform

The speaker reflects on the signing of an important bill at a public school, emphasizing the significance of education as a civil rights issue. They recount President Bush's commitment to education during his campaign, his collaboration with Congress, and the bipartisan approach to address educational disparities. The narrative highlights a pivotal meeting between President Bush and key congressional leaders, including Ted Kennedy, which set the stage for a shared vision of improving education. The aftermath of 9/11 is mentioned as a catalyst for unity and action, leading to the 'No Child Left Behind' act. The speaker underscores the importance of maintaining high standards and equal opportunities for all children, regardless of their background.

05:02

📚 Challenges in Sustaining Educational Progress

The speaker discusses the difficulties faced in maintaining the momentum of educational reform, particularly the lack of bipartisan spirit in Congress to address issues with the 'No Child Left Behind' act. They express concern about the potential for educational inequality to resurface if the federal government does not refocus on education. The speaker also laments the current state of education policy, suggesting that other countries are outperforming the U.S. in this regard. They call for a renewed sense of purpose and vision to guide future educational policy, warning of the consequences of inaction for undereducated segments of the population. The speaker's personal connection to the issue is evident, as they share their fears for their son's future in a society where educational opportunities are not equally distributed.

Keywords

💡No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind is a reference to a significant educational reform in the United States, enacted during President George W. Bush's administration. This act aimed to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, would have equal opportunities to succeed and be held to high standards. The script mentions the bipartisan effort to pass this legislation, highlighting the urgency to address educational disparities and the commitment to improve the nation's educational outcomes.

💡Bipartisanship

Bipartisanship refers to the cooperation between two major political parties to achieve a common goal. In the context of the script, it is emphasized as a crucial element in the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act. The script describes how leaders from both parties came together to address educational challenges, setting aside partisan politics for the greater good of the country's children.

💡Achievement Gap

The achievement gap is a term used to describe the disparity in academic performance between different groups of students, often based on socioeconomic status, race, or disability. The script discusses the federal role in education as a means to close this gap, emphasizing the importance of equal opportunities for all students to succeed academically.

💡Civil Rights Issue

In the script, education is framed as a civil rights issue, highlighting the historical and moral imperative to ensure equal educational opportunities for all. This perspective underscores the significance of the No Child Left Behind Act as a legislative effort to address educational inequities and promote social justice.

💡Department of Education

The Department of Education is a federal agency in the United States responsible for establishing policies and distributing funding for education. The script mentions the initial creation of the department and the debate over its role, ultimately leading to a consensus on the need for a federal role in education to support civil rights and educational equity.

💡Educational Equity

Educational equity is the concept of fairness in education, ensuring that all students have access to the same quality of educational resources and opportunities. The script discusses the importance of this principle in the development of the No Child Left Behind Act, aiming to provide every child with the chance to succeed.

💡Partisan Politics

Partisan politics refers to the approach to politics where the primary focus is on supporting one's political party, often at the expense of cooperation and compromise. The script contrasts this with the bipartisan spirit that was necessary to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, illustrating the challenges and the eventual success in overcoming partisanship for the sake of educational reform.

💡9/11

The script mentions the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as a catalyst for unity and a renewed sense of purpose in addressing domestic issues, including education. The emotional impact of the event is described as having a unifying effect on political leaders, leading to a renewed commitment to pass the No Child Left Behind Act.

💡Reauthorization

Reauthorization refers to the process of reviewing and renewing legislation. In the context of the script, it discusses the challenges in reauthorizing the No Child Left Behind Act, as Congress struggled to find bipartisan support to address emerging issues with the law. This highlights the complexities and political dynamics involved in maintaining and updating educational policy.

💡Undereducated Population

The term 'undereducated population' refers to individuals or groups who lack the necessary education and skills to fully participate in society. The script expresses concern about the potential for an undereducated population if educational reforms are not sustained, emphasizing the importance of continued efforts to improve educational outcomes for all.

💡Esprit de Corps

Esprit de corps is a French term that describes a strong sense of loyalty, camaraderie, and pride among members of a group. The script uses this term to describe the unity and collective spirit that emerged among political leaders following the 9/11 attacks, which facilitated cooperation and the passage of significant legislation like the No Child Left Behind Act.

Highlights

President Bush prioritized education as his number one domestic priority.

The federal role in education was seen as essential to meet the promise of the Department of Education's creation.

Education was initially framed as a civil rights issue.

President Bush worked closely with Congress leadership to advance education policy.

The 'No Child Left Behind' act aimed to ensure no child would be left behind in America.

There was a bipartisan sense of urgency regarding flat educational results and widening gaps between groups.

The approach to fixing educational issues was crafted by a smaller group with significant areas of agreement.

President Bush hosted a bipartisan meeting with key congressional leaders to discuss education.

The meeting between President Bush and Ted Kennedy was pivotal in securing bipartisan support.

The aftermath of 9/11 galvanized a spirit of unity and cooperation in addressing domestic issues.

Congressional leaders and President Bush came together post-9/11 to focus on domestic policy, including education.

The 'No Child Left Behind' act was a response to the need for equal opportunities and high standards for all children.

The law was intended to be reauthorized every six years to address emerging issues.

The lack of bipartisan spirit in later years complicated the reauthorization process.

The importance of recognizing the value of education for all children, regardless of background, was emphasized.

The potential negative consequences of educational disparities on the future of the country were discussed.

The need to recreate a sense of purpose and vision in education policy was highlighted.

The speaker expressed concern about the potential for certain populations to be left behind if education quality declines.

The federal government's role in education and the potential for it to find its way back was mentioned.

The emotional impact of educational disparities on individuals and society was discussed.

Transcripts

you know most bills are signed at the

White House but I decided to sign this

bill in one of the most important places

in America a public school president

Bush when he was running for president

decided that that education was his

number one domestic priority and went

around during the campaign it convincing

his fellow Republicans that not only did

we not need to abolish the Department of

Education but that we ought to have a

federal role that really met the the

promise of the initial creation of the

Department of Education which was

essentially a civil rights issue as I

look back on it the most important part

of it was that you had a president who

really wanted to sit down and get to

know and work with the leadership in

Congress

not to say he was doing it but to do it

it's time to come together to get it

done so that we can truthfully say in

America no child will be left behind the

part that was the most bipartisan was

the sense of urgency about our flat

results as a country and the widening

gaps between groups no matter who you

were you were worried about that the

actual approach to fixing that obviously

as is always the case was crafted by a

much smaller group of people one of the

first things that President Bush did and

I remember being with him in that and

that first week of the Bush

administration was to host members

across the aisle the so-called big four

at that time it was Ted Kennedy and Judd

Gregg George Miller John Boehner

something happened personally in the

meeting I mean emotionally at a deep

level you could say epical or

spiritually I don't know but these were

change people because of the meeting

they were ready to really you know do

stuff together there are some areas of a

difference but the overwhelming areas of

agreement and a support are very very

powerful

I think the linchpin that sealed the win

was the handshake that President Bush

and Ted Kennedy

early in the process their determination

to work together their shared commitment

and view that there is a meaningful

federal role in education and that role

is too

close the achievement gap actually one

of the things that really helped us get

over the over the finish line was the

aftermath of 9/11 I went with President

Bush down to Florida for the 9/11 trip

and the purpose was to you know reignite

we've got to get moving on this and we

can't slow down and any resistance to

movements not good for America or its

children those are the remarks he was

intending to make that really I think

you know obviously September 11th came

and it shocked the nation and obviously

caused us to turn our attentions

elsewhere but it also generated a real

spirit of commonality of coming together

of esprit de corps the four leaders got

together four congressional leaders got

together with President Bush week to ten

days after 9/11 and this is emotional to

me and stirring I think a story of

American history they came back together

and said what what can we do together on

the domestic side as a response to my

mom

we can pass this book proud members of

the House and the Senate loyal to their

party's decided to set partisan politics

aside and focus on what was right for

America I don't think it was hailed as a

you know huge bipartisan victory because

bipartisanship wasn't quite as rare as

it is now there was less ideology unless

politics then there was shared

principles and vision and so that made

bipartisanship more possible but it was

not inevitable it was hard work I don't

think before No Child Left Behind

there was this generally accepted

premise that no matter what a child's

race economic status disability status

language status that they all deserved

and equal opportunities to succeed and

should be held to the same high

standards although you know certainly

there was room for improvement remember

that law was supposed to be reauthorized

just six years later had Congress done

its work then the the problems that were

beginning to creep into the law could

have been fixed but the problem was the

Congress couldn't get its act together

we couldn't find a bipartisan spirit

even to fix the easy problems and by the

time we actually got to the current

reauthorization the problems were big

and complicated and it was a much much

bigger lift

I think it gets lip service but I don't

think we've totally sort of internalized

it that while we're you know fussing

around on these you know false

dichotomies and the silliness is other

countries are like getting down to work

and educating their kids much better

than we are

what's going to have to happen going

forward is that we're gonna have to

recreate the sense of purpose and vision

and principle that drove them and in

their day and it's going to be very

different probably people haven't fully

internalized what it means for our

future for you know just domestically if

we have large swaths of the population

who are undereducated pendulums always

swing in education if there's one thing

you can count on it's that it swings

very far one way it will swing very far

back in the other direction if that

inevitably leads as I think it

inevitably will to low-income kids

English learners kids of color and so on

being shunted aside once again I think

the federal government will find its way

back my son just turned 15 he's going to

good school he's getting a great

education he's a little science nerd and

you know to think of him growing up in a

world where you know large chunks of the

population are really alienated and

suffering because they don't have the

tools they need to participate in the

culture is to me heartbreaking I've been

serious I'm gonna cry

so yeah