| Erie County, PA | April 22, 2008 Election |
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Position Paper #2: EducationBy Cindy PurvisCandidate for State Senator; District 49; Democratic Party |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
While healthcare reform is the issue of most immediate importance that must be dealt with for the sake of our state, the most important issue for our long term continued success is the educational system. This is particularly important in Erie County. Erie County faces poverty and drop-out rates that are all considerably above the national average. These issues cannot simply be dealt with through temporary band-aid style fixes. To deal with these problems in the long run the biggest thing we can do is give our youth the tools they need to be successful in the future. The jobs of the future, including the Green jobs that would be such a boon to the 49th Senate District, will require a well educated work force. Our students are underperforming, dropping out of school, or choosing not to pursue further education in far too great a number. That we, as a nation, rank lower than number one in math and science education is completely unacceptable. We have made a good first step here in Pennsylvania with the STEM program which focuses on education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. However, we need to do much more. Another manner in which our educational system needs vast improvement is in the area of higher education. Our students, our universities, our technical schools and our job training programs all need more support. All of these institutions lead to greater economic opportunity for those who take advantage of them. It should be our goal to make sure everyone, young and old, who wants to take advantage of these opportunities, can do so without destroying their credit or their financial future. We should endeavor to keep the interest rates for student loans low enough that they do not stifle the borrower. We should endeavor to make sure enough money is available for all who wish to attend college, or a trade school, or receive job training. We should see to it that those who devote their lives to teaching, and other forms of public service, are justly rewarded for this choice. This is money, time, and effort spent on our future. |
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pa/state Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 18, 2008 19:05
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