Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/48237
Senate Fails to Pass Education Jobs Bill; Focus Shifts to Modern Schools The U.S. Senate, for a second time in less than two weeks, failed to pass a bill to put educators back in classrooms instead of on the unemployment lines. The investments in education included in the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act would help jump start the economy, keep educators working, and most importantly, help keep students learning the skills they need to succeed. "The Senate's failure to pass the education jobs bill is ill-timed and shortsighted," said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. "By not passing the legislation, the Senate is sending our chil- dren a message that they do not matter and that their education is not a priority for our nation." Teachers, education sup- NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE port professionals, parents, and others in local com- munities are rallying behind President Barack Obama's bold proposal to get the economy moving in the right direction. The proposal would put approximately 400,000 educators back to work and help keep class sizes more manageable. It would have been fully paid for as part of the president's long-term deficit reduc- tion plan. The Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act, if passed, would have provided $625,500,000 in funds to Arizona to support up to 9,700 educator jobs. Like the Education Jobs Fund and The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), this money would have provided a needed investment in quality public education. The Education Jobs Fund and ARRA were both passed last year and provided nearly $210 million to Arizona to stabilize the state budget and protect education jobs. The Education Jobs Fund has supported 1,005 education jobs so far (through June 30, 2011). The ARRA supported, on average, 4,365 education jobs during the 2009-10 school year. "This legislation is about securing the future for our students and our nation," continued Van Roekel. "Classes started this fall already are securing the future for our students "This legislation is about and our nation." —NEA President Dennis Van Roekel bursting at the seams, and children have ac- cess to significantly fewer counselors, nurses, reading specialists and other essential educa- tion professionals. Bus routes have been cut and classes in art, business education, and physical education, among others, have disappeared. When educators lose their jobs, students lose too." "We are grateful for the leadership of Sen. Harry Reid (Nev.) and his relentless effort to bring this bill to the floor of the Senate. We urge Sen. Reid and President Obama not to take no for an answer when it comes to keeping educa- tors working and students learning," concluded Van Roekel. The focus now shifts to pushing other critical pieces of the president's American Jobs Act – including urgently needed funding to repair and modernize schools. Senator Brown (D-OH) and Representative DeLauro (D-CT) have intro- duced the Fix America's Schools Today Act (S. 1597/H.R.2498), which would provide needed funds to ensure students the learning environ- ments so essential to their success. And the bill will also help create good jobs to put Americans back to work, as construction and building repair generally create 9,000 – 10,000 jobs per billion dollars spent. ✒ AEA Advocate ❘ Winter 2011/12 25