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Subscribe to RSSAt the annual Education Nation summit, President Obama and Mitt Romney described their plans for creating a better-educated country. NBC's Rehema Ellis reports.
NEW YORK-- Mitt Romney softened his tone toward teachers unions and highlighted his record as governor of Massachusetts at NBC News' Education Nation summit Tuesday in New York.
The Republican presidential nominee offered one of the most detailed glimpses of his education policy at the forum this morning, laying off his often brusque language toward unions and playing up parents' role in the educational success of their children.
At the Education Nation Summit NBC's Brian Williams spoke with GOP contender Mitt Romney, who shared his positions on teachers unions, strikes and compensation.
Teachers' unions, long the villains in Romney's public remarks on education, received somewhat gentler handling from the GOP nominee today, who said he "understood" the unions had to look out for their members, and that they had a right to strike over grievances -- but that parents also had the prerogative to look out for their kids' educations.
"The teachers' union has every right to represent their members in the way they think is best for their members, but we have a every right to in fact say, 'No, this is what we want to do, which is in the best interest of our children,'" Romney said, before offering his prescription for improving the quality of teaching. "I believe the best interest of our children is to recognize that teaching is a profession, like your profession, like my profession, like lawyers, like doctors, and that the very best are more highly compensated and rewarded and measured."
President Obama delivers remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York City.
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The former Massachusetts governor spoke and took questions on topics relating to education for 45 minutes here today as part of NBC News' Education Nation summit, and gave some of his most nuanced views yet on the issues at the heart of the effort to improve America's faltering public education system.
Romney also softened his tone, but did not change his argument, on the issue of class sizes, an issue on which he's battled teachers unions before, both in Massachusetts and on the campaign trail. Romney has called the fight for smaller class sizes a union-driven issue designed to spur the hiring of more teachers. He regularly cites a study authored by the consulting group McKinsey & Co. which shows class sizes, within a reasonable margin, are not a leading indicator of successful schools.
Reuters, Getty Images
In the final push in the 2012 presidential election, candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama make their last appeals to voters.
Today, Romney said his experience in Massachusetts taught him that class sizes "turned out to be a factor, but not a big one," to successful students, but continued to push for higher standards and pay for the best teachers, and for more parental involvement in education.
"The involvement of parents, particularly two parents, its an enormous advantage for the child," Romney said after retelling a story he heard from a teacher in Massachusetts who told him the way to tell if a student would succeed in school was whether or not their parents came to parent-teacher conferences with regularity.
Related: Education Nation – starkly different visions from Obama, Romney
Education has been one of the top issues for Romney outside 2012's dominant theme, the economy. The former Massachusetts governor often turns to the topic of education in speeches before minority audiences.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spoke with NBC's Brian Williams on the importance of education, teachers compensation and early childhood education at Education Nation.
Romney held up several models for successful education reform; including his own tenure in Massachusetts, the reforms passed in Florida under Republican governor Jeb Bush, and the charter Harlem Children's Zone, some 100 blocks north of the site of today's event.
Romney even praised the current Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, mostly for his efforts to reward innovative schools and for opening options for more school choice, but stopped short of saying he would offer the Democrat a spot in his own cabinet.
"I'm not putting anybody on my cabinet right now, Brian," Romney laughed to moderator Brian Williams. "It's a little presumptuous of me, but just a little."
The Obama campaign wasn't laughing along.
“Mitt Romney’s education rhetoric today may have sounded nice, but it doesn’t square with his record or policies, which are informed by the mistaken belief that we can somehow improve our schools while cutting their budgets and laying off teachers," Obama campaign spokesperson Lis Smith said in a statement.
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Romney is like a chameleon,changing colors hourly. Romney is pure BS. America knows what he's about. tax evader,job outsourcer and draft dodger. For the 1% and ONLY the 1%. Thurston Howelll Romney. Now watch this routine my dancing horse is doing says Mitt,isn't America great! I get a $777,000 tax deduction for my horse! reed is so good! I work so much harder then those lazy,irresponsible 48% leeches!
Romneys favorite words are probably... im not a crook,did i do that,why does everyone keep pickin on me, and im pinnochio i dont lie
These Republicans are borderline nuts and most certainly delusional.''Last week I was really against unions but this week because I dismissed 47% of the country outright and got caught and my poll numbers are lower than whale shi* at the bottom of the ocean,I'm more inclined to accept them''. This poor ahole will say anything they put in front of him,if he doesnt respect himself how can he expect anyone else to respect him?
This guy is way to indecisive to be President. You need to have convictions. Romney flips, he flops. This guy is a walking definition of flip-flopper. I can see it now: "Let's go to war with Iran. No, wait, I might lose some of the Islamic-American vote. I'd better back off and pander."
Hey, Mitt! Give the unions what the unions give Republican Conservatives...the middle finger!
Unions are a waste of time, money, and valuable oxygen.
Brilliant strategy 2 months before an election.
Go check it out Obama talks to NFL telling them they need Union Refs.
Hay dummy don't you have something more importune to do with your time.
Like jobs ,middle east,our people getting killed in Labia what a loser.
Romney-Ryan Nov
My only thought is that someone said to the effect that if you're willing to do anything to be president you shouldn't be one. Everyone knows and understands that conservatives hate unions. A lot of people do. Just own it. I think the only thing he has said that he really believes is about the 47% because he was saying it to guys like him and didn't know it was being taped. You would think that a guy who spends his time talking about principles would be more honest. Of course, his running mate lied about his time in the marathon but that is more pathetic than harmful. I guess Romney never gets tired of selling. I know liberals have lied too but the fact that one side does it does not give the other side an excuse or pass on doing it. We don't let our children do that.
Our Founding Fathers who created the Constitution could never have imagined an American Elite, so corrupt they would dissolve the White founding people and import a new non-white people. But how about the WHITES? Their future?
History shows cabals of men seeking absolute power and control over the world and its peoples.
Today we call them anti-white global elites who seek the genocide of the white race. Which race is the most endangered race? The White race.
How is this not genocide:
White countries are being flooded by non-whites. We are told to be TOLERANT. We are forced to integrate.
With assimilation we see the extinction of one race only, the white race. Its not funny, not comedy, its white genocide.
Anti-racist is a codeword for anti-white.
Crawl back under your rock please.
Nah, let him talk. He's actually letting us know exactly what most Repugs are thinking anyway. I just wish the rest of them had the balls to tell us how they truly feel.
No one is killing off whites, or making anyone marry outside their races. Living side by side and having non-white neighbors is NOT genocide.
What you really mean is having to treat non-whites as equals is killing YOU. Bigot.
Earth-to-white children: The Founding Fathers who created the Constitution were SLAVE OWNERS, b/c the black slaves couldn't go back & forth to Africa-- after picking cotton every day.
Consider what I just told you as a public service to... you! Duuuuuhhh!!
BTW: Blacks just started showing up in Portugal, Italy, France, Holland, Spain, etc-- only since you were born? Duuuuhh!
You say..."Anti-racist is a codeword for anti-white". Is that definition from the Funk & Waggonalls, or Wikipedia? Duuuhhh!
NEXT?
BTW: Obama/Biden will win in 2012 b/c of f***ing idiots like post#83
Romney is speaking out of his Asx again. He will say say whatever he has to say in an attempt to get one's vote. I don't like or trust this TWO FACE LIAR INCLUDING his wife. I will never vote for this guy and encourage all hispanics "DO NOT VOTE FOR ROMNEY"
Romney and his minions can smell defeat. Now comes the lies and the BS about how they are really not against working people. Hoping to syphon some votes. Good luck losers, not happening.
This guy will say and do anything to win, and nothing he says can be trusted. People need to go by his record, and its very telling. Hes nothing but a vulture capitalist who picks the bones of companies he buys. Hes never produced a thing in his life. He a taker, and nothing but a taker.
America needs a builder, someone who will support business and innovation here, not in China. Someone on the side of the middle class and working poor. Someone who knows what its like to be disadvantaged, and not born with a silver spoon up his ass.
Obama/Biden 2012.
You are right. The trouble is, the only people who can successfully run for president are insiders with tons of money. Democrats and Republicans are on the payroll of the same few billionaires and corporations. You can't believe what any of them say, you have to look at what they do behind the scenes.
Obama is not a practicing president, He is a bonafide community leader. That is all he knows. And a liar to boot. Romney will win. To bad. And don't go by the 2008 polling data...the only reason NBC/Times and other lib pollesters can't use the data of 2004 or 2010, since there was no actual difference in the mythodology. Obama and romney are just about even by the 2004 and 2010 polling data. that is reality. Kills yea right?
Ever wonder why Rmoney did not run for reelection if Massachusetts???
Well, his approval rating was in the low 30 percent range, lowest in Massachusetts history for any governor.
He jumped ship before he was thrown out of office.
Now Mitty likes unions, you realize before the election he'll be liking President Obama, to get votes...........lol. What does this man drink that changes his mind so many times?
Earth-to-Mittens: Too Late, weathervane! The Unions hate you the way Massachusetts, & Michigan hates you.Trying now-- not to be a republiturd, 'baggernut, or "severely conservative" simply won't work!
Mittens goes from only liking the 1% to the 47%, then the 100%, and now liking unions?
BTW: Obama/Biden win in 2012! No doubt!!
There are a LOT of GOOD, even GREAT teachers out there.
There is NO SUCH THING as a good union.
Wrong! Unions made a balance for the abusive and unfair employers.
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union...
Middle class income drops as Union representation in the workforce declines.
Union bashing makes the middle class poorer.
http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/business/Screen%20Shot%202012-06-07%20at%2012.16.34%20PM.png
The man who has cost this COUNTRY more jobs than any one other human being is softening towards unions????????? BULLSH*T!!!!!! This jerk will go to no end to try and get into this office and then LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!! What do you think the 4 billion dollars already spent on this campaign could have done to better AMERICA?? Maybe some decent benefits for those who donate limbs to protect our freedom??? Maybe help those whose jobs were lost by this baffoons actions for HIMSELF??? To increase his families wealth and satisfy their insatiable GREED!!!!!!!
BrianB would you like cheese with you whine???
I'm neither Rep or Dem i just want a good person to do the job. I know it's been hard for this President but if this guy keeps us out of war he has got my respect. Not an easy jod to be the President.
It amazes me that Faux News claims to be fair and balanced,yeah like the Third Reichs news . Only difference? Brownshirts and Swastikas! All lies 24/7. Racist Rightwingers believe every word these pathological liars spout!
Romney ' I'm not concerned about the very poor '
Romney showed his true face.
He has retracted or softened everything he has said so far and then 90% if is lies as he and Ryan don't even want to answer to fact checkers. What ever will get him to White house will do right! What a choice for President. God help America!
IDK where you live, but in most states teachers are not paid by "municipalities". They are paid by school districts.
If you look at why municipalities are going under, the compensation and pension packages at fault are those of police, firemen and city management. The managerial class have each others' back, and public safety workers are sacred icons to conservatives, so Romney & Company leave them well alone!
Easier to blame teachers!
Behind every sub-par teacher there is an incompetent administrator who allowed them to slip through without a meaningful evaluation.
And of course they'd rather look at a spreadsheet recap of student test scores in the comfort of their office than actually observe what a teacher is doing in the classroom!
I have a 30% absentee rate in one of my morning classes. So assuming those kids never show up to class but do take the state test, I'd be evaluated, compensated, & retained or dismissed, based upon the academic performance of kids who have never attended my class.
Well that sounds fair!
I'm confused. Is it flip or flop day... oh hell, I can't keep track.
Romney flips and flops more then Flipper.
blah blah blah...did anyone see the greenbay and seattle game last night it was awesome
Whatever. That game will live in infamy as one of the worst officiating errors in the history of professional football. Sure hope those officials won't be in charge of counting votes in November.
@moderate-democrat whats votes got to do with it i was talking football dude
So now Mushy-Muddled Mitt is "re-softening" his attitude towards unions after deciding to take a hard stance towards unions.
Does this guy stand for anything (other than himself)?