by AFT President Sandra Feldman
March 2001

Let's make our
children's future
the top priority.

Even Americans who have no children agree: Young people are the future of our nation. This means that our national priority must be to invest in superior teaching and learning; to build strong schools; to ensure quality health care for all children so they can focus on learning; and to provide the kinds of support that teachers, students, parents and communities need to ensure the success and well-being of every child.

In his first weeks in office, President Bush has emphasized two major areas of domestic policy: an education bill and a tax cut. His education proposals in large part reflect the movement for standards and accountability that has created significant forward momentum in student achievement. While there are disagreements on his proposal among those concerned with education, there are also areas of consensus. His reading initiative, in particular, can be a positive step forward for our nation’s children.

But, as anyone knows, you need to be sure how much money you have in your budget before you give a big chunk of it away. Even if a tax cut is correct policy, addressing it before securing a budget that guarantees sound investments in education and health care, especially for children, makes these programs less than the national priority they should be. Furthermore, a tax cut that is too large will require taking funding away from critical programs for young people, affecting not only children's ability to learn in school, but also their readiness to learn before they even get there. The president has recognized the importance of Head Start, and studies show that quality preschool makes a tremendous difference in the lives of children. Will the resources be there to adequately fund these programs?

We need to build on our successes

Robert Rubin, former secretary of the Treasury, who guided us through years of prosperity and growth, recently warned that a tax cut of the magnitude being proposed would use up the budget surplus with no additional debt reduction. If that happens, it would hinder our ability to meet the needs of children and families long into the future.

Consider that local schools and communities across the country have created, with the help of federal dollars, quality after-school, extended day, and summer school programming. These programs help children learn more and help schools and communities provide a structured environment that keeps kids safe and off the streets. They get young people involved in constructive, educational activities, including arts, sports, internships and computer training. They provide needed tutoring and mentoring, as well as health care services for students who otherwise might not receive them. And, by extending the school day and year, they help children maintain academic gains they've made but frequently lose during summer vacations.

Thousands of local and national partnerships have been created to support these after-school programs, but most communities don’t have the money to meet parents' wishes to expand these highly sought after extended-learning opportunities. The federal government should help them.

Protecting our future

Other critical initiatives that have a significant impact on our children--from quality preschool programs and smaller class size to technology in the classroom and a number of health care initiatives--also could be threatened. At a time when smart choices have to be made about how to spend our nation's budget, it is common sense to make sure we're taking care of our children before giving most of a tax cut to a small number of well-off citizens.

President Bush understands the American desire for a strong federal commitment to education. If he and the Congress maintain a strong federal investment in education, we can build on the school improvement and higher achievement that is already under way across the nation. Our leaders should focus on what works in education and what makes a difference for the majority of Americans there and in other domestic policy areas. They should produce a sound budget before deciding on a large tax cut.

Yogi Berra is reported to have said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." As a nation, we need to set our priorities and choose a path, not the fork in the road. Let's make sure we go down the path that makes a difference for our nation's children.