Laura Bush dings Congress on reading funds

Suddenly, the first lady is getting top billing.

First came news that First Lady Laura Bush, who for nearly eight years has been in the supporting role, is in charge of the post-presidency decisions, such as where the first family will live. (Dallas, as per President Bush's off-the-cuff remarks last week about her not liking Crawford.)

Then came the National Republican Committee announcement that Mrs. Bush, at least 20 points higher in approval ratings than her husband, will get a separate speaking slot at the GOP convention.

Now comes word that the first lady, in an appearance today before the fifth annual Reading First conference, actually criticized Congress. Mrs. Bush, a former teacher and librarian who has long championed the cause of literacy, dinged appropriators for slashing funding for the program.

A little-noticed component of the No Child Left Behind Act, "Reading First" targets students from low-income families and those just learning the English language. In her remarks, Mrs. Bush said the program is premised on the notion that "there's no limit to what children who know how to read can achieve." She also said its founded "on sound science -- not the latest fads. The nonpartisan National Research Panel reviewed more than 100,000 studies before identifying the five components that form the core" of the program.

Using her platform to chide Congress, she then said:

"Despite evidence that the program is effective, Congress last year cut 'Reading First' funding by 60%. Now appropriators in the House and Senate are proposing to eliminate this program altogether. If Congress continues on this path, it would be the first time in a decade that no federal money would be provided for instruction. The solution for our nation's struggling students is not less time and fewer resources. Congress must restore the full $1-billion appropriation for 'Reading First.' "

Well, all C2C can say is, go girl go.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Krisanne Johnson / White House

Comments

[Maria]

I am with you all the way Mrs.Bush. Thank you for backing literacy.

[kathleen]

would "reading first" be the neil bush company that has drawn less than rave reviews? if so, that should have been mentioned. thanks.

[John E. McCue]

Despite Mrs. Bush being a nice lady, she must know that her husband spent all the money on projects the Carlyle group and his parties K Street friends wanted.
Rather than using resources for well know risk management priorities (water, food, education, health, infostructure and defense-as that word is supposed to mean; he used the money to turn the United States into a war zone. And even then did not take care of the people he sent into harms way nor the workers of America.

[Carole Greer]

Thank you, Mrs. Bush, for addressing the failure of Congress to fund Reading First. I have had the privilege of seeing first hand the impact this funding has made on instructional programs in my state. All core program areas of instruction are being improved because teachers are being trained in scientifically research based methods and are using them across the curriculum. Your comments were exactly on target! All schools in the districts that have RF funding are benefiting from the grant because the district leadership teams are seeing the advantages of this iniative. All schools in the districts and even those in surrounding districts are implementing the best practices promoted by RF. Let's give our most precious resource, our children, what they deserve - a foundation of reading skills to support their life long learning.

[martin]

Well Mrs. Bush, maybe if your husband had not asked and dumped over $100,000,000 dollars into Iraq, you could have had a piece of the pie for your programs.

If you give a gun to a chimp, and the chimp shoots it, you don't blame the chimp.

Go cry somewhere, you have no credibility as far as I'm concerned.

IRAQ
Pasadena's Parsons Corp. blamed in failure of $40-million Iraq prison project
A U.S. government audit says the engineering firm received $142 million for facilities in the country, including Khan Bani Saad, that were never completed.

By Jim Puzzanghera and Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
July 29, 2008

[Barry]

Isn't it nice how Laura Bush is trying to push the scam of the "No Child Left Behind" which brotherinlaw Neil Bush is making money off with the Reading First Program. The whole Bush Clan are nothing but a bunch of crooks especially Grandfather Prescott Bush who helped to channel money for the Nazis prior to the Second World War.

President George Walker Bush scammed the American people to the tune of 6 Billion on this incident just to benefit brother Neil Bush who is nothing but a crook and liar also. Check the following link.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3232164
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Literacy/texasScam.asp

[Robert Laughing]

Dinging Congress? Boy, THAT'S RICH! Her bozo, squanders hundreds of billions in Iraq and Afghanistan and neglects the USA. She trots about like she's DOING something, and what has she accomplished in her 7.5 years??? Bad enough Barabra Bush, bozo's mom, is NOWHERE to be seen , nor heard from re 'her little boy, who never grew up.' THANKS for your contribution to the world's demise Barbara!

[Joe]

I'm saddend by Mrs Bush comments.

Why doesn't she ask her husband to stop spending billions of dollars on Iraq and put that money into education?

It would seem the Decider in Chief doesn't listen to her either.

[Wayne]

Of course she is critizing Congress for cutting Reading First--the main benefactor is her brother-in-law Neil's company that makes those stupid COW learning centers! He might have to go get a real job.

[Stephen Krashen]

Backing Reading First does not mean you are backing literacy. In fact, it may mean exactly the opposite. Reading First is based on principles already shown to be invalid (National Reading Panel) and has done poorly in the research. Despite MORE TIME devoted to teaching the elements Reading First holds to be crucial, children in Reading First did no better than comparison students. The extra time didn't help. the extra money (six billion so far) didn't help.

[bill]

All the money and time in the world is not going to fix the school/reading problems untill you get rid of the teachers unions, make school administrators responsible for results and make parents responsible as well, that will never happen because alot of parents are either kids themselves, have IQ < 70 or just illegals who cant speak English to start with. You should have to get a permit in this country to have a kid instead of having kids and expecting the government/taxpayers to raise them.

[weugene]

Over 9 BILLION dollars have been spent on the Reading First one-size-fits-all program over the past 6 1/2 years without comprehension gains according to the Department of Education's own evaluation. RF is a magnet for conflicts of interest. Insiders profit through sales of child tests, sales of mass-produced curriculum, and "professional development." Educators have been misled about the "reading science" outlined in the National Reading Panel report. Several researchers linked to the report have financial ties with curriculum/testing corporations and profit off Reading First in the form of royalties. The program has little accountability and oversight. Taxpayers and parents deserve answers. Congress should launch an investigation and Congress made the right decision by cutting all funding to Reading First.