Campaign 2000 & Education

Note: This article was written before the 2000 election. It is archived here for informational purposes only.

The place to find information about candidates and their views on education.

The Candidates

The following information comes from the candidates webpage which is linked to their name unless otherwise noted.

Gary Bauer (R) Note: Dropped out

• In favor of Vouchers. From New Hampshire Town Meeting as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Back to Basics, including morals education. From GOP primary as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Advocates placing 10 Commandments in the classroom. From Hannity & Colmes as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Opposes National Government testing. From Gary Bauer for President 2000 as reported by Project Vote Smart.

Bill Bradley (D) Note: Dropped Out 3/8

• Principals and Teachers should be held accountable.
• Teacher Training Necessary
• More Technology in the Classrooms
• National Standards in Education

Pat Buchanan (I)

• Wishes to block grant federal education funds to the states. From MSNBC's Equal Time as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Wishes to abolish the role of the DOE in Primary and Secondary Education. From MSNBC's Equal Time as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Would cut off subsidies for bilingual education. From NPR's Talk of the Nation as reported by Project Vote Smart.

George W. Bush (R)

• Local control of schools
• Stricter accountability including rating of schools
• Against social promotion
• Greater control for teachers to remove disruptive students from classrooms
• Supports choice in public education including charter schools and vouchers

Steve Forbes (R) Note: Dropped out of race

• Public school choice
• Local control of schools
• Supports taking money from the DOE and block granting it to states to provide for greater parental choice. From the GOP Primary as reported by Project Vote Smart.

Al Gore (D)

• Advocates smaller schools and smaller classes
• Tougher standards for certification
• Rewards for master teachers or those with national certification
• More thorough evaluation of teachers once in their jobs
• More public school choice for parents with students in failing schools

Orrin Hatch (R) -- Note: Dropped out of race

• Supports vouchers for low performing schools
• Supports more professional development funds for teachers
• More local control of education, less from Washington, D.C. From Hatch's Statement on Gov. Bush's Education Plan as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Does not believe in national testing of students. From Hatch's Statement on Gov. Bush's Education Plan as reported by Project Vote Smart.

Alan Keyes (R) -- Bush was given the Republican Nomination

• Supports school choice that allows parents to send students to either independent or public schools
• Supports reinstituting prayer in schools
• Disagrees with sex education being taught in schools
• More local control over education, and a break of the government's "monopoly" of education. From the GOP Primary as reported by Project Vote Smart.
• Wishes to abolish the Department of Education. From the GOP Primary as reported by Project Vote Smart.

John McCain (R) Note: Dropped out 3/8

• More local control over education
• Raising standards and pay for teachers
• Providing more opportunity for disadvantaged children
• Believes in school vouchers