Declaring education as the top priority of the nation, Vice President Al Gore officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president last night. Mr. Gore promised that if elected, he would take actions to renovate deteriorating schools, hire more teachers to reduce class sizes, increase teacher salaries and professionalism, provide more tax breaks for college tuition, and offer high-quality preschool for all children in the United States. He emphasized the importance of education and stated that every school in America should become a place where children receive a good education.
The speech received enthusiastic responses from the audience who chanted "Go, Al, go" after hearing his education proposals. Teacher delegates also expressed their support for Mr. Gore’s education agenda. Gregory S. Nash, the president of NEA-New York, a state affiliate of the union, said, "We in the National Education Association have known that he was right on the education issues. Tonight, the nation knows." Lee Ann Prielipp, the president of the Washington Education Association, another NEA affiliate, stated, "Every time education was mentioned, everyone in my delegation jumped up."
Mr. Gore also emphasized his commitment to cracking down on the marketing of tobacco products to young people and implementing measures to keep drugs and guns out of schools. He promised to make every school gun-free and drug-free, ensuring the safety of children in various settings.
Additionally, Mr. Gore pledged to make universal health care coverage a priority, with the goal of ensuring that every child has health insurance by 2004.
In response to Mr. Gore’s speech, Republicans expressed their views on education. They disputed claims made by Democrats that Gov. George W. Bush’s education plan lacked sufficient funding to meet high standards. The Bush campaign released a statement refuting these claims and highlighting Texas’ achievements in closing the minority achievement gap.
Governor Bush and his running mate, Richard B. Cheney, plan to begin a two-week "education tour" in Las Cruces, N.M. to further discuss their education proposals.
Lisa Graham Keegan, the Arizona state schools Superintendent and representative of the Republican party, commented on the Democrats’ education agenda. She acknowledged that they had done a good job of mentioning standards and accountability, but argued that their associations with the teachers’ unions would hinder meaningful reforms in federal programs.
Supporters praised Mr. Gore’s speech and his focus on education. They believed that his proposals would benefit the nation and improve the quality of education provided to children.
Mr. Gore also dedicated a significant portion of his speech to discussing the importance of families and moral values. He effectively intertwined personal anecdotes about his own parents and others to convey his message. One particularly memorable story he shared was about a family whose children currently attend Davy Crockett Elementary School in San Antonio. Mr. Gore characterized the school as run-down and overcrowded, striking a chord with Sonny Ochoa, a convention attendee who had attended the same school four decades ago. Ochoa admitted that this story completely changed his perspective on the issues at hand, as he had previously been unsure about where he stood. Furthermore, Mr. Gore expressed his deep appreciation for the hard-working teachers he has met throughout his campaign. The encounters with these educators left a lasting impact on him. He firmly believes that the responsibility of providing quality education to our children extends beyond just the teachers themselves, emphasizing that it is a collective effort and should be treated as a national mission.
