John Cox on Education

	John Cox on Education Republican Party Chair, Cook County (IL)

School choice avoids transvestite teachers

We have this problem with transvestites who want to be school teachers. Well, I gotta tell you. What the Republican Party needs to stand for is school choice and home-schooling, so that we can keep our children in the schools of our choice, and we won’t have to deal with that. Source: 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate , Sep 17, 2007

Impeach judges for barring legislature prayers to Jesus

Q: Recently, a federal judge ordered the Indiana legislature to censor their prayers. Specifically, the federal judge ordered the Indiana legislature to never allow anyone to offer an invocation prayer in Jesus’ name. Will you as president consider impeachment a possible remedy for this judicial activism?

HUCKABEE: Yes.
TANCREDO: Yes.
COX: Yes.
BROWNBACK: Yes.
PAUL: No.
HUNTER: No.
KEYES: Yes.

Source: [Xref Hunter] 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate , Sep 17, 2007

Present scientific facts that support creationism

Q: Academic freedom is threatened when questioning the theory of evolution. An Iowa State astronomer was denied tenure because of his work in intelligent design in May 2007. Censoring alternative theories--dogmatic indoctrination--has replaced scientific inquiry. Will you encourage a more open approach to the presentation of scientific facts that contradict the theory of evolution?

HUCKABEE: Yes.
TANCREDO: Yes.
COX: Yes.
BROWNBACK: Yes.
PAUL: Yes.
HUNTER: Yes.
KEYES: Yes.

Source: [Xref Hunter] 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate , Sep 17, 2007

Equal funds for abstinence as contraceptive-based education

Q: I’m 18. One in four sexually-active teens has a sexually-transmitted disease. Meanwhile, 2.5 million American teens like me have taken public abstinence pledges, to save sex until marriage--the only 100%-proven effective solution and prevention for STDs. Would you bring abstinence-education funding onto equal ground with contraceptive-based education?

HUCKABEE: Yes.
TANCREDO: Yes.
COX: Yes.
BROWNBACK: Yes.
PAUL: Yes.
HUNTER: Yes.
KEYES: Yes.

Source: 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate , Sep 17, 2007

Tax-credited programs for Christian schooling

Q: I’m 17, and I’m the product of school choice. In the public schools I repeated the 7th grade three times, because of my deficiency in math & English. My mother then sent me to New Generation, a Christian school. After one year, my math improved 5 grade levels, and my English improved 3. Will you support school choice for other students like me with similar tax-credit programs?

HUCKABEE: Yes.
TANCREDO: Yes.
COX: Yes.
BROWNBACK: Yes.
PAUL: Yes.
HUNTER: Yes.
KEYES: Yes.

Source: [Xref Keyes] 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate , Sep 17, 2007

Schools forfeit funds if they expose kids to gay propaganda

Q: I’m a former homosexual. I used to think I was born gay, and was sexually active in the homosexual lifestyle for 11 years. Now, because of Jesus Christ, my Savior, I’m happily married for almost 15 years, and we have two precious children. Homosexual behavior is immoral and dangerous. I know. Many of my friends today, both male and female, are dead. Even so, schools across the nation teach our children that homosexuality is healthy, normal, and unchangeable. I’m living proof that’s not true. As president would you support legislation ensuring that schools forfeit federal funding if they expose our children to homosexual propaganda that puts them at risk?

HUCKABEE: Yes.
TANCREDO: Yes.
COX: Yes. Can we do away with the Department of Education, and forfeit all funding?
BROWNBACK: Yes.
PAUL: Yes.
HUNTER: Yes.
KEYES: Yes.

Source: 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate , Sep 17, 2007

School monopoly is problem; competition is answer

The government school monopoly is the problem. Competition is the answer, not more money, which has doubled after inflation in the past 20 years without much improvement in test scores. Turn parents into consumers with vouchers, which are Constitutional and do not lose money for public schools because the child is no longer there to create expenses. Education is a local and state issue. No Child Left Behind should be repealed. Source: 2008 Presidential website, cox2008.com , Jul 2, 2007

Students should not be forced to pray, but should be allowed

Q: Do you believe the Establishment Clause in the Constitution prohibits any and all interaction between religion and children within public schools?

A: The Establishment Clause prevents the government from enforcing a particular religion but does not prohibit interaction with religion. Children in school should not be forced to pray if they don’t want to but those who do wish to pray should be given the opportunity. We should respect all rights--those who are religious and those who are not.

Source: Interview with “Small Government Times” , Mar 6, 2007

Eliminate Department of Education; allow local school choice

Q: You want to repeal the No Child Left Behind act and move the burden of education to the local level. Do you support the complete elimination of the Department of Education?

A: Yes. I would eliminate the Department of Education as one of my first acts as President. Bureaucracy doesn’t teach students, good teachers motivated by competition do. I favor school choice--Bill Clinton and Jesse Jackson chose competitive schools for their children--all parents should have that right.