President Barack Obama (Creative Commons)

“Education is an essential part of this economic agenda,” the President said as he continues to plead with Congress to pass a $447 billion jobs plan that helps save teacher jobs and improve schools across the country. 

He went on to say if the United States is, “serious about building an economy that lasts, we had better be serious about education. We have to pick up our game and raise our standards.”

This past week, President Obama has shared his views on the controversial No Child Left Behind law. The 2002 measure, signed by former President George W. Bush, has its flaws according to Obama. The goals are admirable but “teachers are being forced to teach to a test, while subjects like history and science are being squeezed out,” Obama said. 

If the jobs bill is passed, Obama estimates tens of thousands of teachers would be able to go back to work and more than 35,000 schools would be updated. 

“This isn’t just the right thing to do for our kids, it’s the right thing to do for our country and our future,” Obama said.

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