Politics K-12®
We had the opportunity to speak with U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee and the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, at the Republican National Convention. Senator Alexander, who had previously supported Senator Marco Rubio of Florida in the GOP primary, discussed a range of topics including Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which he played a key role in developing.
Regarding education policy, Senator Alexander believes that President Trump would prioritize local control of schools and would aim to reduce regulatory burdens. While he acknowledges his concerns about the Obama administration’s regulations on ESSA, he is hopeful that a potential Clinton Education Department would take a different approach. He believes that Clinton’s supporters, particularly teachers’ unions, would not desire excessive federal control either.
During our conversation, Senator Alexander addressed his previous uncertainty about Trump’s stance on education. He explained that he had spoken with Trump about the issue during a meeting with GOP senators a few weeks ago. Alexander expressed his hope that Trump would enforce the new education law, transferring accountability from the federal government to the states, and he was pleased to hear that Trump agreed with this approach, emphasizing his support for local control. Alexander also noted Trump’s recognition of the burdensome regulations in Washington, D.C. and his belief that deregulation and decentralization of authority should be prioritized.
Moving on to Hillary Clinton, Alexander expressed his hope that as president, she would remember her time in Arkansas and the belief that education decisions are best made at the state and local levels. He hoped that Clinton would support the transfer of responsibility for education to parents and classroom teachers, as well as to the states. Alexander mentioned that Clinton’s supporters, including the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, are also critical of excessive federal control. He believed that Clinton’s background and these supporters would influence her to implement the new education law in line with the original intentions, focusing on states and classroom teachers.
When asked about Indiana Governor Mike Pence as Trump’s running mate, Alexander expressed his approval of the choice. He described Pence as a known conservative Republican who is also a practical problem solver, having served as a governor. Alexander praised Pence’s work on school choice and higher education, seeing it as indicative of his practical approach to leadership. He concluded by saying that Pence adds significant value to the Republican ticket.
Finally, Senator Alexander was asked about his preference for Trump’s education secretary. He did not explicitly state a name but emphasized that he looks for someone with experience and an understanding of the need for local control, as well as someone who is willing to implement the new education law in a way that restores responsibility to the states and classroom teachers.
According to Alexander, there is a more preferable alternative called Tennessee’s plan. This plan provides two years of complimentary community college for all high school graduates, alongside mentoring, counseling, and a compulsory community service. Alexander states, "I do not believe that the federal government can financially support the ideology of Sanders and Clinton, which suggests that everything should be free from Washington. Furthermore, I do not think this is the most effective approach."
He wonders why education has received such little attention in this presidential campaign compared to previous years. Alexander believes that elections focus primarily on peace and prosperity. However, governors understand that the key to solving the prosperity issue lies greatly within education. The topic of discussion among everyone is how to acquire a greater number of skilled workers to fill in the vacant job positions.
Image: U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, representing Tennessee (Swikar Patel/Education Week)
