John Edwards for President-Associated Press: John Edwards talks education, poverty in Iowa

Associated Press: John Edwards talks education, poverty in Iowa

Aug 2, 2006 6:41 PM

Amy Lorentzen
Associated Press
Aug 2, 2006

STORM LAKE, Iowa - Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards on Tuesday told a group of Iowa educators that Democrats need to "get a little backbone and spine" and take a stand on the moral issues facing America.

"I want to see our party lead on the great moral issues ... starting with 37 million of our own people who wake up every day worried about feeding and clothing their children," Edwards told about 350 educators attending the Iowa State Education Association summer conference in western Iowa.

The 2004 Democratic vice presidential candidate, who has been focusing on the poverty issue since the election, suggested he could be back for another run.

"I have been all over America and in every county in Iowa, and I spent an awful lot of time here a few years ago - and I might be back," he said with a smile, quickly adding, "I'm not supposed to say that by the way."

Part of combatting poverty is providing a good education for all Americans, said Edwards, who directs the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

He criticized President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, asking, "How long is it going to take us to figure out you can't educate kids by testing them to death?"

"Part of that is you can't have Washington telling local schools what they're supposed to do and mandating it and never giving them the money," he said.

Cullen Sheehan, the executive director for the Iowa Republican Party, contested Edwards' stance on No Child Left Behind, noting that Edwards voted for the act and is now criticizing it without offering solutions.

"Iowans didn't think Edwards' empty rhetoric was in line with their values in 2004 and things haven't changed in two years," Sheehan said in a statement Tuesday.

Edwards said the country must invest in early childhood education, provide better training for teachers and provide health care and good nutrition for children so they can perform in school. He also suggested providing incentives for teachers who work in underserved areas.

He chastised the Bush administration for taking money from college student loan programs.

"This is insanity," he said. "How in the world do they think our children are going to compete? ... The last thing we should be doing is taking billions of dollars out of children being able to go to college."

Edwards garnered a standing ovation when he challenged the Democratic Party to be a party of "big ideas." He told the ISEA that the party needs to focus on lifting Americans out of poverty, creating an energy-independent country and providing universal health care.

"I want to see my party get a little backbone and spine," he said. "We used to be the party of big ideas. ... We are the party that always gave voice to people that had no voice."

He said the country is desperate and hungry to be inspired, and looking for a chance to be involved in something important. Poverty should be that issue, he said.

He said it was immoral for the Bush administration to take money away from programs for the disabled, seniors and poor people, while giving more to big oil companies.

"We are better than this, America is better than this, and it's time for us to finally call for better answers for the American people," Edwards said.

Linda Nelson, president of the ISEA, said Edwards' message during the 2004 campaign of a country divided by poverty "resonated with our members."

"We all know that we must first meet the human needs of students who come through our doors before we start addressing their academic needs," she said.

ISEA member Jean Swenson, of New Hampton, said Edwards had the right message.

"He said things we needed to hear, things that we all know, things that we have forgotten. ... Pretty much it's how teachers have thought forever," she said.