Obama Should Look to Sweden for Education, Not Banks
Posted March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm in Education 
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A month ago, Obama explored the notion of nationalizing the banks under the Swedish model. Instead of the Swedish banking model, Obama should look at the school voucher program in Sweden for inspiration. The Pacific Research Institute recently had a video Op-Ed on the New York times Web site explaining how well the voucher program works in Sweden. The voucher program in Sweden has broad bipartisan support and has defeated the “status quo” in education and the children, as well as parents, are reaping the benefits.
In the video, Stockholm Governor Per Unckle states:
Education is so important that you cannot leave it to just one producer because we know from all monopolies that the monopoly system [does] not fulfill all wishes
Parents in Sweden can use their vouchers to attend either public, or private schools and also have the option for a wide variety of educational philosophies that work best with what they want to instill upon their child. It is a kind of choice that is simply not available in America. There is success in the voucher program, so it has broad support. There is success in the DC Scholarship opportunity Program in America, yet it is in danger of being eliminated by Congress. It seems unimaginable that a program that helps kids and parents is in danger of being cut, but this is the reality we find ourselves in.
You would think that a group dedicated to having great teachers at great schools would love a program that helps kids and parents get a better education in better schools. But at the Web site of the NEA you will find:
YOU DID IT: Congress Rejects Funding for DC Voucher Program
Your e-mails have once again scored a victory for public education. This week, the Senate defeated an NEA-opposed amendment to extend funding for the District of Columbia pilot voucher program.
Why would they be against a program that helps so many kids? Why won’t they accept competition into the education market? Sweden introduced competition and it helped both the private and public schools.
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9 Responses to “Obama Should Look to Sweden for Education, Not Banks”
Barb -mn on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
Obama won’t have anything to do with what works! That defeats his purpose. He’s focused and continues on indoctrinating children of America. More difficult with private education.
Lynn B. DeSpain on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
Mr. Obama is a man of one choice everything, his choice! Why haven’t we ass American’s ever looked at our education system as being a system of one choice, because basically we are a two party system and see everything as a choice for or against. Nothing is never multiple.
We do not have open Banking systems, nor Stock Markets because we do not have Open Primaries and Elections.
We have turned into a Nation of who can screw who the best for the most profit while going bankrupt and being bailed out by the taxoayers.
So, we end up with politicians,educated in the arguement of Law, determining the Will and Need of the Country.
We had our first clue while our children were being raised in the “New System” and in Sports, nobody won and nobody lost. If that were so, why did they keep score?
Hozro
Ben Franklin, Kendallville IN on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
The NEA is a union. Unions will almost always take the easy way to making their members more valuable, which is to limit competition. Voucher programs increase competition, so its good for parents and students, but bad for teachers.
Linda Middlekauff on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
While Sweden’s system seems admirable, are there strings attached? Or has the citizenry been so indoctrinated that they instill the concept of socialism by osmosis and as such it’s instilled in all of the educational styles knowlingly or not. Could someone from Sweden please comment?
Our own indoctrination has been going on since the beginning of the 20th century when the university education departments began to be infiltrated by communists who quickly changed the name of their student associations to socialist to make them more palatable. And we hope to have real education reform either by debate in the bicameral Congress or by challenging a wolf in sheep’s clothing who would sell out even the poorest children in Washington?
The Milton & Rose Friedman Education Foundation has been working for real reform since the 1950’s. Check it out (sorry, my web is frozen so I cannot give the website).
John Pusieski Battle Ground, Wa on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
Well said, seems like a viable option to me !
Olie MN on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
I have a feeling that the Nea is looking out for the best interest of their members and administration not the quality and chose that should be available in education. But who can refute the basic and fundamental role of the union, “To protect and serve the workers it represents”. Not to help the workers produce the best products for the consumers. That is what left out that equation, the fact that these workers are not dealing with unimportant widgets, whose end product has a minimul effect on society. They are dealing with the youth and future of this country. So, until the NEA changes its real focus from serving themselves to serving the students. We will never truly be able to explore or implement other versions of education like vouchers in this country.
charles, wyoming.usa on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
The NEA, like any union, is good at first. Only at a later date and time (like with any union) it starts to lose its its sense of being for the worker and starts to be a leech on society.
Lesley, NJ on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
It’s inexcusable that kids in DC will have no choice and be forced to go to the public schools where Obama would never send his kids.
I am reminded of “Animal Farm” …a book kids are no longer required to read…what a surprise
boutCoory on March 16th, 2009 at 4:18pm said:
Hello !Oh hubba hubba! Forget the sportscar, been there, done that, got the T shirt, wore it out, gave it to goodwill.
http://cstatman.blogspot.com/2004_07_01_archive.html