PRESS RELEASE-- Gov. Schwarzenegger Joins “ED in ‘08” Co-Chair Eli Broad to Discuss Importance of Education Reform
May 4, 2007 -- LOS ANGELES -- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined today with “ED in ‘08” Co-Chair Eli Broad to discuss the importance of reforming our nation’s education system and improving our schools. The two men spoke at the 2007 annual meeting of the Education Writers Association in Los Angeles.
“Ensuring our students have the quality education they deserve is a top priority for me,” stated Gov. Schwarzenegger. “That's why I am proud to work with the Strong American Schools campaign to fix our schools. We need to put politics aside and put our children first to reform our education system. I applaud the Strong American Schools campaign for raising the profile of such an important issue to all of us.”
The “ED in 08” campaign is an unprecedented up to $60 million nonpartisan public awareness and action campaign supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The campaign is designed to raise education to one of the country’s top domestic priorities and to challenge the 2008 presidential candidates to begin a dialogue about how they will improve American schools.
“We believe that Strong American Schools, with the slogan ‘ED in ’08,’ will mobilize the public into action, to put pressure on the presidential candidates to fix our country’s public schools and ensure that every American child receives an education that prepares him or her for college, for work and for life,” stated Broad. “We are urging presidential candidates to address three common-sense priorities that together can jumpstart systemic improvement in our country’s schools. First, strong American education standards; second, effective teachers in every classroom; and third, more time and support for learning.
“If we don’t educate our children better and have a highly educated workforce, our country will be unable to compete, and our economy won’t have the resources available to tackle the issues of healthcare, retirement, energy interdependence, global warming and the fight against terrorism.”
The Education Writers Association (EWA) is a national professional organization of education writers and reporters from the state and nation's largest media outlets.
Contact: Shannon Murphy
Strong American Schools
(202) 870-1093 - cell
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Strong American Schools, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a nonpartisan campaign supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation promoting sound education policies for all Americans. SAS does not support or oppose any candidate for public office and does not take positions on legislation.