In an op-ed published today on CNN, Kathleen McCartney, the Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, criticizes John McCain and Barack Obama for neglecting the issue of public education and focusing only on “the war, the economy and escalating energy costs.”

While she does not dispute the importance of these issues, McCartney argues that education is just as critical an issue, if not more so, because it is the very foundation of our democracy.

In short, if we educate our children poorly today, they will become the terribly uneducated leaders of tomorrow.

The blame, however, falls on all Americans for not letting the presidential hopefuls know that public education is important.

The people I speak with on both sides of the political aisle blame parents, teachers, school boards, school districts or schools of education. But in truth, the blame must be shared by all.

 

Public education has some powerful allies, including the Gates and Broad foundations. They have banded together to support ED in '08, a nonpartisan awareness campaign that seeks to inform the public about the critical need to improve U.S. education. But this campaign has met with only limited success.

 

If we, the people, decide we are serious about supporting our public education system, what might we do?

 

… We, the people, must acknowledge our responsibility in driving the issues of this election cycle. And then needed presidential leadership will follow.

A novel concept, to be sure, but McCartney fails to acknowledge one important thing: just because politicians talk about an issue doesn’t mean they will follow through on their promises.

McCain and Obama may be skirting around the issue, but if they weren’t, would it really change anything?