Santorum: Obama's education stance is 'snobbery'
Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) - Rick Santorum called President Barack Obama's education goals an agenda of "hubris" on Saturday, saying he is "outraged" that the president thinks "every child in America should go to college."
"The hubris of this president to think that he knows what's best for you [...] This is the kind of snobbery that we see from those that think they know how to run our lives," the former Pennsylvania senator said in a forum at St. Anselm's New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
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Obama has repeatedly said he wants the United States to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Earlier this year, while announcing plans to reform "No Child Left Behind," Obama also said he intends for every student to graduate "career and college ready."
But Santorum, whose children's education includes home-schooling, argued that not everyone is suited for a college education.
"I have seven kids. Maybe they'll all go to college. But if one of my kids wants to go and be an auto mechanic, good for him, that's a good paying job, using your hands, using your mind," he said.
Santorum calls for the federal government to have a "very limited" role in education, advocating for "flexible and personalized approaches to education for each child to best maximize their potential."
"We are leaving so many children behind because they're not ready to go to college - they don't want to go to college, they don't need to go to college," Santorum said Saturday.
CNN's Ashley Killough and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report.
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Obama just wants the best for our children. Go take a chill pill, Sanitarium, There are so many different kinds of schools. You son who would probably want to be an auto mechanic will have to go to school for that too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As opposed to the republican plan. Let all children fend for themselves, grow up to breathe through the mouth, pick the nose, drag the knuckles and basically drag the nation further down the tubes. Thanks to the republicans,the nations already spinning around the drain, lets flush it all away if possible.
.....and the dumbing down of America continues.
america has flooded the market with college educated white collar workers who spent a hundred thousand dollars to do one thing.i know many people with phds who cant find a better job than mcdonalds.being a high school drop out who went to trade school for auto mechanics i havent had any problems staying employed.my education cost me less than $5000 and has taught me the skills to do alot of things college educated people arent capable of doing.just to name a few:auto mechanic,machinist,residential construction,industrial construction,crane repair and operation,electrician,electronics repair,computer technician,air conditioning repair,welding and metal fabrication.needless to say i have no problems staying employed i will tell u if u cant find a job ur either stupid or dont want a job.if u think ur smarter than me cuz u went to college then why is it that i can stay employed earn a comfortablf living and do lots of things ur unable to do?
Danny Noonan: I planned to go to law school after I graduated, but it looks like my folks won't have enough money to put me through college.
Judge Smails: Well, the world needs ditch diggers, too
-Caddyshack
Keep it up Santorum (I apologize for those who are offended for thinking I'm using "Santorum" in the proper sense).
Wow! and ignoring education will help America compete how in the real world? Yeah, homeschooling, that's the answer... And talk about snobbery, how many working class families are able to have only one parent working while the other spends full time teaching their kids at home? And how do you become an auto mechanic if you're just home schooled? Who in their right mind would hire you? This guy will throw America back to when we still had hair all over our bodies and dragged our knuckles on the ground......
But Mr. Santorum, the job market is such that jobs that used to be given to high school grads are now saved for college grads. Every kid may not go to college, but every kid deserves an education that prepares him or her for college.
Of course Santorum isn't worried whether all of his children go to college or not-he's made quite a fortune for himself and his family.
What a moron. Our President wants an environment where (if they choose to) a person can get an education and the career that that affords, and of course Santorum takes the ignorant red state view of "you ain't gonna tell me I need schoolin". You would think a good education would be something we could all agree on.
Clearly it's not in the GOP's interests to have an educated electorate.
what an absolute clod. this is the kind of thinking that has crippled this country. I think this country needs the broadening of imagination that a good college education can give. Note I said good college education. We can't keep feeding the paper mills that spit out worthless degrees but we need an army, a country, of creative innovative thinkers. We do need to retool our colleges though. Santorum would just like to have a workforce of drones to work for his rich buddies.
Oh yeah, Rick – Education is for snobs.
Keep the people dumb and they'll keep on voting Repulican!!
You couldn't handle them smartening up!
Mr. Santorum is behind the times. Auto Mechanics need at least an Associate's Degree in Electronics to work on the vehicles of today. We own an auto shoppe, and gone are the days of the "shade tree" mechanic.
So, while Auto Mechanics work with their hands, they must also be educated to understand computers, electronics, and emissions systems that are part of the future and continue to evolve.
What this really means once you cut the double speak is an end to the pell grant program.
Heh Rick, have you returned the $77,000 in illegitimate State education funds you misappropriated for home schooling your kids yet ?
And yes, not every kid needs or should go to college. But every kid should have the opportunity to go without bankrupting themselves or their families. Its called affordable access. And all graduate high school students need to meet higher standards by the time they try to enter the workforce. You have a problem with that ? I doubt your home schooled kids have a very balanced view of real life.
a class 'a' POS ....
OMG! Heaven forbid that a sitting President would want our kids to have a good education and a chance at a better future. I'm just glad Santorum is there to help prevent it. What a putz!!!
We are watching the debates and find the candidates very edgey tonight. We have continued to be impressed by Gingrich and his intelligence and message is on target. Ron Paul has some very cogent comments, but we find his delivery wanting because of his old man demeanor. Still looking for a candidate we can get behind and support to the end. Hope these comments will get to the candidates so they can improve on the message and how it is delivered. Also question why died in the wool Democrats are asking the questions in the debates? Seem rather idiotic?
Our children "don't need to go to college"?
The man gives me the creeps. He lies at every turn and claims he is a christian. Hey Ricky-poo, Thou shalt not lie.
This is a real stretch, Rick. I believe the quote was "career and college ready". That does not mean that every kid has to go to college, it just means that by graduating from high school, they should have the knowledge and skills to go to college or start a career if they so choose to.
He's outraged that Obama wants our future to be educated-that is the best example of the GOP's education stance I have seen in a long time. Maybe he didn't realize that many skilled trades include post-secondary trade schools..or even an Associates. Santorum is dumber than he wants our nation to be.
So between this and his urge to turn America towards Theocracy, it seems like he wants to take away intelligence completely!
With the exception of Jon Huntsman, the Republican candidates for president leave a great deal to be desired. Rick Santorum is so far-right, so religious, so anti-woman that, should he ever be elected president, he would be in your life so completely, in your doctor's office, your bedroom and would set women's rights back 50 years. Are the Republicans so desperate to beat President Obama that they would ever consider someone like Santorum. He was a senator from Pennsylvania – as any Pennsylvanian about him and prepare to hear the truth about this man. He must never be elected.
No Child Left Behind was a gift from GW Bush. No... not all should go to college. (after all plumbers make more than teachers....) But if a child has the ability and drive to go, there should be a route to get there.