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.
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
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.
Also see:
Poll: Romney in South Carolina surge
Paul disavows anti-Huntsman ad
Gingrich defends food stamp comment
That is the most vile thing a politician can say! You don't want all kids to be prepped for college? Really? This guy is the biggest joke next to Palin.
Someone should explain to Santorum that today's cars are so complex that many dealer mechanics have a college degree in AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY!!
This from the same guy who didn't understand the big deal about voter ID's because he wondered how these people would fly on an airplane without an ID.
Depends upon how you define "college". For todays jobs, more is required than a standard public high school education. My son, after graduating high school (barely) did two years in a community college learning auto mechanics. Loved the courses, loves his job. Should he have gone to a 4 year liberal arts school? I doubt it but I do know that his college education was a good idea and definitely worth it.
Laughable. How about Santorum's hubris in thinking that he knows what's best for the military (reinstating DADT), gay people (denying them marriage rights and forced divorces), children of gay people (denying them 2 loving parents in a committed relationship) and women (banning contraception)?
I wish the earth would open up and swallow this worthless pos.
"The hubris of this president to think that he knows what's best for you..."
Wow. Ummm... so if Santorum is elected President (which would never happen) he isn't going to try to pass legislation that he thinks is "in our best interest"? Am I missing something? It just sounds like BS he made up to put down Obama, and to squeeze in that he has a large family and is "super supportive".
Outrage over ideas to get more kids into college because that would be too much government in our lives?? Not only is this completely STUPID, but this is coming from the man who while he was in congress introduced the Terri Schiavo Bill. The height of hypocrisy!
I agree w/Santorum that not every student should attend college. The reasons he gives are accurate. However, I wouldn't vote for either him or our current president. I do admire Santorum's honesty – I don't admire his ultra conservatism.
Rick Santorum home school his kids on the taxpayer dime, but he does'nt want to give black people other people money". Do what I say, not what I do. The GOP is full of hypocrits.
The cast of clowns the GOP has presented this election cycle is truly bewildering...
Not much that comes out of Rick Santorum`s mouth makes much sense to me. My parents and my grandparents were German immigrants and made it a number one priority that all their kids would be college graduates... and they were. All got good jobs, were learned citizens and were smart enough to know that the sacrifices and efforts that were made to give them a first rate education paid off throughout their lives, in a thousand different ways. Good luck with the home schooling thing. It`s a rare parent that can pull that off very effectively. Mr Santorum is ideological and naive. Best to leave the important job of education to the professionals. The rest of the world seems to understand this. Why doesn`t he?
seems to be a big disconnect between what the president said " Obama also said he intends for every student to graduate "career and college ready." and what Santorum is blasting him for. Not a big surprise lately but hopefully people will start noticing how often this type of thing happens
This from a man who wants to make birth control illegal.
"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......
Funny, he has no problems telling everyone how to run their lives in regards to marriage, abortion or religion. Guess that makes Santorum king of the snobs. I guess today, in order to be a republican, you have to major in hypocrisy.
While not every young adult may graduate from high school with the intent of going to college, all should graduate with the basic knowledge and skills which will allow them to attend at bare minimum a local community college, should they wish. President Obama is not saying that all have to attend college, Mr. Santorum. However, it is society's responsbility to ensure that ALL our children are given a fair chance given the tools to go to college should they so desire.
I'd hope you would want all young people to have the same education you had which allowed you to attend PSU and Pitt, Mr. Santorum.
Mr. Santorum, we are leaving children behind because your political party is out to gut our educational system, and demand that creationism be taught in schools instead of evolutionary theory. Whether you like it or not, it will be very difficult for children to have any significant success or fulfillment in life without a college education. It's not impossible to be successful without college, but those people are the exception to the rule. As the world becomes smaller and more technologically oriented, kids without an education will have to lower their expectations and be satisfied with lives that hover on the edge of poverty. Again, this is thanks to your political party, which wants to do away with the minimum wage, unions and worker protections. I find your political rhetoric to be misinformed, insensitive and reckless. If anybody is suffering from hubris, it is you, Mr. Santorum.
what an idiot. what obama was saying is that anyone who wants an education beyond high school should have that opportunity. obviously idiot man is more than aware of the message, he's just looking for sound bytes. and i suspect all of his girls go on to college. wanna bet?
What a fn hippicrite....from someone who is against sodomy..birth control..gay marriage...all things for which people have their freedom to choose...something Santorum wants to take away...your freedom of choice..because He knowsq what isq
If Obama said "Hello," Santorum and those of his ilk would demand to know why he is trying to force his greeting on people.
Are you kidding me? Many kids don't even have college as an option you Santorum-smelling maroon!
Sanitarium (sp) would privatize Social Security and Medicare if he could. That way private companies could take a cut out of the money instead of applying it to the people and medical care. We had our deregulation of electricity providers and our rates went up and now we have the task of determining which company. Used to be cheaper and less troublesome. By the way move Part D away from companies and to Medicare administration and let them bargain for lower drug costs.
How does the President saying he wants "every student to graduate "career and college ready" equate with ""every child in America should go to college."?? Santorum is an educated guy, he know better, but instead prefers to pander to his large contingent of uneducated supporters who see having an education as a negative.
as much as i`d like to see obama out i can`t vote for dumbells like this guy
What a nut job this guy is!! 7 children !! This xian fanatic is no better than those slam fanatics who produces innumerable children and home school them in order to "protect" from different world views. Imagine if everyone started having 7 childrens, what will this world would become with its scarce resources? Loser breeding losers.
This is what wrong with America, that narrow mindedness and dogma based society would pull everyone down. I am so highly surprised that based on these dogma oriented "conservative (read fanatic)" values, he is surging 🙁
Snobbery?! Have you seen Santorum's preppy private school sweater vests?