Yet another betrayal. Why anyone believes a single statement from George W. Bush continues to mystify me:
In 2002, the President in his State of the Union address called for increased national service and then illustrated what he meant by visiting a Teach for America school in Atlanta. “I am proud to stand up and talk about the best of America and Wendy Kopp,” the President said. “I hope young Americans all across the country think about joining Teach for America.”
[snip]
On July 11, [2003] however, a form letter arrived in the Teach for America offices from the Corporation for National and Community Service. “We regret to inform you,” it said, “that your application was not selected for funding.”
So despite Mr. Bush’s praise and Mrs. Bush’s attention, a good program which attracts young men and women to teach disadvantaged kids is shuttered, at least for this fiscal year. There’s not an honest bone in the man’s body.
*sigh*
This is why I never pay any attention to politicians – so damn depressing, yet so predictable…
This is why you SHOULD pay attention to them, and vote their sorry asses out until we get someone who DOES listen.
I happened to have lunch yesterday with a couple of Teach for America teachers. They said the federal funding had dried up, but, luckily, the private donors were picking up the slack.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could show up outside the White House, stand in front of the fence yelling “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!” a few times, and then Georgey would come running out and say “You’re right! I’m so embarassed, well, I guess I’ll just resign and give my post back to the guy who earned it.”
Dan, there’s no way in hell private donors can cover the entire cost of the program. Wendy Kopp had just gotten 35,000 more people to sign up, and now they are gonna have to do something else, because their stipends are gone and their scholarships are gone.
Jill, that would be the act of a truly “compassionate conservative”; it won’t happen, but in 16 months just maybe we can get the bum out of there.
Scott, the replacement poltician will be as bad.
But! Maybe not quite as bad as the one we have now – and that’s something to hope for!