Flebbe Calls for Answers on Race To The Top

June 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Wilmington, Delaware-Matthew Flebbe, Libertarian candidate for the Sixth District State Representative seat, has issued a challenge to his opponents to justify their stance on Race to the Top. Democratic challenger, Debra Heffernan, a strong supporter of Race to the Top, has yet to answer residents’ concerns about the bill’s erosion of local control of education, federal intervention, and restructuring of Delaware’s education standards. While Heffernan has focused on the financial assistance that can come with complying with the federal interference in education, she must address residents’ concerns about surrendering Delaware’s educational system to federal control in return for tax dollars that already belong to the taxpayers. Voters would like Ms. Heffernan to explain why she supports this bill and how it is in the best interest of Delaware’s citizens. Residents continue to be frustrated with her lack of response to their concerns about this issue.

Additionally, voters should know why Ms. Heffernan, a long time local educational board member, feels local school boards are not capable of motivating schools to reach high achievement goals without additional federal threats and bribes included in Race to the Top. Ms. Heffernan needs to clarify her position to voters. If school boards are failing, she needs to explain why she is not leading a local reform movement to improve education boards that are not providing motivation and encouragement to reach high standards and goals. Voters should know whether she is running on a platform of a successfully managed school system, or one in need of a big government bailout. If her qualifications for higher office are creating and maintaining a quality school system, then she needs to explain why big government interventions are necessary for Delaware. If she feels intervention is required, Ms. Heffernan needs to justify asking for big government assistance instead of moving to take control and fix the problems she faces locally before seeking higher office. All these issues remain unaddressed by Mr. Flebbe’s Democratic opponent.

Sixth District Representative Republican Thomas Kovach also needs to answer for his actions on Race to the Top. Representative Kovach has not addressed the issues Delaware voters are complaining about regarding Delaware’s involvement in Race to the Top. While politicians generally list federal dollars brought to a district as a plus, Kovach has yet to discuss his constituents’ complaints about the federal controls and burdens this bill places on residents. As a member of the House Committee on Education, Representative Kovach is fully aware of the consequences of implementing Race to the Top in Delaware.

Both parties are continuing to show contempt for Delaware’s citizens regarding Race to the Top by failing to discuss voter concerns. Matthew Flebbe calls upon his Democratic and Republican opponents to participate in an honest and open discussion regarding their positions on Delaware’s educational system. The voters of Delaware deserve to have their politicians explain their stance on educational issues.

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Matthew Flebbe is the Libertarian candidate for Delaware’s sixth district Representative seat. Matthew lives in Bellefonte, DE with his wife and daughter. In addition to being a professional project manager and entrepreneur, Matthew is a member of the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, the Project Management Institute and he volunteers as a coach for the Claymont girls’ fast pitch softball league.