I appreciate that Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign site is also available in Spanish because that is reflective of the growing demographic change in America, which includes becoming linguistically and ethnically diverse. It’s interesting that her “Fighting for Racial Justice” blurb is last on her list of issues page. Was it an add-on or is she giving it special significant placement in the middle to offset some concerns people have about her record as a prosecutor and the convictions and sentencing of African Americans?
In searching for her educational platform, besides “Raising Teacher Pay” and “Debt-Free College and Student Debt” plans, I don’t see where she addresses P-20 issues. Hopefully these issues are addressed under her “Economic Justice” and “Fighting for Racial Justice” platforms since economic equality seems to be the way Senator Kamala Harris thinks we should go to achieve racial justice. I personally believe that a high quality “education for all” is a civil rights issue and would like to see detailed positions on how we can achieve this as a country.
“Raising Teacher Pay”
Teacher pay is one of her top platforms if we go with issue placement on her platform page. I will be delving into this policy more as time goes on.
“Fighting for Racial Justice”
It’s under this platform issue that Kamala Harris mentions the inequitable American educational system by citing Brown v. Board of Education. According to her site, “That’s why her teacher pay plan is designed to build a pipeline of teachers of color and inject billions of federal dollars into schools serving students of color. If a Black child has a Black teacher by 3rd grade, it makes them 13% more likely to go to college.” This is a sound idea backed by educational research. In fact, research shows that White students benefit from having Black teachers as well. Increasing the number of teachers of color is imperative since the student population is increasingly ethnically, racially, and linguistically diverse as the United States’ heads toward a minority majority in the near future.
I think that seeding into teachers of color will also provide promising career opportunities for men and women who would not otherwise have this career option, which also helps with economic opportunities . . . Especially if we improve teacher pay.
Reference
https://kamalaharris.org/
https://kamalaharris.org/es/