Lack of support for these intiatives by Reps. is yet another black eye for them. My oldest just entered kindergarten in public schools and at orientation found that 1/3 of the class was repeating this year. We can look at it two ways, either these kids are not being educated properly  (the Rep. view apparently) or that kids are arrving unprepared for the regimen of kindergarten in the current design. Now I hear the critics about preparing children is the responsibility of parents chiming and that is true but all to often we have families sending kids to public school with no pre-school development at all from households where both parents are working full time and the children are with babysitters during the preschool period. I was not 100% behind pre-k until realizing that the elementary school is one of the best in the county, which leads me to believe that pre-k is certainly worth debate given the numbers of hold backs and should not be dismissed by Reps solely as a timing issue with regard to finanical resources. It seesm to me it may simply be something that truly is neccessary if ALL our children in these times are going to be prepared to begin their public educations successfully.

Having volunteered for several years now to help kids learn to read in an elementary school with mostly underprivileged children, I couldn't agree more heartily with the Governor.  Helping children learn in their early education process couldn't be a better a investment for our future and theirs!

But we need to give the Governor a lot of support on this initiative, as The Family Foundation of Viriginia (major Marriage Amendment promoter in 2006) has already made it a front page issue on their website.  The President of the FFV blasts the Governor's program.  Here's and excerpt:

Our job at The Family Foundation is to remind our legislators and the public that parents know best. If a parent wants to choose a private pre-K program to supplement the tremendous learning that goes on in the home, so be it; however, we know that the results of required pre-K are not beneficial for all.

Government run pre-K programs are another example of failed ideas that politicians continue to dangle in front of the electorate. The Family Foundation is currently strategizing with legislators and will work hard to ensure that parents are free to make the right choice for their family when it comes to raising their children.

Contact your state representatives (but concentrate on the Republicans please) and let them know you support Governor Kaine on Virginia's Pre-K program.  Here's some resources to help you:

General Assembly's Who's My Legislator

Delegates

Senators

"Pre-K programs are another example of failed ideas that politicians continue to fund.  The Family Foundation will work hard with our legislators to ensure that this risky scheme is dead on arrival at the General Assembly. 

But make no mistake - that's not all the Governor and his allies with the National Education Association (NEA) and its Virginia affiliate, the VEA, want.  Their goal is the state forced education of 2, 3 and 4 year old children.  For several years the NEA has had as one of its primary goals a compulsory universal day care program.

These elites believe that a government worker can raise your children better than you can.  At the present time, the only time parents have "school choice" is prior to kindergarten.  After that, it's up to the government where your children go to school unless you have the financial wherewithal to choose an alternative.  The best possible way to raise our children is to have that child in a loving home with their parents.  No one else can provide the love and support that pre-school children need more than mom and dad.  The last thing we need to do in Virginia is to send our children to public schools for yet another year, or more, especially at those tender ages."

Rich, white, male, Dominionists and those who bend their knees to them.

The goal of aristocrats is to be aristocrats, regardless of who must suffer or live enslaved to keep them there.

There are people who obviously are concerned with lack of choice in education.  Rather than dismissing them, would it not be best to address their concern?

For those who want to leave the poor uneducated.

What is this a third world nation?

Is the choice that dire?  Can you not allow educational options and still ensure the less fortunate receive a good education?

Aargh!  "For several years the NEA has had as one of its primary goals a compulsory universal day care program."  Just Aargh!  That's all I can say.