(2004-08-11) — Democrat presidential candidate John Forbes Kerry told a crowd of supporters that Americans should be able to “shop internationally” for the best deals on educating their children.
The remark comes just hours after Mr. Kerry demanded that the Bush administration open U.S. borders to foreign-made prescription drugs.
“I call on the president to get out of the way of Americans being able to import elementary and secondary schools from Mexico, Canada, and other developing nations,” said Mr. Kerry, who is also a U.S. Senator.
The National Education Association (NEA) has long resisted such a policy change, claiming concerns about quality. But Mr. Kerry scoffed at that reasoning.
“It’s a specious argument concocted by Republicans and their cronies in the National Education Cabal…I mean, Association,” said Mr. Kerry, drawing laughter and applause from the Democrat party faithful on the word “cabal.”
Under the Kerry proposal, parents could import an entire foreign school staff to run their local public school.
When challenged by reporters to respond to the new Kerry proposal, White House spokesman Scott McClellan asked, “Which part of this proposal is new?”
