Gibson wants Dept. of Education abolished, federal ed funding ended

Dems: Had Gibson's extremist views won out, New York would be out almost $700 million in Race to the Top funding

Democrats slammed GOP congressional candidate Chris Gibson (NY-20) for claiming that he supports the $700 million federal award New York schools won in the popular Race to the Top competition (Post Star, 8/30/10, click). The competition is administered by the Department of Education, which Gibson’s has repeatedly said should be abolished (Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 7/21/10, click).  Gibson, in fact, supports ending all federal education funding.  

“Chris Gibson may be new to politics, but he’s already mastered the unfortunate political trick of talking out of both sides of his mouth.  Just yesterday, he said he was glad New York won the ‘Race to the Top’ competition for federal education funding.  Yet he’s also repeatedly called to abolish the Department of Education and wants to cut off all federal education aid.  That would mean an end to grants under the ‘Race to the Top’ program – the very grant he praised to score political points,” said Simon Brandler, spokesman for the New York State Democratic Party.  

“The truth is that Gibson’s extremist, anti-education agenda would not only mean $700 million less in Race to the Top money for New York, but also that we’d get zero dollars and zero cents in other federal help to support local schools, teachers, or students.  That’s something New York families simply can’t afford,” Brandler concluded.

Background

Gibson Praises Race to the Top Funding. (Post Star, 8/30/10, click)

Gibson calls for abolition of the Department of Education. (Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 7/21/10, click)

New York awarded nearly $700 million in Race to the Top dollars. (New York Daily News, 8/31/10, click)