President Bush has not touched the tax break he is giving to the wealthy, yet he recently proposed a 66 percent reduction in funds to adult education and family literacy programs. It makes me think that he is not doing his homework when it comes to his own program, No Child Left Behind.

Family literacy teachers across the country help families understand that parents are the most important teachers in their children’s lives and teach parents what they have to do to support their children’s success.

Barbara Bush’s Foundation of Family Literacy is devoted to this philosophy and has helped many families in Oxford County and throughout the state of Maine.

Adult learners are powerful role models for their children and play a critical role in the success of NCLB.

Across the country, the collaboration between adult education and family literacy has a great track record. Parents are:

• reading more to their children.

• establishing educational, parenting and career goals that many go on to fulfill.

• registering to vote.

• obtaining driver’s licenses.

We need an increase in funding for these programs, not a cut. Already the Head Start and Maine Handicap ski programs have been diminished by the withdrawal of funds from transportation.

I hope Sens. Snowe and Collins, as well as Reps. Michaud and Allen, will vote to keep adult education programs working.

Jan Kubiac, Albany Township

Copy the Story Link