Techniques October 2012 - 12

Capitol View

Elections Are on the Horizon: Have You Asked about CTE?
phoTo courTesy of isTock.com/ninjamonkeysTudio

By Stephen DeWitt THiS CAmpAign SEASon HAS BEEn lEngTHY as well as a bit frustrating. Many of the political ads we have seen, especially for those of us living in or near presidential swing states, have been negative and tell us little about the candidates’ views or their agendas regarding the issues we care about. However, regardless of the political climate and the challenges we face, it remains important for us to seek the candidates’ views and communicate what policies we want from our elected officials. Campaigns provide an excellent opportunity to highlight career and technical education (CTE), and you, as a voter, hold a tremendous amount of influence. A recent report produced by the Congressional Management Foundation indicates that constituents have more power than they realize. In a survey of staff on Capitol Hill, most said constituent visits to the Washington office (97 percent) and to the district/state office (94 percent) have “some” or “a lot” of influence on a Member of Congress who has not yet taken a position on an issue. Similar responses were provided related to constituent influence at town hall meetings and through letters to the editor. We can safely assume that constituents have similar influence on those running for office for the first time. Many candidates have limited knowledge about CTE, and fewer still speak about CTE during their campaigns. Make sure you ask for the candidates’ support, whether they are running for national, state or local office. Link CTE to the issue of the nation’s economic health, and be specific about what you would like to see from a candidate, once elected. Many politicians will say they support CTE, but they need to demonstrate that support through a tangible action. Ask a candidate to support something specific like an increase in CTE funding, and then continue your communication and follow up after they are elected. The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) has been in contact with the presidential campaigns, and we have been reporting on election information via the “Election Watch 2012” entries that Mitch Coppes has been posting on the CTE Policy Watch blog. Although ACTE as a nonprofit organization is barred from political activity such as supporting candidates, we can communicate about issues and the elections schedule and results. Make sure to
www.acteonline.org

Techniques

October 2012

Techniques October 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Techniques October 2012