2020 Conventions: on Education


Donald Trump: I will expand charter schools & choice for every family

Biden vowed to oppose School Choice and close down Charter Schools, ripping away the ladder of opportunity for Black and Hispanic children. In a second term, I will EXPAND charter schools and provide SCHOOL CHOICE to every family in America. And we will always treat our teachers with the tremendous respect they deserve.
Source: Speech at 2020 Republican National Convention Aug 28, 2020

Tim Scott: For choice: public, private, charter, virtual or home school

I realized a quality education is the closest thing we have to magic in America. That's why I fight to this day for school choice...to make sure every child, in every neighborhood has a quality education. I don't care if it's a public, private, charter, virtual or home school. When a parent has a choice, their kid has a better chance. And the President has fought alongside me on that.
Source: Speech at 2020 Republican National Convention Aug 25, 2020

Joe Biden: Triple money to Title One schools; provide early education

BIDEN: We have to root out to systemic racism. That's why we have to triple the money we're spending on Title One schools, those schools that come from low tax base areas, so that we can in fact provide the kind of early education for three and four and five year-olds because we know when you do that, you increase exponentially the prospects of success, no matter what you-- where you come from, Black, white, Hispanic, Asian American and so there's so much we can do.
Source: ABC This Week 2020 National Convention Biden/Harris Q&A Aug 23, 2020

Reform Party: Abolish the Federal Department of Education

We believe it's time to get back to basics in education. We need to reform and restructure our educational system from limiting the Federal government's role and regulations to the role of States and taxation methods. We believe that the Federal Government's Department of Education should be abolished and the funds it receives put back in the hands of the States and the people of those states.
Source: American Reform Party Positions (2020 Conventions) Aug 22, 2020

Joe Biden: Student debt should not crush young college graduates

An education system that trains our people for the best jobs of the 21st century, where cost doesn't prevent young people from going to college, and student debt doesn't crush them when they get out.
Source: Acceptance speech at 2020 Democratic National Convention Aug 20, 2020

Socialist Party: End unpaid internships; allow student workers to unionize

We call for the abolition of unpaid internships throughout all industries, including nonprofit organizations. We call for an end to any academic requirements that force students to work without pay. We call for students &college &university workers, including but not limited to athletes, interns, and graduate students, to unionize within and across their respective departments, and for student athletes to unionize within all athletic divisions.
Source: Socialist Party Platform at 2020-2021 PSL Convention Aug 3, 2020

Socialist Party: Forgiveness of all outstanding federal student loans

We demand equal access to higher education for all people and support publicly funded higher education. We call for the forgiveness of all outstanding federal student loans and believe that students should not be saddled with decades of debt simply because they pursue higher education.
Source: Socialist Party Platform at 2020-2021 PSL Convention Aug 3, 2020

Socialist Party: Schools should reflect community; students on school boards

We call for affirmative action programs so that the faculty and student-body of all schools reflect the community at large in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, and economic background. We support student, parent, and teacher control of curriculum formation, and in the hiring and dismissal procedures of school personnel. We call for student representation on school boards, and for those boards to be fully accountable to students, parents, teachers, and school workers.
Source: Socialist Party Platform at 2020-2021 PSL Convention Aug 3, 2020

Democratic Party: All children should have access to early education programs

All children should have access to high-quality early childhood education programs. We will work with states to offer pre-K for all three- and four-year-olds. Learning starts at birth, and the exorbitant costs of safe, quality childcare present a significant economic burden to families. Democrats support making childcare and dependent tax credits significantly more generous and will increase funding to states to guarantee that low-income and middle class families can afford child care.
Source: Democratic Party Platform adopted at 2020 Convention Jul 27, 2020

Democratic Party: Free public college for families under $125,000

We will make public colleges and universities tuition-free for students whose families earn less than $125,000--roughly 80 percent of the American people. We will double the maximum Pell Grant award for low-income students. Democrats support making community colleges and trade schools tuition-free for all students, including Dreamers.
Source: Democratic Party Platform adopted at 2020 Convention Jul 27, 2020

Green Party: Free college tuition for qualified students; abolish loans

Provide free college tuition to all qualified students at public universities and vocational schools. Abolish all student and parent loans taken out to finance post-secondary and vocational education.

Eliminate police officers from our schools. Ensure school security personnel are trained for, and held accountable to, conflict resolution techniques and anti-bias training. Security personnel should demonstrate cultural competency and refrain from enforcing white supremacist oppressive tactics.

Source: Green Party Platform at 2020 Green National Convention Jul 9, 2020

Green Party: Increased funding for the arts as essential

Eliminating all laws that seek to restrict or censor artistic expression, including the withholding of government funds for political or moral content. Increased funding for the arts appropriate to their essential social role at local, state and federal levels of government. Education programs in the community that will energize the creativity of every community member from the youngest to the oldest,
Source: Green Party Platform at 2020 Green National Convention Jul 9, 2020

Reform Party: Empower parents and older children; personalized curriculum

Universal preschool programs and kindergarten are essential for starting our children off on the right foot. Empower parents and older children. We need to give parents more control over the education of their children. Create and support non-accredited schools that focus on blending a specialized and more personalized curriculum with project-based assessment and apprenticeship.
Source: Reform Party Platform at 2020 Convention; ReformParty.org Jun 22, 2020

Constitution Party: Tax relief for families whose children not in public school

We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious. All legislation that would interfere with or restrict that liberty should be opposed. Equitable tax relief for families whose children do not attend government schools should be provided for. Compulsory attendance laws should be repealed.

WE CALL FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

There is no Constitutional provision that empowers the federal government to provide for and regulate the education of our children. All current federal legislation related to education should be repealed. No new federal laws subsidizing or regulating education should be enacted.

Source: Constitution Party Platform at 2020 Convention May 2, 2020

  • The above quotations are from 2020 Democratic and Republican Conventions.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Education.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Donald Trump on Education.
  • Click here for more quotes by Joe Biden on Education.
2020 Presidential contenders on Education:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Sep 07, 2020