When Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. ran for president, he didn鈥檛 have much to say about education. Other than about issues such as and , the Delaware Democrat was quiet on his views about how to improve the nation鈥檚 schools.
Now that Biden is the vice presidential candidate, he appears to have adopted the education platform of Sen. Barack Obama.
鈥淏arack Obama knows that any country that out-teaches us today will out-compete us tomorrow,鈥� Biden said in accepting the vice presidential nomination tonight. 鈥淗e鈥檒l invest us in the next generation of teachers. He鈥檒l make college more affordable. That鈥檚 the change we need.鈥�
Biden didn鈥檛 mention pre-K, expanding charter schools, or fixing NCLB. But it鈥檚 safe to assume he鈥檒l adopt Obama鈥檚 position on those issues, too.
In his 36-year career in the Senate, Biden hasn鈥檛 played a significant role on educational issues. But he has been an advocate for working-class people, according to one teachers鈥� union member from Delaware who is a delegate to the convention.
鈥淪enator Biden has always been for the working person,鈥� said Crystal Barnett, who is a member of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and works for the union鈥檚 headquarters. 鈥淗e is pro-union.鈥�
