Photo courtesy of Foster's Daily Democrat
The loss of the House by congressional Democrats offers some silver linings for centrist and progressive reformers: With New Hampshire Democrat Carol Shea-Porter’s loss, there is one less opponent to school reform on the House Education and Labor Committee. Same with Nevada’s Dina Titus, a critic of the No Child Left Behind Act, is also out (albeit, her victorious opponent supports moving back to local control). Rep. Judy Chiu, whose opposition to Race to the Top and the No Child Left Behind Act has made her one of the most-bellicose school reform critics, will also have a less-powerful voice. No more David Obey on Appropriations doing the bidding of the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers. And Jared Polis, who easily won a second term, will now be in position to shape congressional Democrat policy on education towards a direction more-fitting to the Obama agenda.
