Ron and State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster hold a community forum on NCLB.

January 08, 2008

On the sixth anniversary of President Bush signing No Child Left Behind (NCLB) into law, I hosted two community forums at DeLong Middle School in Eau Claire and Holmen High School with State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster to discuss the future of education as Congress prepares to reform the controversial law this year.

The feedback we received from teachers, parents, educators, and even students was invaluable. No one knows better what is working and what isn’t in our schools than the educators, school administrators, and parents on the ground.

Like many people in Wisconsin, I recognize that it is important to hold our schools accountable for progress, but No Child Left Behind has created an education system that is too focused on the high-stakes testing and not the students themselves. It is my hope that through the reauthorization process – and with the involvement of folks like the ones we met on Tuesday – we can reform No Child Left Behind to work better for America’s schools, its teachers, and most importantly, its kids.

November 20, 2007

Ron talks with kids about toy safety.

With the holidays approaching, I joined with WISPIRG in releasing the 22nd annual toy safety report. 2007 saw a number of recalls on popular toys, and this report demonstrated several types of hazardous toys and alerted parents to the hazards they pose. Currently Congress is working to strengthen the Consumer Products Safety Commission by giving it more resources to check for dangerous toys, banning products with lead beyond specified minute amounts, and requiring third-party testing and tracking labels for children’s products. Click here to read the report.

November 12, 2007

On Veterans Day (observed), I joined with local veterans to highlight the many ways Congress has honored veterans over the last year, including the approval of the largest-ever increase for veterans health care in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration.

It’s one thing to say we support our veterans, but quite another to put money where our mouths are. I am extremely proud of the historic commitment we’ve made to our veterans, current military servicemen and women, and their families. The actions we’ve taken in the last year properly honor them and help them build a future worthy of their service and sacrifice.

October 19, 2007

Ron participates in the Student Nutrition and Wellness Walk and Rally.

I was so pleased to be invited to the Milwaukee Public School District’s first-ever Student Nutrition and Wellness Walk and Rally: Bodies in Motion on Friday, October 19 at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The event promoted healthy eating and physical activity among youth, with the goal of working to combat a childhood obesity rate that has tripled since 1980 and continues to rise. After a brief warm up, I set out on the fitness walk with the students – who later received a healthy lunch, and participated in a wellness fair with information on healthy lifestyles.

This type of event is a great example of schools using fun and creative ways to get kids moving. I recently introduced the “Fitness Integrated in Teaching (FIT) Kids Act” which would make physical education a priority in the

Ron discusses the challenges and opportunities facing Harley Davidson.

No Child Left Behind law, which is being reauthorized this year, by holding schools accountable for moving toward a national goal for physical education of 150 minutes/week in elementary schools and 225 minutes/week in middle and high schools. You can’t have healthy minds without healthy bodies!

Later in the day, I was able to meet with workers and executives from Harley Davidson in Milwaukee, and took a tour the plant. Harley is an iconic brand, and the plant and its highly-skilled workers are very impressive – making Wisconsin proud all over the world.

October 03, 2007

Ron takes aim during the National Archery in Schools Program event.

Today I participated in a shooting clinic on Capitol Hill by the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) with students from a Roanoke, Virginia high school. NASP was started by Sparta-based Matthew’s Bow, and as the co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, I wanted to expose my fellow members of Congress to the benefits of this innovative program. I enjoyed hearing from the kids there how the archery program has benefited them. The program, because of its appeal to kids of all levels of athletic ability, has been shown to raise self esteem in students who may struggle with other sports. I congratulate the Matthew’s Bow and the National Archery in the Schools Program on their tremendous growth across the country.

There is nothing I enjoy more than bow-hunting with my two young sons, who have both taken an interest in archery. It teaches precision, concentration, and is a great opportunity to build the next generation of conservationists.