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Dr. Danís The Man With An Education Plan
Jimmy Moore
July 14, 2002

(The COMMONCHOICE 2002 series examines the vital issues and various candidates involved in the 2002 general election races in South Carolina. I welcome any suggestions for future articles in this series. Send your story ideas and general election information to me by clicking on the E-mail link. Feel free to click on the Comment button to share what you think about this article and any of the articles in the series -- good or bad! Thanks for actively participating in the conversation on Commonvoice.com.)

If you are like me (and may the Lord help you if you are!), then you have to be wondering who in the world all these candidates are running for statewide office and what makes them think they should be elected to their respective positions in state government? These questions are fair game in an election year marked by a large number of new faces on the political scene. I will be introducing you to many of these people in the coming weeks and months leading up to the general election in November.

The first candidate we will examine is the Republican nominee for state Superintendent of Education, Dr. Dan Hiltgen.

Dr. Hiltgen is running in his first-ever political race. He is running for state Superintendent of Education because he believes it is crucial to be on the same page with President Bush and Governor Sanford on education issues. It is obvious to anyone who is living in reality that Mark Sanford will undoubtedly be the next Governor of South Carolina. Once you realize this is a foregone conclusion, then it is obvious that Gov. Sanford is going to need a Superintendent of Education willing to go along with and implement his education plan. Dr. Dan is the only candidate who has vocalized his intentions of doing just that!

What are Dr. Hiltgenís qualifications for running for this important education position in state government? Plenty! He holds three Bachelorís Degrees in Astronomy, Physics and Mathematics. He also has a Masterís Degree in Astrophysics as well as a Ph. D. in Astrophysics. His teaching experience dates back to 1988, when he was an assistant at the University of Texas. He has also been a research scientist, Chairman of the Department of Physics and Computer Science and recently promoted to Associate Professor of Physics with tenure at Presbyterian College in Spartanburg, SC. His educational background and experiences in various fields of study more than qualify him to become the next state Superintendent of Education!

What will Dr. Hiltgen do if he is elected as the state Superintendent of Education? He has openly embraced the three primary goals of the Bush Education Plan.

First, he wants to make sure we leave no child behind. This includes making sure that every third grade student will be able to read, every child has a qualified teacher and every teacher teaches in their field of specialty.

Second, he wants to make sure we leave no parent behind. This entails giving parents the freedom of choice when schools fail, such as private schools, charter schools, home schooling and pursuing the recent Supreme Court decision that ruled school vouchers are constitutional. All of these options eliminate barriers to school choice and it encourages parents to be involved in their childís education.

Third, he wants to make sure we leave no school or teacher behind. We must hold schools accountable when they fail. Additionally, we must cut educational bureaucracy and reinvest the money back into the classroom. The enormous amount of paperwork our teachers are forced to fill out should be dramatically reduced. Teacher pay should be increased above the national average, which will attract new and better teachers to our schools in South Carolina. We must give teachers the classroom materials that they need to teach properly. Finally, we must eliminate the school bus crisis.

Dr. Hiltgen believes that our children are worth the price of investment in education. Our children have an untapped potential just waiting to be released. As the parent of a special needs child, Dr. Hiltgen understands the various challenges associated with accomplishing each of these goals fully. It is his passion and desire to meet the educational needs of every child in South Carolina, regardless of the obstacles!

Dr. Hiltgen will be running in conjunction with Mark Sanfordís gubernatorial campaign as a strong advocate of his plan for improving education in South Carolina. Dr. Hiltgen will be periodically releasing some original ideas that supplement his education plan as the campaign unfolds. Because education is probably the top issue on the minds of voters in this crucial election year, it is important that we choose the right person for the job. Dr. Hiltgen is ready to show that he is the one.

Under the direction of Dr. Dan Hiltgen as the next state Superintendent of Education, our children will be able to realize their fullest possibilities and quickly become the best and the brightest in America!

Just remember that Dr. Danís the man with an education plan!

OTHER ARTICLES IN THE COMMONCHOICE 2002 SERIES
Abortion Opponents Should Unify Behind Sanford




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