The Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debates: on Education

Richard Nixon: Cast deciding vote against increasing teachers' salaries

NIXON: In this whole area of civil rights, the equality of opportunity for employment and education is not just for the benefit of the minority groups, it's for the benefit of the nation so that we can get the scientists and the engineers and all the rest that we need. And in addition to that, we need programs, particularly in higher education, which will stimulate scientific breakthroughs which will bring more growth. Now what all this, of course, adds up to is this: America has not been standing still. But we can and must move faster.

KENNEDY: The Vice President suggested we pass an aid-to-education bill. But the Administration and the Republican majority in the Congress has opposed any realistic aid to education. And the Vice President cast the deciding vote against federal aid for teachers' salaries in the Senate, which prevented that being added.

Source: The Third Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate Oct 13, 1960

Richard Nixon: Federal assistance to integrate schools

Q [to Nixon]: You have accused Senator Kennedy of avoiding the civil rights issue when he has been in the South and he has accused you of the same thing. Would you sum up your own intentions?

NIXON: My intentions in the field of civil rights have been spelled out in the Republican platform. When anybody has a government contract, money that is spent under that contract ought to be disbursed equally without regard to the race or creed or color. Second, in the field of schools, we believe that there should be provisions whereby the federal government would give assistance to those districts who do want to integrate their schools. That was rejected by the special session of the Congress in which Mr. Kennedy was quite active.

KENNEDY: Giving aid to schools technically that are trying to carry out the decision is not the great question. About 2% of our population of white people is illiterate, 10% of our colored population; 60% of our colored children do not finish high school.

Source: The Second Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate Oct 7, 1960

John F. Kennedy: Wants federal money to go to states for teacher salaries

acquire the power to set standards and to tell the teachers what to teach. I think this would be bad for the country; I think it would be bad for the teaching profession. My objection is not the cost in dollars. My objection is the potential cost in Q: [to Nixon]: You refused to vote in the Senate to break a tie when that single vote, if it had been yes, would have granted salary increases to teachers. Please explain?

NIXON: When the federal government gets the power to pay teachers, it will construction or teacher salaries. I voted in favor because it provided assistance to teachers for their salaries without federal control. I don't want the federal government paying teachers' salaries directly. controls and eventual freedom for the American people by giving the federal government power over education.

KENNEDY: The issue was that money would be given to the state. The state then could determine whether the money would be spent for

Source: The First Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate Sep 26, 1960

Richard Nixon: Building more schools moves America ahead

We have built more schools in these last seven and a half years than we built in the previous seven and a half, for that matter in the previous twenty years. I think we find that America has been moving ahead. Let's take schools. Source: The First Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate Sep 26, 1960

Richard Nixon: Aid for school construction, not teacher salaries

I favor that because I believe that's the best way to aid our schools without running any risk whatever of the federal government telling our teachers what to teach. As far as aid for school construction is concerned, I favor that, as Senator Kennedy did, in January of this year, when he said he favored that rather than aid to teacher salaries. Source: The First Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate Sep 26, 1960

Richard Nixon: Local control more critical than increased teacher salaries

to set standards and to tell the teachers what to teach. I think this would be bad for the country; I think it would be bad for the teaching profession. My objection is not the cost in dollars. Q: You refused to vote in the Senate to break a tie when that single vote, if it had been yes, would have granted salary increases to teachers. Please explain?

NIXON: When the federal government gets the power to pay teachers, it will acquire the power money would be spent for construction or teacher salaries. I voted in favor because it provided assistance to teachers for their salaries without federal control. I don't want the federal government paying teachers' salaries directly. My objection is the potential cost in controls and eventual freedom for the American people by giving the federal government power over education.

KENNEDY: The issue was that money would be given to the state. The state then could determine whether the

Source: The First Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate Sep 26, 1960

The above quotations are from The Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debates, Sept.-Oct. 1960. Click here for definitions & background information on Education. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by John F. Kennedy on Education. Click here for more quotes by Richard Nixon on Education.
*2012 Presidential contenders on Education:*
	*Democrats:* Pres.Barack Obama(IL) V.P.Joe Biden(DE) *Republicans:* Gov.Mitt Romney(MA) Rep.Paul Ryan(WI)	*Third Parties:* Green: Dr.Jill Stein(MA) Libertarian: Gov.Gary Johnson(NM) Justice: Mayor Rocky Anderson(UT) Constitution: Rep.Virgil Goode(VA) Peace+Freedom: Roseanne Barr(HI) Reform Party: André Barnett(NY) AmericansElect: Gov.Buddy Roemer(LA)
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Page last updated: Jan 06, 2014