Former High School Teacher Rep. Mark Takano Appointed to House Education and Workforce Committee

Washington DC – Earlier today, Rep. Mark Takano was appointed to the House Education and Workforce Committee and has resigned his position on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Prior to being elected to Congress in 2012, Takano spent more than twenty years as a classroom teacher in Riverside County, California and on the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees. Since taking office, Takano has used his experience as a teacher to advocate for improving the American education system through meaningful reforms that will positively impact student performance. 

 

Takano is also an outspoken critic of the for-profit college industry, which often saddles students with meaningless degrees and large amounts of debt. Takano has repeatedly called for a strong gainful employment rule that would limit the federal funding to institutions that are not properly preparing their students to enter the workforce. 

 

Takano is a current National Education Association union member and an ardent supporter of labor and workforce protections. 

 

“I’m incredibly proud to be joining the Education and Workforce Committee,” said Takano. “Having spent more than twenty years as a classroom teacher and a union member, I have a unique perspective on how to improve our education system and the lives of our nations’ workers. It is a perspective that is not influenced by special interests, but rather the idea that we should take care of our workers and that America should be the best educated nation in the world. I thank Leader Pelosi, as well as Congresswoman DeLauro and Congressman Miller of the Steering Committee for this opportunity, and look forward to working on these important issues.”

 

Upon taking office last year, Takano was appointed to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.