Mitt Romney visits West Phila. charter school

WEST PHILADELPHIA - May 24, 2012 (WPVI) -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was in town Thursday pushing his education plan. Romney held a roundtable at Universal Bluford Charter School in West Philadelphia this morning.

The GOP candidate is urging greater school choices and more opportunities for low-income students.

Mitt Romney stopping by a West Philadelphia school raised some eyebrows to say the least. This is a pretty solidly Democratic area. But apparently Mr. Romney wanted to see, and be seen, at the well regarded charter school that is black owned, founded by Kenny Gamble.

Mitt Romney wondered the halls and classrooms of the Universal Bluford Charter School in West Philadelphia this morning. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee had heard about Universal, a Philadelphia based charter, and asked for an invitation.

At a roundtable meeting he was welcomed by the school's Kenny Gamble, who explained the mission here to provide a first rate education.

Gamble told Mitt Romney, "It is even more important today that we discuss education for the African American community because of the conditions that are in the African American community, as relates to prisons, crime. So, I'm glad you're here."

While he did not mention it today, Romney has been critical of Public Teachers unions, saying they have blocked critically needed reforms. He backs school choice and spoke about his time as Governor of Massachusetts.

"We have a lot of good Catholic schools in Boston, and in Massachusetts," said Mr. Romney. "So there has been a good deal of school choice that has not only helped those kids that go to those schools, but I think it has helped elevate the public schools around them, and made them more competitive."

Asked later if this visit was an endorsement of Romney, Gamble said no.

"[Romney] was interested in some of the work that we were doing. And it was an opportunity for us to hear some of his thoughts, and an opportunity for him to see and hear some of our thoughts. So, it's not an endorsement at all."

It was something of a soft visit here by Romney  no fiery partisan rhetoric, and he didn't even mention the president by name during the round table discussion.

Romney has said in the past that the president, and Democrats as a whole, is too beholden to public sector unions to embrace true school reform in the United States.

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