President Barack Obama had a lot to say in last night’s State of the Union address, I mean a lot… apparently this was the 10th longest in words and 9th longest in time. It was broadcast from 8:00pm – 9:30pm (CST). I frankly don’t have time to dissect everything that he said, but with his comments regarding education it is clear that he does not care about parental or state rights. In a nutshell when he said last night he said, “that government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more.” It is clear, based on his speech, that he doesn’t think there’s much we can do better by ourselves.
On education he first referred to Race to the Trough:
For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country t0 raise their standards for teaching and learning — the first time that’s happened in a generation.
I know, that Mike Huckabee thought this was a brilliant idea, but bribing states with one-time money to adopt standards in way that undermines the democratic process, educational freedom, local control and parental authority was simply unconstitutional. Doing some simple fact checking demonstrates this wasn’t a good idea. Like the idea that it raised the standards for teaching and learning is false. He is right that this is the first time in our nations history that this has happened, and it was done in violation of the law.
So wonderful… he went on to demonstrate his lack of knowledge about how education is even run…
At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced states to lay off thousands of teachers.
Who hires teachers and lays them off? Not states, but school districts; of course in Iowa some do want to eventually make that a state function.
He then continued:
Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn. That’s a bargain worth making.
So here we see more meddling with education. The “and in return” now we get to No Child Left Behind waivers. I’m not a fan of NCLB, but since Congress didn’t do what Obama wanted; they bypassed them. Since President Obama is willing to do things “with or without this Congress” we shouldn’t be surprised.
Let me say something “radical” here (at least to the establishment and elites) there is no legitimate federal role in education – period. There should be no bargaining with the states. There should be no U.S. Department of Education stamp of approval on certain standards. President Obama, unfortunately was not done, he presumptively spoke on behalf of parents and the states:
We also know that when students don’t walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. When students are not allowed to drop out, they do better. So tonight, I am proposing that every state — every state — requires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.
Now how does he propose to do this? Probably he’ll do anytime the Feds want to foist something on the states, but threatening to withhold funds. Michael Farris of the Home School Legal Defense Association said, “There appears to be no limit to the president’s desire for power. Car companies, banks, doctors, and now schools and the family. He’s gone way too far this time.”
Yes he has. HSLDA in a press release today reminded that this again is historically unprecendented:
State-mandated attendance has not been the historical norm. In 1642, the Massachusetts Bay Colony stipulated that parents provide religious instruction for their children. For the next 200 years, most education laws were minimal and focused on family-centered education, giving children the tools to read, write, and do arithmetic, helping them understand what it meant to be virtuous citizens, and allowing them to learn a trade.
This is ultimately up to parents, not the Federal government, to decide. Again, it is unlikely that President Obama would get this through Congress so I’m sure he’d find a way to bypass them and bully the states like he plans to do with colleges and universities if they don’t cap their tuition at the level he’d like to see.
We see clearly Obama’s lust for power in his remarks on education.
Related articles
- Obama’s Dumbest SOTU Demand: Imprison Kids in Schools Until They’re 18 (reason.com)
- President Obama Delivers State of Disarray Address (thecollegeconservative.com)
- Scratching the Surface of Obama’s Education Rhetoric (classroomconscious.wordpress.com)
- Higher Education Needs a Complete Overhaul – BY Neil Snyder (timesoftexas.com)
- Barack Obama on Education (education.com)
