Haley Stands Up to Obama on Education

Governor Nikki Haley (R-SC)

It seems that President Obama has been having trouble with female governors lately. First was the meeting with Governor Brewer of Arizona recently that raised more than just a few eyebrows and now Governor Haley of South Carolina has boldly stood up to Obama’s educational vision for America. Governor Haley pointed out the flaws in Obama bold sweeping vision. The problem with the plan is the takeover by the Federal government of the education process. Obama is following in the steps of other failed Federal initiatives with his warmed-over proposal. The Federal government has tried since President Lyndon Johnson’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve education and education has gotten worse. Half of American public schools failed Federal standards last year according to an article in the USA Today. Even the NEA admits the No Child Left Behind program has flaws. On their website is this interesting comment:

But educators know that NCLB as currently written can’t get us there.

Education is a local matter better handled and managed at the local level. The Federal government’s cookie cutter solution to education has produced more problems than it has solved. It does not take into account each child’s unique learning style, talents, and abilities. The Michigan Department of Education has found through their research that parent involvement in schools is linked to academic success. governor Haley is right. It is time to get Uncle Sam out of schools and Mom and Dad into local schools.

My friend, Bill Pickle, shared his testimony with me.

I agree wholeheartedly with our Governor.

It is silly to believe all students are going to graduate and go on to college, graduate and then become Donald Trumps. Not all students are college material. That’s not a bad thing. Take example my son. He had no desire to go to school. He dropped out, got a GED, and got a “real job” doing what he enjoys doing and it is quite good at,working on automobiles. He is so good and interested in his chosen field. A few years ago he enlisted in the Army Reserves. The Army recommended him to get into their diesel engine training program. He did and after spending a year in Iraq keeping our Hummers and trucks running, he is now home and working on autos.

America has the illusion you have to have a traditional high school education and a college degree to be successful. Well, by whose standard is this gospel.

I know a man who did not have a college degree who worked in the insurance industry. He worked in a loan and later work in a mortgage company as a loan officer. This guy enjoyed what he was doing and and was good at it. He eventually become the Executive Vice President of the company overseeing all branch offices. Eventually owned his own Mortgage Brokerage firm. Due to the Savings and Loan Crisis of the 1980s, he closed the business. That’s when he got in the newspaper business and the rest is history. All without a college degree. In 2001, he decided to finish his degree, just because he wanted too. This guy was the first person in his family ever to get a college degree.

This is my story.

I know many other people in this world who have Masters and Doctorates who can not share what I consider a success story. I know more people who have a very satisfying life and enjoy their chosen field who do not have college degrees.

We need technically trained men and women. We need people who do finish high school or get a GED to allow them better opportunities. And yes, we need college trained professionals.

Corey Cunningham stated:

Education is a state issue and should be handled by each individual state but Spend a little more to educate and train these kids, or support them with entitlements, eg. unemployment, medicaid, welfare, food stamps.

Julie Shila put forth her observation:

I have to agree with Governor Haley on this one. We can not force a free society to do what we do or what to do. Everyone if free to do as they see fit for themselves. It is called self government. In the day many could not finish school as they had to work on the farms and help the family, however, they survived. Some made it rich with the family. Education is important but, sometimes there are things more important and family is one of those things. Why can’t our government (Obama specifically) just leave us alone. We don’t need more laws. God has 10 set for us and they work just fine. Why do we need to put so much of a burden on our children. Do we not have enough suicide in the schools? Please, we must stop this run away government.

Finally, Betty Dowling expressed her thoughts on the subject:

Obama is very good at talking, this would be impossible to enforce, besides education is a state issue. These kids are bored out of their mind in school. Many students have a new found interest in school when they enter welding, nursing or electricity classes. This is not a one size fits all society.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this article.

News Video Segment on Governor Haley’s response:

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Quinn Hooks

Quinn Hooks is the pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church in Effingham, SC. He has served in several capacities at the Associational and State levels of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is currently the Treasurer for the South Carolina Baptist Pastors Conference.

He is a graduate of The Citadel, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Liberty University, and Covington Seminary. He holds a D.Min from Covington and is working on a PhD at Liberty University.

He has some political experience having served 6 years on the town council of Cope, SC.

He is married with one child.