Too many strings, opponents say
by John Klar
Led by Republican lawmakers in Tennessee, a working group is weighing what it would cost for the state to sever the government purse strings that bind students to federal imperatives. The group will address “the regulations and requirements that come along with the federal funding, and if the state could step in and fill that funding gap itself …” Critics of the plan say this would undermine public schools and bolster charter and private ones, which have more independence in creating curricula.
Battles over policies and books that depict or promote same-sex and transgender lifestyles and severing parents from having a say in these important issues are roiling educational districts across the country. The result is a patchwork of differing approaches taken by local school systems. Federal laws increasingly favor liberal attitudes on presenting sexual topics in the classroom, so some states are considering cutting ties to federal education funding in order to maintain state autonomy. Is this the beginning of a reclamation of states’ rights?
Tennessee Leads the Charge
The stated goal of Tennessee’s working group is to “provide a clearer picture of how much autonomy Tennessee truly has in educating [its students].” One Democrat in the group has announced that she will vote for continued federal funding regardless, citing the importance of such cashflows for special needs students, English-language training, and the poor. State Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D) said: “The harsh consequences of rejecting this $1.8 billion in funding cannot be overstated. Through this committee, I will advocate that Tennessee keep accepting these necessary funds.”
State Sen. John Lundberg (R), chair of the working group, said he urged participants to “[k]eep students in mind as they’re doing these deliberations and doing their fact-finding, because that’s what at the end of the day is important.”
Subject to Federal Regulations
More and more parents from across the political spectrum are asking understandable questions about the impacts of exposing young students to gender questioning and drag queens. They are concerned that core learning skills are suffering, being replaced by federally regulated race and gender subject matters that have little to do with reading, writing, and arithmetic.
As America is fractured by culture wars and aggressive progressive theories, a pullback from decades of growing federal domination may be in the works. For some states, no amount of federal dollars is worth denying parental rights.
Consider how this may impact other controversial situations. Will federal stipends for health insurance or services be refused by red states if abortion is mandated as a condition of receipt? What if grants for land use projects are tied to rewilding or renewable-energy boondoggles? As federal control of local education tightens, expect other states to initiate similar efforts to seek a clearer picture of their own autonomy.
The author is a Brookfield best-selling author, lawyer, farmer and pastor. Reprinted from the Small Farm Republic website.
Categories: Commentary, Education
Seeing that the Scopes trial was in Tennessee, it makes perfect sense that the lawmakers would object to those Washington fat cats requiring kids to learn that the Earth is round and other associated witchcraft.
1) Abolish the federal Dept. of Education. It is a proven failure, whose existence serves no one but the bureaucrats sucking of its teats. A classic case-study in the inadequacy of a well-meaning “one-size-fits-all” government solution.
2) Return all education decisions to parents. Most children can and should be home-schooled. The Bloom-effect shows that kids receiving one-on-one tuition using standard mastery techniques perform a full two standard deviations above the mean (top 2% of performers.) The only people ignoring this hugely important discovery are those who benefit from children not achieving their potential – teachers’ unions, bureaucrats and drag queens.
3) Abolish teacher unions, DEI and Drag Queens in schools. Foster pedagogy based on merit-drive outcomes.
Good for the Tennessee working group.
Regarding the Scope’s trial; if you recall, William Jennings Bryan became involved because of the association with George W. Hunter’s “Civic Biology” text that was being used in the schools. Hunter’s view of evolution espoused the superiority of the white race, fueling eugenics movement, a movement that harmed many including people here in VT. I won’t get into the Butler Act but these things are never a simple as they appear on the surface.
We all should’ve done this with the conjured ARPA bribery money instead of building things we didn’t really need, at prices we couldn’t afford, from companies we don’t really support. Generations will financially suffer from this. Was your town’s new community center, playground or dumptruck really worth it? What are we teaching future generations? We need to get our necks out from under the federal government’s boot heel and put them where they belong….under ours.