I have a job interview today.
I got the job!
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.” –James Madison, Federalist No. 45
In case anyone misunderstands, the Founders did not believe in centralized government. The more centralized and expansive government becomes, the less involvement is allowed by “the people.” The bigger government becomes, the farther away from “the people” it gets.
The Founders believed in local governments, run by the citizens of those locales; that includes education.
The Founders would be appalled by the formation of the Department of Education. Education is, and was to them, a local responsibility. Every community, every county and every state should be and must be responsible for the education of those who live there. That includes not only what they are taught and how, but how it’s paid for.
This goes back to what Mark Levin in Liberty and Tyranny called the “harmonious diversity” of America, which is what the Founders invisioned. If Idaho has an education system that is more compatible with how one person believes, or is more afforable, for instance, he can leave the state he lives in and move to Idaho. This also goes to Reagan’s belief that Americans are free to vote with their feet. They are not stuck in one state with no recourse but can move to another that might have policies that are more appealing. Levin’s example in his book was the death penalty – Texas has an fairly active policy while New Jersey has no death penalty. But anything from abortion to education could be used as an example.
Our mobility has not yet been halted by Ray LaHood and we are still free to move where we choose to. However, that has potential to change if he has his way to “coerce us of our cars” and restrict our movement.
But I digress and I think I made my point.
Education should be and must be a state’s rights issue and there is no question that the Founders intended it to be that way. Every state should have it’s own department of education, funded entirely by the state’s citizens and managed with curriculum established by those same citizens.
That’s the long and the short of it.
Thank goodness my daughter is not a member of the teacher’s union.
Outstanding post by an outstanding patriot and blogger – 1dragon – something you must see .