Watching Congress debate national education policy is a bit like going to a tennis match and finding a truck and tractor pull has erupted.
“Isn’t this supposed to be about how to make our schools better?” I want to scream.
“No!” someone yells from the stands. “This is about States’ Rights vs. the Fed. Go, States!”
Face palm.
The current brouhaha centers around the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the federal law that governs K-12 schools.
The present version, called No Child Left Behind (NCLB), is a thorough disaster. Thankfully Congress is trying to rewrite the legislation.
However, in doing so the emphasis has been less on making things better and more on deciding who gets to make decisions about schools.
Republican President George W. Bush greatly increased federal control with NCLB, something Democratic President Barack Obama has continued through his education policies.
These days, the GOP…
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