- Joined
- Nov 7, 2006
- Messages
- 726
I never said the Federal government knows best. However, I do know that states are at times incapable of doing whats best for everyone. I provided several general examples of where that has proven true in the past. I am all for avoiding the pitfalls of standardization, but understand that not having a standard for everyone to work towards creates differing levels of quality. You wouldn't run a manufacturing business with varying levels of quality. You would have all your products meet the same level of quality control. Being competitive involves basic levels of intelligence and competence.But if that's the argument, why have states at all if the Federal government knows best?
As Devildoc pointed out earlier, Dept of Education wasn't formed until 1979. How did we possibly progress prior to that?! We certainly weren't faltering as a nation.
So, disbanding it is not something that will lead to a cataclysmic event for the nation. Standardization is only good to a point; sometimes the bureaucracy stifles innovation. We still need to be competitive at a global level, that helps serve as a free market check.
That's kinda what I said isn't it? Set a standard and let the states figure out how to get there. The concept of a DOE makes logical sense. Just because it has been mismanaged for several decades doesn't mean it cannot be put to good use.I respectfully disagree. Set the standard: grade 1 must have these component, grade 2, etc. Then anything above and beyond can be up to the state in the form of...electives, whatever.
Whatever reason they invented the DOE in 1979, it really hasn't worked. Kill it, distribute the tax money that would have supported it to the states DOEs.
The cabinets were established to set, enforce, and promulgate national policy. To dictate to a state how to run a state-mandated program is crazy. Or, do this: get rid of all the states' DOEs, and just federalize it (no, please don't). But the animal they created does not work.
I think when one looks at any program that is supposed to be results-oriented, you have to ask: "are we getting the results we desire?" Outcome-based education is nothing new, but in it's current form, does not work.
The fact that the DOE was created on a specific date, and had not been used before is a weak one. We didn't mandate vaccinations for school children until the early 1900s. Since we didn't have them before then did we need them? Just look at the mess California got into with allowing for religious exemption for basic childhood vaccinations. I realize the original topics are different in that one saves lives and the other does not, but the intent is to show that states cannot always agree on what needs to be done.
Think about it. Our nation, as a whole, needs to make sure we all can compete with each other, and the world. How can we be expected to compete when the west teaches revisionist history, the south teaches hell fire and damnation, the north teaches....well, no one really knows what they teach (other than being assholes :troll:). The states cannot have all the power and decision making authority. Nor can the Federal government have that sole power over the states to dictate everything. The Feds are there for when the states cannot agree.