I just finished reading about HB 4787, passed by the Michigan house a few weeks ago. It describes a ghastly exchange. Michigan needs money. Mr. Obama has an open wallet, and is willing to distribute our money to the Michigan school system. This largesse however, has its drawbacks. Michigan’s Race to the Top legislation binds school districts from evaluating their own situation and making changes necessary for top performance. Our legislators have even
submitted the future of our schools without a definition of what top performance even means!  That’s yet to be announced by the feds.

Race to the Top requires many, many reports to the government, development of plans, hours, hours, effort. Frustration with the many requirements of bureaucracy is already one big reason for superintendent burnout. And, if these administrators/teachers/school boards can’t do the job now, how will it help to require them to fulfill even more bureaucratic obligations? The goal, according to the Michigan Association of School Boards, is to create “stronger schools.” I’m not into strong institutions. Don’t we want stronger kids? It doesn’t sound like it when part of the legislation loosens adherence to the curriculum requirements of No Child Left Behind.

Children are all different. One of my homeschooled sons has taught himself everything he knows. The other son required two years of daily drills to learn the ABC’s. They’re both surprisingly bright. They’re different. Don’t teachers and members of the local community recognize differences better than a pencil-pusher in Washington?

Another problem with HB 4787 is its establishment of a database that would forever track each student of every teacher. What for? I can’t think of any use for such information that is not punitive for the child…or the teacher. This dastardly legislation even provides for confiscation of school assets in nonperforming districts!

The 10th amendment to the US Constitution prohibits federal meddling in state issues. The 10th amendment is dead. We’re all so eager for federal dollars to change our circumstances, we’ll abandon our autonomy voluntarily. Forshame. Students are more important than dollars. Everybody is.

PS- US News and World Report named the best high schools in America. 17 of them were in Michigan’s first district. I wonder where they got their criteria, since the federal government hasn’t told us what to think yet.

School reform starts by shifting control over education from government to parents. We must eliminate federal grants and regulations and begin moving power back to the states and local communities. States should consider tax credits or deductions for parents who home school or send their children to private schools. Public schools should be managed locally, increasing accountability and parental involvement.

The bottom line is the Constitution does not authorize the federal government to make decisions about education. These decisions should be left to state and local government.