Will Congress nationalize education and take power from states and parents?

May 16, 8:56 PMEducation ExaminerDonna Gundle-Krieg

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A serious threat to the freedom of homeschoolers and to the power of states is brewing.

Recently, there was a hearing in Congress regarding centralizing education in Washington, D.C. through nationalized standards, which would lead to nationalized curriculum, tests, and textbooks.

The laws discussed at this hearing would potentially eliminate virtually all state control over the education system, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association.

The U.S. House of Representative’s Education and Labor Committee heard from various expert witnesses with differing opinions on this matter.

Ken James, commissioner of education for the Arkansas Department of Education, stressed that any plan to nationalize education should not be mandatory. “This is a voluntary, state-led effort to establish a common core of standards across the states,” he said.

Other expert witnesses, however, seemed to desire the federal government to be more involved in establishing academic standards, and possibly even testing and curricula.

One witness, David Levin, who is the co-founder of KIPP Schools, made an ambiguous comment: “Before the Civil War, when talking about our country people would say, ‘The United States are….’ After, it became ‘The United States is….’ It is time that we do the same in education and adopt one set of common standards.”

Other witnesses called for “common national standards that are rigorous and relevant,” and urged Congress to take action.

The Home School Legal Defense Association believes that any attempts by Congress to create nationalized standards, curriculum, or testing would be unconstitutional, and harmful to students and families.

Congressman Buck McKeon (CA), of the House Education and Labor Committee recognized this when he said “Some people in Washington seem to think that the federal government created the states to administer its far-reaching programs and policies. But that’s not the case. History tells us that the states created the federal government.”

Congressman Mark Souder (IN) shared his concerns by asking witnesses how this would affect homeschoolers, Christian schools, and colleges.

His concerns are valid. Homeschool families have demonstrated that parents, not bureaucrats in Washington, best know their children and what they need to learn.

“For the past several decades, America’s education system has become more centralized and more disconnected from parents and local control,” says the HSDLA website.

“This has weakened academic quality as the federal government’s grip on the education system grows tighter.”

Local control over education is always better than centralized federal control.

This bill, entitled “Strengthening America’s Competitiveness through Common Academic Standards,” involves potential reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as the No Child Left Behind Act).

If you oppose nationalized control of education, contact your representative, as well as the representatives on the House Education and Labor Committee, and tell them to oppose any calls for nationalized standards, testing, or curricula.

You can find the contact information for your representative on HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox. A list of members of the House Education and Labor Committee can be accessed here.