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Old March 7th, 2005 #28
Alex Linder
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http://www.theunionleader.com/articl...?article=51525

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Without local control, our schools will suffer
By MARION EDWYN HARRISON
Guest Commentary


THE NATIONAL Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is reported to seek changes in the fundamental provisions of President George W. Bush's much publicized No Child Left Behind Act. By more than coincidence, the NCSL president is a Democratic member of the liberal Maryland Legislature. Many governors, mostly overlooking, or winking at, their own state educational deficiencies, now are complaining about that which the federal government is doing or is seeking to do � arguing, for example, that No Child Left Behind Act standards are too uniform and too strict.

More realistically, Microsoft chairman William H. Gates III, better known as Bill Gates, and not a candidate for election or reelection, has offered suggestions for sweeping and fundamental restructuring of American high schools.

To what extent and in what mixture National Education Association (NEA), NCSL and state politicians' complaints about President Bush's initiatives, about the U.S. Department of Education and about congressional enactments are wholly or partially legitimate begs a fundamental maxim: Secondary education historically has been, and should continue to be, fundamentally state and local. Various constitutional scholars, federalists and others would go so far as to abolish the federal role in primary and secondary education and return full control and financing to the states and localities.

How to quantify cause and effect would be not less than an exercise in futility. Yet a glaring reality manifests itself � namely, public secondary education has worsened over the years since the federal government intruded into the act and self-interest outfits like NEA (which scarcely has seen a liberal cause it did not applaud) became more ubiquitous and more powerful.

Statistics are appalling. Just a few as examples: Only about 68 percent of public high school students graduate on time. The drop-out rate has increased annually since 1983, when, with foresight, the Reagan administration issued a report, "A Nation at Risk," citing the already growing crisis. About 40 percent of high school graduates enter college, only 27 percent of that group continuing beyond the freshman year. Only 18 percent of those high school graduates who enter college graduate from college on time.

How does American secondary education compare worldwide? By one survey, among 20 leading developed nations the United States ranks 16th in percentage of high school students graduating, 14th in percentage of college students graduating. Further � and of tremendous significance in international commerce � China and India, not generally considered "developed" nations and certainly among the per-capita poorer, each graduate more engineers than does our country.

One need not rely upon statistics. Look about us. Whether it's the ability to write or speak even half-way correct grammar and syntax, to do elementary arithmetic, to name one's (or anybody's) senators or congressman, to distinguish the Constitution from the Declaration of Independence, to distinguish Mount Rushmore from Rush Limbaugh, to differentiate the Cardinals on the playing field from those that fly around or those who wear red hats, too many teachers are fearful of asking questions, much less flunking a student, less the liberals wreak havoc upon the teachers for jeopardizing the self-respect of the ignorant student, reviling his race or ethnicity or committing some other alleged politically incorrect act. Not surprisingly, requirements of discipline, decorum and proper apparel are nearly pervasive no-nos. (In the nation's capital � which, of course, operates a school system at or near rock bottom � in some schools the truancy rate alone exceeds 50 percent of the student body.)

We should be wondering what governors, state legislatures, state and local school boards, state and local school administrators � yes, even NEA, so busy with social issues � are doing to bring education home and to improve it. Too many find it easier to denounce the laudable efforts of President Bush and DOE people � efforts born as a last resort. Elementary and secondary education belong closest to the people. To achieve that goal those responsible at state and local levels must come alive, infuse some realism into their thinking.

It is no surprise that home-schooling has become such a popular alternative, especially in primary education. Whether the $2.3 billion due over time from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will help much remains to be seen.

Meantime, the folks at home need to get back to reading, writing and 'rithmetic; order; discipline; self-reliance. Those abroad seeking a better life will not lay back; they will compete as competitors abroad and as immigrants here � in both locales usually lesser paid and better educated.

Marion Edwyn Harrison is president of and counsel to the Free Congress Foundation.