All the Little People Need Education

The American Conservative's Jim Antle surveys state governments' resistance to the No Child Left Behind Act. The law has provoked a grassroots revolt, he writes, but there's no strong sign that it will prompt the states "to leave behind their dependence on federal funds."

Comments

[Mr. Obvious]

Not much of a grassroots response here.

[Portlander]

there’s no strong sign that it will prompt the states “to leave behind their dependence on federal funds.”

That would fly in the face of the argument that all children would be Phi Beta Kappas if only enough money were spent on education. Once money is turned away, the argument shifts from “more money” to “how do we spend the money”. Since federal funds come attached with “how to spend” strings, obviously “how to spend” is more important than “more money”. And that is fatal to the current crop of educrats.

[Dave W.]

Out of all the things the Fed Gov’t wastes my money on: (1) alternative energy research is the least wasteful; and (2) educational spending is the next least wasteful.

No Child Left Behind is a problem. A very, very, very low priority problem, even to my aggressive let’s-cut-gov’t-spending frame of mind.