Debate on Schools Legislation
by William "Bill" Bonville
In a letter dated March 14, 1996, Congressman DeFazio stated that he supports Goals 2000, the Educate America Act because it "authorizes funding for states to develop and implement plans for educational reform." Furthermore, he states, "Contrary to what you may have heard, Goals 2000 is a voluntary (his emphasis) program where school districts select to compete for reform money," with "Oregon receiving over $4 million in 1995."
That particular year, according to the May 8, 1996 issue of Education Week, total funding nationally budgeted for education included, $32.4-billion for the Education Department (DofEd), more than $5-billion for Human Services, about $2.9 billion for the Department of Labor, and $1.6-billion budgeted elsewhere for education. That makes more than $41-billion for education, out of which Oregon received a paltry $4-million for aiding school reform. That is a poor return on our tax contributions to the $41-billion. And so it has gone, year after year.
As for Goals 2000 being "voluntary," the Family Research Council in its May 31, 1996 report, debunked that claim of the U.S. DofEd. They reported that Virginia, in a State Board of Education Resolution passed May 23 of that year, asked the DofEd to certify in writing that Goals 2000 money, if accepted by Virginia, could be used for one-time purchase of computers without further demands by the DofEd. Secretary Riley responded on May 30 that there indeed are strings attached. To get money, "the state must develop a comprehensive education improvement plan that meets the requirements of the Goals 2000 Act (which specifies a long list of areas the plan must address, such as school finance equity, one stop-shopping for social services, gender equity, multicultural materials, etc.)"
More than that, for a local district (such as Three Rivers) to get money, it must prepare development and implementation plans which must comply with the state plan (which we have done), which in turn must comply with the Goals 2000 Act. The Council concludes, "In other words, since plans must address federally determined issues like those named above, funds must be used to pursue the federal agenda." In Oregon, since the State bought into Goals 2000 with HB3565 and HB2991, Goals 2000 is mandated in every school district, including Three Rivers. There is nothing voluntary about it. More than that, given all the plans and reports the Act requires of bureaucrats at all levels, perhaps 10 cents on the dollar of the $4-million for Oregon ever found its way into the classroom. In other words, when Oregon bought into Goals 2000 on the promise of money, it bought into an empty sack that had to be filled by local and state money, for it cannot escape the requirements of Goals 2000 --- right down into the classroom --- even if it wanted to refuse the federal money. We are hooked, that is. All we can do is look for loopholes in the law through we we can evade the worst of its effects and manage to really educate our children whether the Washington and Salem educrats like it or not. This is my goal.
Yet, in his letter, DeFazio insists, "With education funding
in such a crisis, we can't afford to pass up this federal assistance."
In actuality, we can't afford not to pass it up, except that we are stuck
with it because of men like Congressman DeFazio, who appears not to have
a clue as to what is really going on in education reform and its laws.
It is about time that Congressman DeFazio began reading the legislation
that he votes for. Or maybe he did, and is part of the cover up as to what
Goals 2000, the School to Work legislation, the Safe and Drug Free Schools
Act and the Careers Act are all about. Which is bad news for kids and their
families in the Three Rivers school district.