Education Resolutions to Suggest at Your Caucus
February 21, 2012
Proposed Education Resolutions 2012
These resolutions are a package, but they can be adopted separately.
1) Parents’ right to raise their own children, and private and religious preschools’ right to set their own standards
We strongly support freedom from government interference for private and religious preschools, and we oppose the establishment of universal preschool programs in Washington State, especially the imposition of government early childhood standards, curriculum, assessments, and administrative mandates upon the preschools.
2) The Tenth Amendment and Local Control
Since education is not an enumerated power of the federal government, we strongly support local control of schools and therefore oppose the illegal adoption of the Common Core national standards and assessments, and the Race to the Top program itself. We also oppose re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, and we support Washington State’s opting out of the currently enacted law.
3) Separation of Powers
Since Department of Education Waivers from No Child Left Behind are the executive branch’s attempt to legislate, we oppose the Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Waivers, as well as its Race to the Top and early learning programs.
4) Data Privacy
We strongly support data privacy and oppose the implementation of a longitudinal education data system collecting data on each child from birth through college.
5) No forced unionization of childcare workers
We oppose the forced unionization of childcare staff in businesses whose clients receive government subsidies and the automatic deduction of union dues or fair share fees from those subsidies.
Background Information
1) Oppose imposition of mandatory state preschool standards on private preschool programs
Parents, not government, are responsible for raising and educating their own preschool children.
Neither the state nor federal governments have authority to set preschool standards, curriculum, or assessments for private and religious schools.
The Washington State Legislature is currently implementing a Washington Preschool Program, to be phased in gradually until it is a universal program and which, since it is government-funded, disallows any religious influence.
The Washington State Governor and Legislature are phasing in a “one-size-fits-all” set of preschool curriculum standards, are developing preschool assessments, and are requiring new government-mandated employment qualifications for preschools–even if they are private, if they enroll children who are subsidized by the state.
2) Oppose the imposition of national (Common Core) K-12 standards and NCLB Re-authorization.
According to the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution education, since not listed as a power of the federal government, is reserved to the states and to the people.
Private non-profit organizations are funding, creating, and promoting Common Core national standards through federal education programs like Race to the Top without any accountability or input from private, taxpaying citizens either directly or through their elected officials.
The implementation of a national curriculum is unconstitutional, violates federal law, and is unnecessary and unhelpful for improving national academic performance.
In many cases the national standards are of lower quality than current state standards.
3) Oppose federal and executive branch control of education
The Obama administration is ignoring separation of powers doctrine and implementing various aspects of federal education programs unconstitutionally through the executive branch.
Programs such as No Child Left Behind waivers, Race to the Top, and early childhood scholarships are being implemented by the federal executive branch without statutory authority or legislative input.
4) Oppose federal education data tracking from birth
The federal K-12 and early childhood sections of Race to the Top as well as the stimulus bill require states to set up or expand a comprehensive data tracking system of all children from birth, a system by which much sensitive personal and family data will be collected in a permanent database.
The Obama administration has by rule effectively gutted student consent and privacy protection under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
5) Oppose unionization of private businesses and independent contractors.
Several states including Washington state have or have attempted to unionize personal care attendants or workers in small independent childcare businesses that care for clients receiving government subsidies, and in many cases union dues are automatically deducted from those subsidies resulting in decreased funds for poor, sick and disabled children and adults.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Credit and thanks go to Education Liberty Watch for their resolution suggestions.
Proposed Education Resolutions 2012
These resolutions are a package, but they can be adopted separately.
1) Parents’ right to raise their own children, and private and religious preschools’ right to set their own standards
We strongly support freedom from government interference for private and religious preschools, and we oppose the establishment of universal preschool programs in Washington State, especially the imposition of government early childhood standards, curriculum, assessments, and administrative mandates upon the preschools.
2) The Tenth Amendment and Local Control
Since education is not an enumerated power of the federal government, we strongly support local control of schools and therefore oppose the illegal adoption of the Common Core national standards and assessments, and the Race to the Top program itself. We also oppose re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, and we support Washington State’s opting out of the currently enacted law.
3) Separation of Powers
Since Department of Education Waivers from No Child Left Behind are the executive branch’s attempt to legislate, we oppose the Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Waivers, as well as its Race to the Top and early learning programs.
4) Data Privacy
We strongly support data privacy and oppose the implementation of a longitudinal education data system collecting data on each child from birth through college.
5) No forced unionization of childcare workers
We oppose the forced unionization of childcare staff in businesses whose clients receive government subsidies and the automatic deduction of union dues or fair share fees from those subsidies.
Background Information
1) Oppose imposition of mandatory state preschool standards on private preschool programs
Parents, not government, are responsible for raising and educating their own preschool children.
Neither the state nor federal governments have authority to set preschool standards, curriculum, or assessments for private and religious schools.
The Washington State Legislature is currently implementing a Washington Preschool Program, to be phased in gradually until it is a universal program and which, since it is government-funded, disallows any religious influence.
The Washington State Governor and Legislature are phasing in a “one-size-fits-all” set of preschool curriculum standards, are developing preschool assessments, and are requiring new government-mandated employment qualifications for preschools–even if they are private, if they enroll children who are subsidized by the state.
2) Oppose the imposition of national (Common Core) K-12 standards and NCLB Re-authorization.
According to the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution education, since not listed as a power of the federal government, is reserved to the states and to the people.
Private non-profit organizations are funding, creating, and promoting Common Core national standards through federal education programs like Race to the Top without any accountability or input from private, taxpaying citizens either directly or through their elected officials.
The implementation of a national curriculum is unconstitutional, violates federal law, and is unnecessary and unhelpful for improving national academic performance.
In many cases the national standards are of lower quality than current state standards.
3) Oppose federal and executive branch control of education
The Obama administration is ignoring separation of powers doctrine and implementing various aspects of federal education programs unconstitutionally through the executive branch.
Programs such as No Child Left Behind waivers, Race to the Top, and early childhood scholarships are being implemented by the federal executive branch without statutory authority or legislative input.
4) Oppose federal education data tracking from birth
The federal K-12 and early childhood sections of Race to the Top as well as the stimulus bill require states to set up or expand a comprehensive data tracking system of all children from birth, a system by which much sensitive personal and family data will be collected in a permanent database.
The Obama administration has by rule effectively gutted student consent and privacy protection under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
5) Oppose unionization of private businesses and independent contractors.
Several states including Washington state have or have attempted to unionize personal care attendants or workers in small independent childcare businesses that care for clients receiving government subsidies, and in many cases union dues are automatically deducted from those subsidies resulting in decreased funds for poor, sick and disabled children and adults.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Credit and thanks go to Education Liberty Watch for their resolution suggestions.