Let The Free Market Have A Go

US Education:  What's it worth?

There are some things governments do well. Conversely, there are things governments don't do well at all.  Two examples leap to mind:  health care and education.  Big government lovers will take exception to that, as they believe government should provide a cradle to grave security blanket for its subjects - er, citizens.  I disagree.  The recent unhinged response from the left-wing, big government types regarding the confirmation of several cabinet positions illustrates this disconnect perfectly.  Consider just education for a moment.

Yesterday Betsy DeVos, the 59-year-old businesswoman who survived a concerted effort to stop her nomination, was confirmed as Secretary of Education.  Vice President Mike Pence cast a historic deciding vote, breaking the tie along party lines and secured her confirmation.  The fight is all about Democrats' fear of losing their hold on power, especially in education, and that's something they can't abide.  Educated voters are a threat to liberalism for the most part.  But let's take this argument further, away from partisan politics and into the question of what the government is even doing in the education business.  Let's find out.  The United States Department of Education (the Department refers to itself as ED, a pun so glaring that it needs no further highlighting) was established in 1980.  Its mission statement, quoting directly from its website is:

ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. 

ED was created in 1980 by combining offices from several federal agencies. ED's 4,400 employees and $68 billion budget are dedicated to: Establishing policies on federal financial aid for education, and distributing as well as monitoring those funds; Collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research; Focusing national attention on key educational issues; Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.

Interesting.  That's how our government views education.   All of those items are strictly bureaucratic and political in nature.  Nowhere do you find a sentence that clearly states that this department of the government, with its $68 billion budget, seeks to empower American children with the highest possible level of academic achievement.  Nope, it's all about a system to equalize some nebulous perceived inequality.

Since ED took over American education just 37 years ago, the United States has scored lower and lower against other nations in academic achievement.  Currently the US is ranked only 14th out of forty countries scored in cognitive skill and educational attainment.  That means the US isn't in the top ten.  It's closer to the top of the Bell curve.  That means it's not excellent.  It's not even good.  It's mediocre.  But, hey, we're ranked 2nd in ignorance.

Perception isn't reality

But that's what we get when we put 4,400 unelected bureaucrats in charge of our children's education.  Mediocrity. That, and political indoctrination, as is clearly evidenced by the forced imposition of the Common Core curriculum.  Our children are not taught basic civics so they may operate in a constitutional republic as informed citizens.  Nope, they're subject to such drivel as Danny Has Two Daddies.  We get snowflakes instead of critical thinkers.  And we get Asian nations as the top three countries whose children are actually well educated.  So the question arises.  Why have a department of education that has failed the nation so dismally for nearly four decades?  Close it up, shut it down, and put $68,000,000,000 back in the bank.  Thankfully, there is a bill being introduced that will do exactly that. 

Why not let the free market have a go?  It certainly can do better than 14th out of 40.  $68 billion for just mediocre?  Unacceptable.  Imagine if parents had a whole list of private schools from which to choose.  Imagine if private firms could compete with each other to offer better education for a lower price.  Imagine if parents and children alike didn't have to be subjected the disgusting agenda the left pushes down their throats every day.  And imagine - as a direct result of that quest for excellence at an ever diminishing cost - the educational and intellectual level of American graduates would be literally world class.  In fact, The US would once again establish the measure by which scholastic achievement is measured.  But primary education in that scenario wouldn't free, you say.  I say there's 68 billion dollars waiting to be applied to every single student in the United States.  There's existing infrastructure, and existing talent.  There exists a formula that can be found that will work, as it always does in a free and capitalistic society.

Maybe privatization is truly the answer.  I hope so.  Or at least give education back to the states.  But definitely not to the federal government.   Go back up and read the DOE's mission statement.  You'll know why the US is 14th.  Mediocre.