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Should the U.S Abolish the Department of Education?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:18 pm
by Ulvena
So ever since I've been getting into a more Capitalist, Right Wing community over both my life and the internet, a few things have come up that I simply can't agree with. The one that I can't agree with the most is probably the Department of Education thing, specifically abolishing it and giving full power to the States.

So what does the NS General community think about this? After all, the Department of Education did do some stupid [REDACTED] like pass No Child Left Behind or focus on the Self-Esteem movement a decade ago. But on the other hand, the Department of Education does facilitate education on a federal level.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:28 pm
by DrakoBlaria
Well I believe that Education should be handed from the state.Wait I thought the U.S had a ministry of Education.What is the difference bewteen ministry and department in the U.S?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:30 pm
by Mardo
no

redneck states can't be trusted with educating children

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:31 pm
by Laerod
DrakoBlaria wrote:Well I believe that Education should be handed from the state.Wait I thought the U.S had a ministry of Education.

It shouldn't. There needs to be some kind of academic standard across the board and you do not achieve that with 50 states going their seperate ways.
What is the difference bewteen ministry and department in the U.S?

Ministries are what foreign people call their departments.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:31 pm
by Sdaeriji
No. Businesses benefit from uniform education standards across the country.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:32 pm
by DrakoBlaria
Laerod wrote:
DrakoBlaria wrote:Well I believe that Education should be handed from the state.Wait I thought the U.S had a ministry of Education.

It shouldn't. There needs to be some kind of academic standard across the board and you do not achieve that with 50 states going their seperate ways.
What is the difference bewteen ministry and department in the U.S?

Ministries are what foreign people call their departments.


I think you mean the opposite.Then I can not see why it should change.Since the goverment votes the changes then it is all ok

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:36 pm
by Desperate Measures
That is one of the worst ideas ever.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:36 pm
by Trotskylvania
No.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:39 pm
by The Sovietyeto
This argument reminds me about what Anericans would say while making the Articles of Confederation. Almost an uncanny similarity.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:45 pm
by United Bobtopia
I don't know. I used to work in the education field, teaching kids with severe mental illness. Some of the greatest frustrations with the job came from the federal level (ie. No Child Left Behind which mandated standardized testing for all children across the nation).

The thing is, unlike most European nations, America is a very large country with many distinct cultural views and customs. The one size fits all approach, as exemplified by the department of Education, is flawed in many respects and may even be counter productive.

During the golden age of American literacy (late 1940s to 1950s. Read text books from those days. Our literacy rates would never be as high again) our system worked with education matters being decided by municipal school boards, free even from state interference, let along federal. Obviously, the growth of the federal system isn't the sole reason for the decline (decline of multiple parent homes, more kids remaining in the school system rather than dropping out, mainstreaming of children with cognitive disabilities and a host of other factors played just as important a role) but it should be factored into the debate.

I guess my view would be that it's a far more complex issue than either side would be willing to give credit for.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:45 pm
by Genivaria
No. Texas has been doing a pretty shit job of setting its own Education policy.
Education should be set by the Federal government, not the State.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:45 pm
by Duvniask
Maybe that would be an addition to the long list of horrible ideas.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:51 pm
by DogDoo 7
No. If anything, they should fund schools federally. There's no good reason why rich kids should have more government money spent on their schools than poor kids.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:53 pm
by Divair
No, just no.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:55 pm
by United Bobtopia
Genivaria wrote:No. Texas has been doing a pretty shit job of setting its own Education policy.
Education should be set by the Federal government, not the State.


Not actually true. Now I should admit, I have a bit of a linking when it comes to Texas, having enjoyed my time living there immensely, but Texas scores higher than even states like California across the board. They rank 10th in math, and just below the national average in math scores. Texas has some of the best employees I've ever had the pleasure of hiring. If anything, I have to give their schools a thumbs up.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:56 pm
by Point Breeze
You could definitely make an argument that the Department of Education should undergo a massive overhaul, but outright abolition? You damn crazy.

As I said, education in our great nation is failing, and changes should be made. Documentaries like Waiting for Superman come to mind. Educate yourselves.


(no pun intended)

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:57 pm
by Alowwvia
Nice in principle, but it would result in Creationism being taught in some places, and other silly things. So, it's a no-no.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:58 pm
by Laerod
United Bobtopia wrote:
Genivaria wrote:No. Texas has been doing a pretty shit job of setting its own Education policy.
Education should be set by the Federal government, not the State.


Not actually true. Now I should admit, I have a bit of a linking when it comes to Texas, having enjoyed my time living there immensely, but Texas scores higher than even states like California across the board. They rank 10th in math, and just below the national average in math scores. Texas has some of the best employees I've ever had the pleasure of hiring. If anything, I have to give their schools a thumbs up.

In what ranking is this?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:59 pm
by Alyekra
Yes, Tenth amendment.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:00 pm
by Zottistan
I'd be more in favour in taking it completely out of the hands of the government and privatizing it. Granted that would be an expensive, difficult and sprawlingly inefficient process.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:01 pm
by Laerod
Zottistan wrote:I'd be more in favour in taking it completely out of the hands of the government and privatizing it. Granted that would be an expensive, difficult and sprawlingly inefficient process.

Why'd you be in favor then?

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:01 pm
by Natapoc
Yes, assuming the average NSG poster represents the output of the department of education There is little reason to believe the DOE is accomplishing anything at all with the funds given to them.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:02 pm
by Laerod
Natapoc wrote:Yes, assuming the average NSG poster represents the output of the department of education There is little reason to believe the DOE is accomplishing anything at all with the funds given to then.

Bad idea.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:03 pm
by Alowwvia
Zottistan wrote:I'd be more in favour in taking it completely out of the hands of the government and privatizing it. Granted that would be an expensive, difficult and sprawlingly inefficient process.


There's another term for that that's actually shorter.


It's called terrible fucking idea.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:03 pm
by Malkora
No. What happens to children who move from state to state and are taught different things? Also, I don't think that children from certain states should be taught "creation science" because their representatives trust the bible over science.