Fed Up!, by Rick Perry: on Education

Rick Perry: OpEd: School choice laudable at local level but not federal

Do you think there would have been significant Republican opposition? Nope. In the House, Republicans voted 185-34 in favor of NCLB, while in the Senate the vote among Republicans was 43-6. Unfortunately, this willingness to turn power over to Washington was driven in significant part by the desire to further expand federal faith-based initiatives and to provide for the increased possibility of school choice. This is a perfect example of Republicans losing sight of the fact that perfectly laudable policy choices at the local level are nor appropriate (much less constitutional) at the federal level. This is not consistent with a belief in a limited federal government of enumerated powers. Worse, the Department of Education is now unfettered in its ability to interfere in the affairs of local government.

Rick Perry: Public prayer is not establishing a religion

Rick Perry: Turned down $700M in federal aid due to strings attached

Ultimately, the decision was easy for two reasons. First, the Texas school system is performing well, with leading standards, and innovative charter schools. Second, the money we turned down was about $75 per student. It is frustrating when we are put in this position, but at some point we have to start telling Washington that we've had enough of the strings they attach.

Rick Perry: Choose from mix of public, charter & private schools

I see a people who can pray in their schools as they wish and towns across America that can publicly celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or nothing at all.

I see an education system that is the envy of the world, controlled by parents and the people according to the beliefs of the communities in which they live. I see an energetic mix of public, charter, and private schools, delivering options so people can choose what is best for their children, rather than getting stuck because a too-powerful teachers' union or government bureaucrat tells them how they must learn. The result is an important balance of academic excellence, local values, and a firm understanding of our nation's core founding principles--all of which will carry our nation forward with new generations of American achievement.

Ted Kennedy: Shepherded Bush's "No Child Left Behind" through Congress

Do you think there would have been significant Republican opposition? Nope. In the House, Republicans voted 185-34 in favor of NCLB, while in the Senate the vote among Republicans was 43-6. Unfortunately, this willingness to turn power over to Washington was driven in significant part by the desire to further expand federal faith-based initiatives and to provide for the increased possibility of school choice. This is a perfect example of Republicans losing sight of the fact that perfectly laudable policy choices at the local level are nor appropriate (much less constitutional) at the federal level.