Dr. Rich Swier posted a blog titled "Florida Sells the Souls of its Public School Students for $63 Each" found on Tennessee Watching Federal and State Government and on Tea Party Nation. Swier explains what he sees as a federal scheme to take over public education:
"Have you heard something about a national education initiative titled: Race to the Top (RTTT)? Well this initiative was created from whole cloth by President Obama’s Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Just as Obamacare is a federal takeover of our health care system, RTTT is the federal takeover of our public education system.
The U.S. Department of Education created the Race to the Top program under the Stimulus Bill (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA) in early 2009. With a federal grant of $4.35 billion, Arne Duncan had a very large “carrot” to lure the states to enter into a competition for these funds in the name of 'education reform'."
Read more here.
Florida TEA Party activists have been silent on Race to the Top and federal education reform initiatives in this year's legislative session. Last year, the Florida TEA Party opposed SB6, the legislative requirement to obtain federal funds. Curiously, this year, the Florida TEA Party supported legislative initiatives that mirror the Race to the Top proposal that won Florida the federal funds to implement so-called reform, but silent on the details.
Is Dr. Swier's blog a sign that members of the national TEA Party are now taking a deeper look at education reform initiatives? Why did Dr. Swier look particularly at Florida? Whatever the answers, the blog adds additional clarity that across ideologies and across the nation, deep concerns exist among parents, members of the community, and taxpayers. There is plenty to be concerned about.
Eyes directed toward Washington D.C. on July 31. The S.O.S. March on Washington brings those concerns to the doorstep of the policymakers and federal legislators. Will they maintain radio silence, ignore, and pretend there are no concerns?
http://www.tngovwatch.org/florida-sells-the-souls-of-its-public-school-students-for-63-each/
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