Education

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

--10th Amendment to the United States Constitution

All teaching is related to basic assumptions about God and man. Education as a whole, therefore, cannot be separated from religious faith. The law of our Creator assigns the authority and responsibility of educating children to their parents. Education should be free from all federal government subsidies, including vouchers, tax incentives, and loans, except with respect to veterans.

Section 1:  WE SUPPORT THE PARENTAL RIGHT TO PROVIDE FOR THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN

• We support the unimpeded right of parents to provide for the education of their children in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious.
• All legislation from any level of government that would interfere with or restrict that liberty should be opposed.
• Equitable tax relief for families whose children do not attend government schools should be provided for.
• Compulsory attendance laws should be repealed. Parents need not defy the law by refusing to send their children to schools of which they disapprove.

Section 2:  WE SUPPORT ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION OPTIONS:

• We affirm the free market principles which drive improvement of education through non-traditional options such as internet-based schools, charter schools, Christian and private schools, as well as home schooling options.

Section 3:  WE CALL FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

• There is no Constitutional provision that empowers the federal government to provide for and regulate the education of our children.
• All current federal legislation related to education should be repealed. No new federal laws subsidizing or regulating education should be enacted.

Section 4:  WE OPPOSE ANY FEDERAL CONTROL OVER THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN:

• Because control over education is now being relegated to departments other than the Department of Education, we clarify that no federal agency, department, board, or other entity may exercise jurisdiction over any aspect of children’s upbringing. Education, training, and discipline of children are properly placed in the domain of their parents.

• Under no circumstances should the federal government be involved in national teacher certification, educational curricula, textbook selection, learning standards, comprehensive sex education, psychological and psychiatric research testing programs, and personnel.

Section 5:  WE OPPOSE THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT (NCLB Act) and RACE TO THE TOP AND CALL FOR THEIR REPEAL BY CONGRESS:

• The NCLB Act is unconstitutional and imposes unfunded mandates on the states which not only encumber the states, but often tie their hands – prohibiting the states from making decisions about education and threatening the loss of federal monies if the states are non-compliant. Since the re-enactment of NCLB, grades have continued to fall and graduation rates have continued to plummet. Once the shining light on a hill for the world, our education system is in shambles.

Section 6:  WE CALL UPON THE LEGISLATURES OF THE STATES TO exercise their sovereignty under the 10th Amendment to nullify the “No Child Left Behind” Act, and all regulations imposed by the Department of Education, and to reject federal monies for grades K-12.