THE GOVERNMENT EDUCATION MONOPOLY
By Joseph Farah
The people who control and run government schools - or what some people mistakenly call "public schools" - are working very hard to ensure they have no competition, especially from pesky parents who actually think they know what's best for their kids.
Take for example the National Education Association's official position on home schooling. It is rather enlightening to say the least.
"Home-schooling programs cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience," the NEA states. Reaffirmed in July 2000 at the labor unions annual convention, the statement was originally adopted and published in 1988.
The resolution, which totals less than 150 words, also states: "Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used."
"The association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools," the resolution concludes.
Now, now. Isn't that interesting? How's that for arrogance? How's that for ignoring reality? How's that for throwing stones while living in a glass house?
So, home-schooling cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience, huh? Why is it that every study shows home-schoolers far out-performing those mis-educated in government schools. (Calling them "public schools" is misleading because most all "private schools" in this country are open to the public. The difference is that what we call "public schools" are actually institutions controlled by the state - and increasingly by Washington.)
It's no wonder the NEA is so worried about home-schooling. It may be the biggest and best threat to the government education establishment. While most voucher and school-choice plans could easily be co-opted by the state, it's hard to imagine how government could ever corrupt home-schooling short of regulating it or outlawing it. And that's just what the state's partner in education crime - the NEA - is trying to do.
The NEA, which has demonstrated high marks only for dumbing down an entire generation of government school students, now wants to license parents to teach their own kids.
Of course, the group objects to home-schooling because it cannot possible offer a comprehensive educational experience for kids. But, at the same time, the NEA wants to make sure it doesn't - so don't get any idea about trying to sneak your home-schooled kid into a government school extracurricular program, even if your tax dollars did pay for it. Unbelievable.
The NEA is running a protection racket for its employees. But more than that, the NEA is spearheading the drive for total government control over all education. The reason it does so is because government empowers the NEA. This is a union that has special privileges no other labor guild has ever enjoyed - including non-profit status for an organization that actively promotes, endorses and funds the candidacies of partisan political campaigns.
This is truly an extremist organization - one that would, if it could, change America's character in ways that would make it scarcely recognizable to freedom-loving people.
And that's why home-schoolers are its biggest enemy, its most feared threat and its most worthy adversary.
This issue of Whistleblower is devoted to exposing the government's stranglehold on education in this country - something that was never envisioned or intended by America's founders.
Government education means government indoctrination. It's that simple. Continued dependence on government education is resulting in generations of kids believing government is the first remedy for any problem in their lives. We are breeding and raising Americans now who see government as God. And that education system is the biggest culprit in this depraved scheme.
This article was reprinted with permission from WND's October 2001 issue of Whistleblower magazine. Read this issue thoroughly. Pass it on to your friends. We believe it represents an honest and thorough effort to blow the whistle on one of America's biggest scandals. To order the Whistleblower magazine call WND toll free 1-877-909-1776
Until next time.
Joseph Farah is the founder, editor and chief executive officer of World NetDaily.com, the Internet's fastest-growing independent newssite. He writes a weekly commentary for the Jerusalem Post. He has written for such publications as the Wall Street Journal, National Review, TV Guide, Reason, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun-Times and a host of other national, international and regional publications. He is the co-author, with U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, of "This Land is Our Land"
Joseph Farah made a name for himself with traditional daily newspapers prior to his founding of WorldNetDaily -- running the Sacramento Union, directing the news operation of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner for nine years. Farah's many journalism awards include honors for reporting to writing headlines to honesty in journalism to editing and newspaper design.