A Primer for Our President, the Secretary of Education, and Every Republican in Congress* Regarding Local Control of Schools

 (* because these boo boo heads will, no doubt, vote in lockstep with their Dear Leader to obliterate the Department of Education)

The insanity/chaos/shittiness going on in Washington has not gone unnoticed by this blogger and I simply cannot keep up with it, blog wise.  I've opted for daily posts on Instagram (@bigtenmom2000), if you're interested.

However, as a career educator/administrator and grandparent of a child with special needs, I felt this current move calling to me, thus warranting a blog post.

The President claims to want to return control of the schools to the states.  Below is what is in place today.

In education, local control refers to (1) the governing and management of public schools by elected or appointed representatives serving on governing bodies, such as school boards or school committees, that are located in the communities served by the schools, and (2) the degree to which local leaders, institutions, and governing bodies can make independent or autonomous decisions about the governance and operation of public schools.  edglossary.com

And here, dear legislators, before the website is taken down or edited, is what the Department of Education does:

Congress established the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on May 4, 1980, in the Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979). Under this law, ED's mission is to:

Strengthen the Federal commitment to assuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual;

Supplement and complement the efforts of states, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education;

Encourage the increased involvement of the public, parents, and students in Federal education programs;

Promote improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through Federally supported research, evaluation, and sharing of information;

Improve the coordination of Federal education programs;

Improve the management of Federal education activities; andIncrease the accountability of Federal education programs to the President, the Congress, and the public.

from: Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO)

I'm guessing the feds will be hot on the trail of this part of the mission statement:

Strengthen the Federal commitment to assuring access to equal educational opportunity for every individual

Because, why, right?  Why in the world should you, legislators, want to ensure that the children you represent in Congress (you do remember that's what you're sent there to do, right? 

Here's a reminder: In current practice, the roles and duties carried out by a Member of Congress are understood to include representation, legislation, and constituent service and communication, as well as electoral activities. Roles and Duties of a Member of Congress: Brief Overview | Congress.gov | Library of Congress )  

As in ALL children, regardless of their backgrounds, their parent(s) income level, where they live.  Herein, I see, will lie the problem.  That smacks of DEI, doesn't it?  Which you all are sitting on your hands and removing your vocal chords as various department websites are eliminating references to heroes and heroines of color (People who have been removed from federal websites include those promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content1. Agencies across the government have erased references to transgender people, women, and people of color from their websites23. For example, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Park Service, the State Department, and the Social Security Administration have removed such references3. The Department of Defense has also removed some webpages to eliminate DEI content4. Major affected agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau5.  Holocaust survivor Kitty Saks.  Articles related to 9/11, about breast cancer, suicide prevention, Jackie Robinson, US Marine Ira Hayes...maybe have someone in your office compile a list for you.

In states like Minnesota, the state government will ensure that services will continue to be provided to students will special needs.  That doesn't let you off the hook, Tom Emmer, my Congressman (barf), #3 in House leadership.  But last time I looked, there are children with special needs living in states where local and state governments will not fill the void that will come with the decimation of the Department of Education.  Worse, the oversight the Department provided will be gone.  Meaning if, oh, any one of these states:

the red are the worst, blue are the best

decide that now that the Feds are no longer involved, let's just bypass what little we were doing and do less.  Do more with less, right?

Do more with less was a mantra for a number of years while I was an administrator.  And after a couple years of that shit, this pushback mantra emerged: you can only do less with less.  Or, when A, then B.  As in consequences of one's actions.

Read this article if you want to know what life was like for students with disabilities before the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. What Was School Like for Students With Disabilities Before IDEA? | NEA

I remember what it was like.  I remember parents being told that the schools couldn't deal with their kids, so they couldn't come to school.  Or students being segregated into special classrooms without sufficient, appropriate educational support.

Today, at least in Minnesota, schools begin inclusion (there's that word again) for students with special needs as early as age 2 in integrated (there's that word again) classrooms, where typically developing children and children with special needs go to school together.  Because of local control, school districts are able to design programs to best meet the needs of their students, all the while adhering to state and federal law.

This is what is going on today.  Right now.  In all your districts (well, I don't know about those red ones in the chart above).  The oversight of the Department of Education has ensured this happens.  DOE does not write curriculum.  It makes sure that the curriculum meets standards for all children.  This potentially prevents local school districts from eliminating developmentally appropriate curriculum for students with special needs.  Given today's cultural climate, I have absolutely no faith that every school districts will do this simply because it is the morally and ethically correct course of action.  Do you?

So today the Pres began the process of dismantling DOE, saying federal Title I funds for schools in high-poverty regions, funding for students with disabilities, Pell Grants and student loans will be "fully preserved" and still administered by the department.

And if you believe that, I have some swamp land in Florida for you as well as an amazing price on the Brooklyn Bridge