12 Comments

A respected scholar here in NC has said the same. NC historically wasn’t fond of public education

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The competing with the commies angle I had forgotten but I remember it now being a concern. Sputnik is going to eat your lunch and all. The rest of course is pure American (racial) puritanism which we will clearly never escape ...

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Interesting history lesson. Now I’m truly depressed. I think we’re doomed.

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The best argument for a Federal Department of Education is Oklahoma's Secretary of Education, Ryan Walters. Just keep everyone informed as to what Sect. Walters is doing in Oklahoma and they'll refuse to support the dismantling of the Dept. of Education.

Walters wants to establish Catholic schools paid for with state taxes, tearing down the separation between church and state.

He wants Bibles in every classroom and have teachers base some of their course work on the Bible, further blurring the line between church and state.

He wants every school district in Oklahoma to show a video of him preaching to school children and praying for Trump to all students and to send the video to every parent in the state. Again, breaking the wall between church and state.

Show people what Walters is doing, and it's the clearest example of state indoctrination of religion that most people will see in their lives, since the elimination of school prayer.

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Some excellent points. With much respect, I gently posit that it could be arranged slightly better chronologically.

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He Came. He was Crucified. He is Resurrected. Yes friends it's The Second Coming Of Insane Clown.

it's all inscribed in The Book Of Retribution.

Democrats have a will to lose. Republicans have a will to win. Republicans presented an Insane Clown madman. Democrats presented a fucking Barbie Doll.

A Democracy ... If you can keep it. If you cannot keep it you do not deserve it.

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if anyone thinks the dept of ed is the only one that will be eliminated or disrupted into chaotic mayhem, i got news for yas...it's the end of the 'murrikan empire...the anti-war, anti-liberal left's wet dream is about to come true...isolationist, powerless 'murrika coming right up--if we thought being the baddest MFs on the top of the pile was horrible, wait until we feel the crushing weight of being in the middle of that pile--power, like nature, abhors a vacuum...we'll wish we had it back, and soon

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“Privatised” schools in 3…2…1…

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Because reading and writing and math scores are the worst ever in its history. Oh, and my feelings, thats why… oh and i almost forgot… the indoctrination of our kids with anti- American garbage. thats why. and if thats not good enough for you then you are the problem.

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Spot on, and thanks for the deep history.

From a column I wrote in March of 2023: "Drowning Public Education in the Bathtub to Promote Republican Ideology in Private Schools and worse." https://rleonard.substack.com/p/drowning-public-schools-in-the-bathtub?utm_source=publication-search

"They have implemented it perfectly. Public school teachers are under-resourced, demoralized, and even called “groomers.” Fox “News” and other conservative media continue the assault every day with lies. And Republicans continue to wave the flag and praise Jesus even though these values are un-American and not even close to the Christian values I learned in Sunday school. It’s all window dressing.

It's not about school choice or anything else they say it is. It’s about diverting public money into private hands and the indoctrination of our children into a right-wing values system that is increasingly a white nationalist ideology. This statement isn’t hyperbole or fear-mongering.

“Nearly two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants qualify as either Christian nationalism sympathizers (35%) or adherents (29%).” Thirty-five percent of all Whites are adherents. Put differently, Christian nationalist adherents are a minority but when combined with sympathizers still comprise a stunning 29 percent of Americans — many tens of millions.”

Democrats think it’s all about policy. It’s not. It’s all about power and disruption, and when the smoke clears, the most wealthy and privileged people in the history of the planet--American right-wing Christians, are playing the victim while robbing the poor and middle class to serve the ideology of the current Republican party and our corporate overlords."

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100% correct.

50 years in the making starting with Reagan. The Republicans play the long game. School scam vouchers have huge cost overruns.....IA,AZ, OH. The states will just raise taxes to cover it.

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Project 2025. They fking said this was going to happen. But yeah let’s vote for him and pretend we’re playing chicken.

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