 Well, we can stop holding our collective breath. After a good long time, the House Education and Labor Committee, "led" by Rep. John Kline (R-MN) has released its proposed overhaul of the despised-on-all-sides No Child Left Behind. Except, it's no such thing.The release of the draft legislation marks the first tangible move that Kline has made since Republicans said in December they would strike out on their own following the flame-out of bipartisan talks. Just hours after Kline released his draft bills, Rep. George Miller (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the education committee and Kline's former No Child Left Behind negotiation partner, released a scathing statement condemning the measures.
"The Kline draft language ignores our responsibility to parents, students and taxpayers. They deserve better," Miller said. "The release of this draft marks a good day for proponents of the status quo or, worse, those who would take our education system back decades." The legislation isn't going to make it through Congress, and that's not only because it's too feeble and pointless for most Democrats. It will also be opposed by the crazed fanatic Republican right-wing, because they don't believe that there should be any federal role in public education, or, for that matter, any public education at all. They have this bizarre idea that if only everybody could be made as ignorant and delusional as they are, it would be a wonderful world.
If you're looking for more, on the endless folly that entirely characterizes John Kline's congressional career, this article, about the fate of science education under the committee's proposal, is well worth perusal. |
