For Immediate Release Friday, March 28, 2014
As a number of state governments struggle with Common Core education rules, the Libertarian Party (LP) cites Common Core as a reason to get government out of education.
Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict commented, “Since Democrat Barack Obama took office, some conservatives have switched positions on Common Core. But conservatives were for it before they were against it. Republican George W. Bush paved the way with No Child Left Behind, and he helped double the budget of the federal Department of Education. Common Core was created by the bipartisan National Governors Association.”
Benedict continued, “Republicans like Chris Christie and Jeb Bush have not flip-flopped, however. They still support Common Core.”
Benedict continued, “Common Core is one more reason why government should not be involved in education. Government programs generally grow more centralized, bureaucratic, and one-size-fits-all. As the Cato Institute’s Neal McCluskey said, Common Core ‘treats students like soulless widgets.'”
Earlier this year, libertarian commentator John Stossel pointed out, “Common Core, like public school, public housing, the U.S. Postal Service, the Transportation Security Administration, etc., are all one-size-fits-all government monopolies. For consumers, this is not a good thing.”
Around the U.S., Libertarians are working to block or repeal Common Core, and many go further than that.
New York Libertarian candidate Gigi Bowman promises to work to “repeal Common Core.”
Louisiana LP Executive Director Wendy Adams commented, “…we stress that ultimately we must work to end federal involvement in education.”
Alaska LP Chair Michael Chambers noted, “Common Core is another device for data mining citizens at a primary level…. Libertarians must take the lead on opposing any form of homogenizing our children for ‘communitary social benefit.'”
Benedict added, “Some people claim Common Core is not a federal mandate, but that’s misleading. The federal government used Race to the Top money to bribe state governments into accepting the Common Core requirements.”
The Libertarian Party’s platform includes the following education plank:
“Education is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality, accountability and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Recognizing that the education of children is a parental responsibility, we would restore authority to parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government. Parents should have control of and responsibility for all funds expended for their children’s education.”
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