My State Rep. Jeff Crank sent a letter saying he is proud to co-sponsor a bill to eliminate the Department of Education.

My response:

In your email saying you are proud to co-sponsor H.R. 899 to terminate the Department of Education, you say that you believe "Parents know what is best for their child and should be given the tools to provide the best education for their child, not the federal government." A debatable point, but more importantly an irrelevant one.

In the same paragraph you say that the Department of Education exists to "promote student achievement and equal access to education." Nothing in that mission is incompatible with parental input and/or guidance.

Please tell me honestly which of the department's goals you find so odious.

Do you oppose student achievement?

Do you oppose equal access to education?

If neither, then you have not even begun to make your case for removing the department. Even accepting, for the moment, your opinion that parents actually do know better than professionals with years of pedagogical experience and training, you have yet to make an argument. You have not shown that D of E is somehow failing to give parents the tools to give their children the best education. You need to not only show that, but also why the problem cannot be solved with smaller changes.

Does the sort of "hand waving" you use in your letter work for some of your constituents? I'm not buying it. Do your work. We are supposed to be moving toward a meritocracy. Show your merit by showing your work. Make your case.

Sincerely,
Kevin Bowersox