VoteKansas.org

Education

Whereas our United States Constitution does not grant powers to the Federal Government other than those enumerated therein, we call for the dismantling of the Department of Education.

The Federal Government shall not regulate nor intervene in our schools. Neither shall it provide or endorse a particular world-view or philosophy, in keeping with the First Amendment which prohibits the establishment of a religion. For the responsibility to educate our youth belongs to the people, in particular to the parents or legitimate guardian of the child, and this right shall not be denied them. They shall have the right to choose the method of education that shall include but not be limited to: private schools, correspondence schools, home schooling or public schools run by local and independent school boards, whose members are elected in fair elections, free from special interest groups, union and political influence.

We recommend that Reform Party state organizations issue a supplemental education platform that addresses the particular needs of the people in their state.

The indiscriminate diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), hyperactivity, and depression by school staff, and the undue pressure exerted on parents to medicate their children with mind-altering drugs such as Ritalin, Paxil, and Prozac (to name a few), is a scandal in our school system and an injustice to our children.

The diagnosing, prescribing and dissemination of medication and medical procedures are not legitimate functions of our schools, and should be discontinued immediately.

The responsibility for the health and welfare of children belongs to the parent or legal guardian in consultation with their family physician, and this right shall not be breached by school administrators, staff or federal and state agencies.

We do not support bilingual education, which only prolongs the assimilation of immigrant children into our American culture. Children progress faster when immersed in the English language. For this reason, we do not support keeping immigrant children languishing in foreign speaking classes.

We oppose federal funding for education. We believe funding for public education should be derived from local sources such as state and county taxes, municipal bonds, private grants and philanthropic scholarships.

To this end, the Reform Party of KS will work to discontinue a national curriculum, mandates, federal grants and programs such as Goals 2000, Outcome Based Education, School to Work, sensitivity workshops, sex education and a host of other programs that proliferate in our schools and seek to corrupt our children and undermine parental authority and traditional family values.

The right of parents to educate their children is paramount. Therefore, the Reform Party of KS will work to elect servants of the people who pledge to safeguard this right, for we know that the future of our nation and the continuance of our liberties are vested in our youth.