With all the "education" information being presented to the public, how can the average parent make informed decisions? One week Molly Ivans is demonstrating how much she doesn't know about the issues and the next week it is someone else. Recently David Broder wrote that Secretary Riley and President Clinton had muddled the issues and were causing great harm. He also wrote, as governors, they were dedicated to education reform. If you consider solid reform moving Arkansas from 50th to 49th in state rankings and having South Carolina (Riley) ranked 50th, stop reading.

Every day parents see some type of propaganda from both sides of the isle called education reform. Next month in New York, without most parents realizing it, the quality of their children's education will be greatly diminished. The Board of Regents will pass the most intrusive attack on parental rights in this States history. Administrators, state officials, teacher's unions are all in unison delivering a message of "higher" standards. This is not the first state to pass such legislation. It is already failing in states such as Oregon, Texas, California, Ohio, and many others. After a few years in each of the above mentioned states parents have been in an uproar over the decline in the quality of education. Virginia's Republican governor, George Allen is probably the only governor to stand up to the bureaucrats and create actual core academic reforms.

In Michigan Republican Governor John Engler just issued Executive Order No. 1997-15 to force School to Work into the Michigan school code. Why? Because the Legislature hasn't passed it for the passed three years. The lesson; Don't buy into the local control line because there won't be any. This Governor just proved that!

Engler is not the only guilty governor. You also have Republican Governors Tommy Thompson, George Voinovich, George Pataki, George Bush and others.(Is George a prerequisite for governor!) One must ask what is the payback for such legislation? On many issues these are Conservative governors. To steal a line from James Carville, "It's the economy, stupid!" These governors are in the process of turning their states around from a devastating recession. How do you do that? You have lunch with Lou Gerstner. Next you have a Governor's summit in Palisades, NY. The major CEO's in the country tell the governors, "if you want business to expand in your state we need a well trained workforce." There is a significant difference between well trained and well educated.

After the "summit" each state pushes Outcomes Based Education and School to Work. This is the European socialist model for training the workforce. Change agents (Commissioner Mills and alike) sell a message of "high standards" to unsuspecting parents and next thing you know career awareness starts in kindergarten. (Reported in Binghamton Press)

Now big business and government (both State and Federal) will drive the curriculum. How? Using the Regents tests, national tests and federal monies via Goals 2000 and STW funding. Do you think you as parents will have any say in educational issues? Think again! Even if you send the message to Albany and Washington big business will continue to fund these reforms along with foundations such as Carnegie and Pew Charitables. Local teachers are not driving this agenda, parents are not driving this agenda, these organizations are.

Recently we have heard the president wants national testing. What is wrong with these tests? Plenty! What will be the cost? How much more money are you willing to spend? The tests are based in whole language in the reading section and allows for the use of calculators in the math sections. Two things I, as a parent, will shield my children from. I am far from the only one who is doing this. How will these children do on the tests? A national curriculum will consequently be developed because teachers will have to teach to these tests.

Aren't children tested enough? How about spending the money on actual reforms instead of creating more government bureaucracy? It is high time the liberal government elitists and the union leadership take credit for what they have done over the past 40 years; destroyed public education.

Recently the US Senate passed the Gorton amendment 51- 49. This will send 5.5 billion dollars back to the local districts eliminating the Federal and State level of bureaucracy. It will gut the Department of Education, Goals 2000 and School to Work. Finally real local control! When Tom Harkin(D-Iowa) realized what happened he asked his colleagues to understand what they did. He stated communities could build swimming pools or do whatever they wanted with the money. Slade Gorton(R-Wash) reminded him those were the same people who elected them both. After hearing of this amendment the President has threatened to veto the whole appropriations bill. All this from a president who "believes" in local control.

Meanwhile the House of Representatives passed a bill that would send block grant money to the states with strings attached such as establishing workforce development boards appointed by the governors. These boards will be able to by-pass your elected officials and your school boards! It also puts in place School to Work initiatives and will restrict student career choices.

Two separate bills with two very different agendas. One day I receive great news the next I am ready to jump off the bridge!

Is it no wonder parents can not keep informed? The major problem with these reforms are parents are given so much information with political spin it is hard to decipher the truth or the agendas. Parents want high core academic standards not training for a career. Parents want the true history of this country taught not multi-cultural revisionism. Parents want their taxes to be spent on an educational system that is dedicated to higher standards than they experienced, not lower.

If in fact parents want these things only one issue remains. When are parents and voters going to send the message that only the best proven methods are to be used on their children: not every "new philosophy" that comes down the pike? It is time for parents to get informed about the acceptance of Goals 2000 and STW grants. It is your tax money. "Do it for the children."