A Letter from Sonny Bono:

Forwarded by Donald Castellucci, Jr.This month, instead of writing a column I am forwarding this letter written by Sonny Bono just before his tragic death.

Over the past three years, I have referred to a closed national E-mail loop I am involved with. The loop includes almost 300 people from state education departments, teachers, parents and citizens who care about the future of this country. I receive information from almost all 50 states pertaining to legislation and situations in all types of school districts. I can discern first hand by this information what is working nationally and what isn't.

I know many parents are aware something is wrong. I can tell you it is not money, there's plenty! It is not most teachers. It is a bunch of liberal educrats with a political agenda that can be traced for many years if you take the time read up on it. Only then, when something is pointed out in legislation, will it make sense to you.

I have highlighted a few points in Sonny Bono's letter that you have seen in some of my articles over the years. Don't be alarmed that only 60 Congressman voted against this bill. A few years ago, that number was much less. The efforts of people much more involved than me are only starting to pay off. It is a race to the finish line. There isn't much time left until the socialists in this country control your life. In fact, by what is in this letter I would determine less than a generation; your children's generation.

On December 10, 1997, U. S. Congressman Sonny Bono wrote the following letter to a sponsor of the Set A Good Example Contest living near his hometown of Palm Springs, California.

"Thank you for contacting my office regarding H.R. 1385, the Employment, Training and Literacy Enhancement Act of 1997. . . As you may know, H.R.1385 passed the House on May 16th, 1997 by an overwhelming majority of votes. H.R. 1385 supports President Clinton's school-to-work, Goals 2000 plan, which enables federal agencies to control the nation's workforce. Under the bill the only voluntary choice state and local school boards have is to decline federal education funding. Based on these findings, I was one of sixty members of Congress opposed to this legislation.

"Under a national school-to-work system, children's careers will be chosen for them by Workforce Development Boards and federal agencies. Our schools will be restructured to teach labor skills and to focus on changing attitudes and social behavior. The new skills standards will replace higher academic standards and emphasize teaching vocational skills as well as social engineering. The school-to-work system requires all students to receive at least three years of vocational training, two in high school and one in a community college in order to qualify for work certificates. This legislation will create a complex, massive bureaucracy while denying

children the freedom of intellectual development.

"Currently, the federal government spends approximately $100 billion a year on more than 760 federal education programs, which span 40 separate federal agencies. Furthermore, $5.4 billion of the $15.4 billion spent by the Department of Education. (DOE) on elementary and secondary education programs never reach the all-important classroom. The state of education in America today is tragic. As your Congressman, I will work to ensure that the federal government spends its scarce education resources only on programs that produce measurable results in the classroom most efficiently and effectively.

"Again, thank you for taking the time to express your views to me. Please continue to connect with me on other matters of mutual concern."

Sonny Bono wanted to share the truth about what is in store for America's children. Such a complicated subject has never been more concisely or simply defined.