The position of the Bibb County Libertarian Party: Freedom In Education
By: Dave Whitaker
We, the Bibb County Libertarian Party, understand the need for quality education for the children of America. We also realize there are changes which need to be made in education. We desire as much as anyone that all children be educated so that they may be well-informed adults.
That being said, we do not favor the current education system. As citizens who belive in limited government, we do not see any role spelled out by the Constitution for the federal government to be involved in the education process. We do not think it is the federal government's place to fund, mandate, or dictate anything concerning education. Conversely, we do not think the Department Of Education is a constitutionally-allowed office, and think it should be shut down.
We believe that there should be educational choice. And no, we do not mean vouchers. Federal vouchers would allow the federal government to place controls upon the private or religious school receiving the voucher, as well as the taxpayer using the voucher. Vouchers would also not benefit poor parents in rural areas that only have one school within traveling distance.
We instead favor the repeal of the income tax, and the ceasing of all federal spending on education. Then, all parents, including poor parents, would have true choice in where they sent their children to school. If a parent objected to their daughter being taught sex education in one school, they could afford to send their child to a religious school that did not have that in its curriculum. If a parent wanted their son to go to school with only boys, they could send him to an all-boys school.
Another benefit to our idea is that it is much fairer than the current system or any voucher system. If all federal spending on education is ended, and the income tax is repealed, parents of adult children do not have to subsidize other parents children going to school. A Hindu does not have to support a child going to a Baptist school, and vice versa.
Like all issues, we believe that more freedom, and less government, is the answer to the education question.
