America's premier advocate for the rights of homeschooling families has challenged what it sees as another attempt by the federal government to take control over public and private education.
President Barack Obama's directive last year ordered the Department of Education (DOE) to get states — as a condition to receive federal education funds — to meet specific federal standards for both public and private teacher training programs. In a challenge to that directive, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) has submitted public comments opposing the regulations.
In addition to the greater government intrusion into education via federal teacher training guidelines for public as well as private school teachers, the Obama administration is also demanding that state and private colleges alike provide more detailed information about their training programs.
William A. Estrada, Esq., is director of federal relations for HSLDA. He is well aware that the U.S. Constitution says nothing about the federal government's role in education, which was left primarily to the discretion of parents and states.
"The federal government has absolutely no constitutional authority to set rules for states on how to prepare teachers for the classroom," declares Estrada, who represents the Purcellville, Virginia-based nonprofit as a lobbyist to Congress on Capitol Hill.
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No federal teacher training standards … no funds
After the president provided his directive to the DOE last April, he submitted the federal government's semiannual regulatory agenda later in the year (in November), ordering it to:
"Propose a plan to strengthen America's teacher preparation programs for public comment and to publish a final rule within the next year. The Administration seeks to encourage and support States in developing systems that recognize excellence and provide all programs with information to help them improve, while holding them accountable for how well they prepare teachers to succeed in today's classrooms and throughout their careers."
Estrada argues that Obama's new standards are an underhanded way for the federal government to take control over public and private education in America.
"HSLDA believes that the proposed regulations are simply a backdoor way for the DOE to impose federal teacher training requirements on the states, on colleges and universities, and on other teacher training programs," Estrada says. "[Not only does the federal government [have] no constitutional authority to set rules for states on how to prepare teachers … but incorporating such rules into the conditions by which states may receive federal funds is a classic workaround."
He also points out how the administration used a similar technique to push the controversial Common Core on the states early in Barack Obama's presidency — a federal program that now has many states and parents up-in-arms, looking for ways to bow out of the allegedly intrusive, indoctrinating, dumbed-down and politically correct public school standards.
"For example, the DOE used the Race to the Top competition established by the 2009 stimulus bill (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) as a backdoor way to incentivize states to adopt the Common Core State Standards Initiative and other education initiatives championed by the federal government," Estrada continues.
Homeschoolers beware …
Estrada contends homeschoolers should be very concerned about this latest push by the federal government. He insists that the Common Core and federal teacher training standards for public and private school teachers are just a prelude to future attempted power grabs that the government will continue to pursue until it gains total control over education in America.
"Although nothing in the proposed regulations would affect homeschool freedom, HSLDA opposes this expansion of federal power in education," Estrada explains. "We are concerned that the more control the federal government gains over education, the more opportunity it has to one day attempt to regulate homeschooling."
Besides sending a letter earlier this month to U.S. DOE management and program analyst Sophia McArdle, Estrada and other HSLDA attorneys are doing all they can on Capitol Hill to keep the federal government from overstepping its boundaries any further into education.
"HSLDA is actively working with Congress to defeat these proposed regulations," Estrada announced. "The last thing our nation's teachers need is more regulation, especially by the federal government."
Dr. McArdle is author of a document titled Teacher Education Accountability: Impact on States and Teacher Preparation Programs published for the DOE's Office of Postsecondary Education.
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