States must exert control of funding

Instead of rushing to grovel for federal handouts for our schools, the Legislature needs to be raked across the coals for not fully funding education as required by the state Constitution.

Unfortunately, our governor, state schools superintendent and teacher union are more than pitiful enough to accept money to get in bed with the federal government. The money the federal government is offering the states is nothing more than an enticement for states to give up our rights in education to do whatever the secretary of education says.

Nothing given by the federal government is free, there are always strings and some one-time cash will have rules and mandates for years to come. Education is not a federal responsibility, it’s a state and local issue. We should not want the federal government issuing us mandates, especially in response to a payoff. The federal government knows states are hurting financially and are taking advantage of us (they smell blood in the water). This is their opportunity to gain more control.

I urge our school districts not to fall for this trick and tell the governor and Randy Dorn, “No, we will not be controlled by Washington D.C.”

Todd Welch

Everett