Recently, I attended a speech given by Dr. Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College. It is a remarkable school in a number of ways. One of which is its refusal to accept federal dollars. This is so because with that money comes hundreds, if not thousands, of pages of regulations as to how Hillsdale must operate. It prides itself as an independent institution and will not accept such direction.
In discussing the history of federal dollars and colleges (research grants were the start, now they also include student aid), Dr. Arnn noted current federal spending trends. He pointed out that since 9/11, the Department of Education's budget has grown more than the Department of Defense's! Dollars tend to reveal the government's--and hence the nation's--priorities. I found it shocking that in the midst of a war, spending for defense grew slower than education. What is the bigger threat we as a people are facing? Terrorism or national education standards?
Keep in mind I am speaking about federal dollars. Most education dollars are spent by the states--as education is not in the Constitution as a federal topic. Defense, however, is not provided for by the states, and is one of--if not THE--federal government's primary responsibilities. Thus, when we are talking about federal spending on education, we can't think of is at total national spending on education. The lion's shares is supposed to come from the states--by constitutional design. The opposite is true for defense.
Is our children learning? Are the terrorists? Are we?
Thomas More
Comments