What Does Jane Norton Really Think About the Department of Education?
U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton has been getting pounded by Democrats amid blog reports last week that she wants to abolish the U.S. Department of Education in an effort to shrink government.
The controversy seems to trace to one blog, Perlstalker's Ramblings, which points to a Norton campaign stop in Alamosa attended by Tea Party activists.
"One thing I found especially interesting was that she felt that the federal Department of Education was part of the bloat that should be cut," notes the blog, written by a self-described "Tea Party guy." "Completely. It was her opinion that individual states should be responsible for education in the state and the federal government should stay out of it."
Though Norton is not quoted directly by the blog, Dems have used it to accuse the Republican of a "far-right Tea Party agenda," according to The Denver Post. Norton campaign manager Norm Cummings has declined to comment.
"We're going to have more to say about this and other issues related to budgetary restraints and out-of-control spending after the first of the year," he says. "It's a holiday. Nobody cares."
But current U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Norton's would-be opponent, does: "The Department of Education provides much-needed resources to local schools, student loans, and grants to kids who want to go to college. Eliminating the Department of Education is a step backwards, not forwards."Comments
Submitted by Myles Daly (not verified) on Wed, 2009-12-30 04:43.
I'm sorry to hear about Charlene and her son's situation, but there has to be a better way than to hold each other (and our incomes) hostage by way of a Federal education bureaucracy. It's good to hear that the Department came through for Charlene, but I strongly believe a better result would have been achieved through tighter involvement at the state level, and a funding system that is less dependent on taxpayers. Norton's view is more mainstream in CO than many elsewhere might think, but the D.O.Ed.'s goals can be replicated more efficiently and at higher quality at the state (or lower) level, and in partnership with private and/or non-profit (non-gov funded) organizations.
Submitted by Charlene Port (not verified) on Wed, 2009-12-23 20:05.
I have a nonverbal son with autism. I had to get the US department of education involved to push the colorado state department of education to go due process. My son at age 12 was only receiving 12 hours of schooling a month and 6 of that 12 hours is when school was out.
Without the US department of education, there would be no accountability from the state departments of education thus locals schools do as they please. Children with disabilities would not receive an education. My due process case number is 2009-506 parent verses South eastern BOCES. No accountability and only the gifted would receive such gifts of a good education from the tax payers.
