Speak Out
Unfunded mandates limit local options, increase local spending
Dick Mackey WESTMINSTER RESIDENT

One reality that all residents of Ashburnham and Westminster as well as every other town and city in Massachusetts would agree on is that the state mandates too many programs while at the same time falls short on funding them. This is especially true in our public schools.

Many state mandated programs, which our schools have no other choice than to follow if they are to get their state reimbursements, are not funded or are underfunded. Not only are they under-funded but much of the work created by the state saps our school budget while at the same time being repetitive of other state mandates. Until the state starts funding their own mandates the cities and towns will suffer while having to deny appropriate public services to their communities. It would seem to me that the state, rather than continuing to waste tax dollars on ineffective educational programs that have shown few positive results should do a thorough study of the Educational Reform Act Of 1993 to see what it has or hasn't accomplished.

The problem does not end with the state. The federal government is also guilty. It has its own mandates, which are also not properly funded. Recently I read "Feds In The Classroom-How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples And Compromises Education" by Neal McCluskey. This book addressed the above mentioned problems as well as offering solutions.

All students have required reading lists. Why shouldn't those who make educational decisions also have them? Beginning with Governor Patrick and including every politician and everyone involved with the educational process, should all start by reading "Feds In The Classroom ...." Maybe then the powers that be could come up with some common sense concrete solutions to our educational problems rather than pie in the sky theories. "Feds" will open the eyes of all to No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and high-stakes testing such as MCAS. Readers will become aware that NCLB is little more than a waste of billions of dollars with no legitimacy other than to provide a few jobs for lackeys. NCLB is a document of 650 pages with over 600,000 words, which few if any can explain or understand, including its authors. It is filled with millions of dollars of earmarks. As the author of "Feds" suggested: "NCLB is little more than a myth or con job." Anyone who reads the book would come to the same conclusion.

Since my retirement, after serving over 30 years in public education, I have had the opportunity to study NCLB and high-stakes testing. Neither is coming close to meeting its goals and they never will. Both are pipe dreams and on many occasions are hurting rather than helping students and teachers in the classroom. Hopefully in the near future some will take action to challenge the federal government all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States on the feds right to interfere with public education. There is nothing in our constitution that gives the federal government the power to interfere with our public schools.

This problem of interference started in the 1950s and has escalated since. Until the control of public education is returned to the local school districts, school committees, and administrators our schools will never meet the expectations of the public. Through no fault of anyone locally the taxpayer will continue to see his/her hard earned tax dollars wasted by the state and feds. This is why it is so important and our responsibility to support all local public services to ensure that our towns are built on solid foundations.