Connecticut Sues 'No Child Behind' Law

[sabra]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-no-child-lawsuit,0,2963421,print.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

Connecticut Sues 'No Child Behind' Law

By NOREEN GILLESPIE
Associated Press Writer

HARTFORD, Conn. -- The state of Connecticut filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging President Bush's No Child Left Behind school reform law, arguing it is illegal because it requires expensive testing and programs it doesn't pay for.

The lawsuit, which officials said was the first of its kind to be brought by a state government, asks a federal judge to declare that the federal government cannot require state and local money be used to meet federal testing goals.

"The goals of the No Child Left Behind Act are laudable," Blumenthal said. "Indeed, Connecticut has pursued these goals for decades, but the federal government has failed in implementing them."

Blumenthal announced plans for the lawsuit this spring, after the state was repeatedly denied waivers to avoid some of the requirements of No Child Left Behind, which aims to have every student in public schools proficient in reading and math by 2014.

[R Hickey]

1. Unfunded mandates aimed to sabotage public school budgets.

Bush's unfunded mandates are mainly designed to destroy the public school systems in every state.

Bush is for charter schools, schools that teach organized ignorance, such as 'intelligent design.'

Republicans only want to fund the building of private prisons, never public schools.

[Fire Walk With Me]

9. Well said!

And "someone" gets rich in the process.

[4_TN_TITANS]

2. Go Connecticut.......

True - it's all an attempt to suck the blood out of public education. My wife, an NEA delegate, could preach for days on the disasters of NCLB. Actually, I thought this had already been in the works, and I don't think CT is the only state planning to sue over NCLB.

[WildClarySage]

3. I read somewhere here that 47 states have lawsuits pending against

some aspect or other of NCLB.

[bnr65432]

4. as a student in a public school

i support them
no child left behind is destroying my school

[tilsammans]

5. Please tell us more . . .

. . . about your experiences with NCLB. Would love to know about it from a student's point of view.

I'm sorry to hear that things are so bad at your school.

[mom cat]

6. States Rights you suckers. Shoe on the other foot now!

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Fight the Bush cabal, on all fronts -- thanks Connecticut. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Hip hip hooray

This is at least the third state filing a lawsuit over NCLB. :woohoo:

[bigwillq]

10. A proud Nutmeg state resident right here!

Way to go CT!:bounce:

[Judi Lynn]

11. Conn. Challenges No Child Left Behind Law

August 22, 2005

Conn. Challenges No Child Left Behind Law
By NOREEN GILLESPIE, Associated Press Writer


HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut on Monday became the first state to challenge the No Child Left Behind law in court, arguing that the centerpiece of President Bush's education law amounts to an unfunded mandate from the federal government.
"Our message today is give up the unfunded mandates, or give us the money," said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

The lawsuit raises the stakes in a heated fight between states and the Bush administration over the law, and experts say Legislatures around the country will be watching the case carefully. Experts expect that states could vote to join the lawsuit or file their own.

The lawsuit argues that No Child Left Behind is illegal because it requires expensive standardized tests and other school programs that the government doesn't pay for. It asks a federal judge to declare that state and local money cannot be used to meet the law's goals.

U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has repeatedly denied requests from Connecticut for more flexibility.
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/ats-ap_top13aug22,0,5232857.story
(Free registration required)

[JanusAscending]

12. Right now I'm PROUD TO BE A CONNECTICUT YANKEE!!

em

[Judi Lynn]

13. Here's a link to the story which doesn't require registration

~~~~ link ~~~~

[Sgent]

14. Remember this is Bush

Couldn't he just cut all federal funding to CT? Or they reject it?

That would get rid of all the mandates -- which are all presupposed on the state education dept accepting federal funds.