Va. Seeks To Leave Bush Law Behind

[Judi Lynn]

Va. Seeks To Leave Bush Law Behind
Republicans Fight School Mandates
By Jo Becker and Rosalind S. Helderman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, January 24, 2004; Page A01


RICHMOND, Jan. 23 -- The Republican-controlled Virginia House of Delegates sharply criticized President Bush's signature education program Friday, calling the No Child Left Behind Act an unfunded mandate that threatens to undermine the state's own efforts to improve students' performance.

By a vote of 98 to 1, the House passed a resolution calling on Congress to exempt states like Virginia from the program's requirements. The law "represents the most sweeping intrusions into state and local control of education in the history of the United States," the resolution says, and will cost "literally millions of dollars that Virginia does not have."

The federal law aims to improve the performance of students, teachers and schools with yearly tests and serious penalties for failure. In his State of the Union speech Tuesday, Bush said that "the No Child Left Behind Act is opening the door of opportunity to all of America's children."

Officials in other states also have complained about the effects of the act, signed into law in 2002. But Friday's action in the House represents one of the strongest formal criticisms to date from a legislative chamber controlled by the president's own party.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43173-2004Jan23.html?nav=hptop_tb

[aquart]

1. Awww.

Can I giggle?

[militarymanusaf]

2. Surprising, isn't it?

Well, I guess that Virginia can forget about getting any significant federal funds for awhile. After all if the sheeple bites the hand that feeds them......I got it......it's Clinton's fault! :crazy:

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Underlying concept of No Child Left Behind: cut off federal funds for

public schools under the guise of improving education.

[0007]

4. Everyone can see through junior

...but yet junior has the power to trash anyone with public opinion. Gear up for four more years!

Ah yes, leave no child behind with serious penalties for failure is a fucking joke.

[ozymandius]

5. "door of opportunity"

to the recruiter's office

Funny that on the last page of this bill-become-law, in super small fine print, there is a provision mandating schools release all contact info to military recruiting offices. Here's your opportunity: cannon fodder for Bush's next war.

[Moderator]

6. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=328499

Thanks!

DU Moderator