Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I warned you about this at the start of the legislative session. Neo-Confederate dead-enders revive discredited 'nullification theory' again.
Now Rep. "Fast Eddie" Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, wants to extend nullification theory to education. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Arizona House passes anti-federal education bill:
Dozens of public schools would be able to
throw out federal education policy regulating academic standards,
teacher evaluation requirements and student tracking systems under a
measure approved by the Arizona House on Thursday.
The Republican-led House voted 36-23 along party lines to advance the
measure to the Senate after heated debate over the value of federal
education dollars.
The proposed law would allow roughly 130 district and charter schools
that don’t receive federal money to ignore federal and state mandates.
The exempted schools would still need to follow any health, safety,
civil rights and insurance mandates.
Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, the bill’s sponsor, said schools
that don’t benefit from federal dollars shouldn’t be forced to meet
federal standards.
Wait for it . . .
Farnsworth is president of the Benjamin Franklin Charter School in Gilbert.
These guys are busy writing their own rules to personally benefit themselves financially again. Or maybe "Fast Eddie" hasn't really thought through all of the ramifications . . .
Critics fretted that if the measure
becomes law, it would result in a significant hit to Arizona’s education
budget. Federal education funding is generally linked to compliance and
income.
“When we exempt these few schools from complying with federal
regulations, all of our schools in the state are at risk for losing
federal funding,” said Democratic Rep. Eric Meyer.
Farnsworth countered that Arizona lawmakers need to support good
policy over federal threats. He said federal education funding and
regulations are unconstitutional.
* * *
“When you talk about the federal government,
I have no idea what they are going to do. … Anytime I try to do
anything, that’s what I hear: ‘We are going to lose federal funding, we
are going to lose federal funding,’” Farnsworth said. “There’s really
not a lot of risk, but if it does happen then at some point, we have to
say, ‘This is the best policy for our state, and we will defend it if we
need to.’”
States' rights! Secession!
Remember folks, this guy runs charter schools that I have to believe are miseducatin' people's children to his level of ignorance. No wonder he doesn't want to comply with federal and state standards. He just wants to keep cashing the checks.
Note: i will leave it to David Safier to weigh in on the education aspects of this bill, if any. This strikes me as a states' rights temper tantrum.