The Department of Education was founded in 1979. Has it made education affordable yet?

We went to school. You should try it.

Just imagine how much more it WOULD have cost without it!

Milton wrote:

Boomers, how did anyone possibly get educated before 1979?

Wow.

You.

Are.

So.

Clever.

Sooo, are you going to answer the question?

Pointing Out the Obvious wrote:

Wow.

You.

Are.

So.

Clever.

Classic straw man. Ed's purpose is not to make education "affordable."

GRV4 wrote:

Classic straw man. Ed's purpose is not to make education "affordable."

Really? What exactly was its purpose?

To make it better for everyone.

Obvy wrote:

To make it better for everyone.

LOL

Look up the US rank in education in 1975 and compare it to 2015. I'm sure you would say "Imagine how bad we would be if we didn't have the Dept. of Ed."

Obvy wrote:

To make it better for everyone.

You are correct. Their mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

Milton wrote:

GRV4 wrote:

Classic straw man. Ed's purpose is not to make education "affordable."

Really? What exactly was its purpose?

Supplement and complement the efforts of states, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education;

Encourage the increased involvement of the public, parents, and students in federal education programs;

Promote improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through federally supported research, evaluation, and sharing of information;

Improve the coordination of federal education programs;

Improve the management of federal education activities; and

Increase the accountability of federal education programs to the president, the Congress, and the public.

Supplement and complement the efforts of states, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education;

Encourage the increased involvement of the public, parents, and students in federal education programs;

Promote improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through federally supported research, evaluation, and sharing of information;

Improve the coordination of federal education programs;

Improve the management of federal education activities; and

Increase the accountability of federal education programs to the president, the Congress, and the public.

You did a good job explaining the purpose of the Dept. of Education. The question I have is where does the federal government get the authority to establish "federal education programs?" I have read the constitution more than once and have yet to find education mentioned in Article I Section 8 or anywhere else in the document.

"Government for the people"

Rews wrote:

"Government for the people"

Nice quote but where did you find it? In the Constitution?

You're right! We also need to eliminate the air force, the coast guard, national parks, the space program, the CDC, and anything else that isn't explicitly stated in a document written 240 years ago by men who were wise enough to understand that the needs of the country would change.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people

I believe they covered

"national parks, the space program, the CDC, and anything else that isn't explicitly stated"

in the quote above.

So you agree that the national government has overstepped its bounds by creating those organizations, which, by the clause you quoted, are rightfully the jurisdiction of the states or the people? Excellent! I have always wanted an F22.

You are assuming that your state would allow it.

U. R. Right wrote:

Obvy wrote:

To make it better for everyone.

You are correct. Their mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

The idea that government can cause people to become educated would be hilarious if it didn't waste so much of my money. Education is a personal choice.

A kid who is motivated to learn can do so even if all he or she has is a library card. A kid who isn't motivated to learn won't do so regardless of how much money the public throws at their education.

It's our society, not our government, that needs to act if we want an educated population. When families value education, they end up with educated kids.