AUDIO: Educational Freedom (RealAudio) Article: Educational Freedom by Howard Phillips Constitution Party National Website Phillips 2000 Campaign Website

Parents Have The Duty, Responsibility And Jurisdiction Over The Education Of Their Children
The federal government has no constitutional authority to fund, regulate or control the education of our children.

God requires the parents be responsible for the nurture and admonition of their children. Education is fully within their jurisdiction. It is certainly not within the jurisdiction of the federal government.

The First Amendment says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Every school house is inescapably an establishment of religion. The Latin word "to lead" is at the heart of the word education. The question is where shall children be led? Shall they be led to believe that they are descended from monkeys or created by God? Shall they be led to believe that sex outside of marriage is a good thing or bad thing, that homosexuality is to be tolerated or disapproved? Shall they be led to believe that we are citizens of the United States or citizens of the world? Shall they be led to believe that private property rights are to be honored in consistent with the mandate thou shalt not steal or shall the government have the authority to confiscate private property?

Moreover the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution makes clear that power is not explicitly delegated to the federal government and enumerated in the Constitution reserved to the states and the people. Education is not among the powers delegated to the federal government and therefore it is not allowed to fund, regulate, or control education in any way. Educational freedom is something we must maintain if we are to flourish as a free, great and good society.

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