Congressman Thomas Massie has submitted a single sentence bill every year for the past decade to abolish the Department of Education, and this year is no exception.
Let’s be clear – the abolishment of the Department of Education is Congressman Thomas Massie’s dream come true, despite such action proceeding in a manner that goes against the very Constitution he proclaims to support. (Only Congress has the power to create and abolish departments; the Executive branch does not.)
So what does Massie’s dream mean for the rest of us? And what has he forgotten even as he has pursued his dream of getting rid of the Department of Education?
Kentucky, HIS STATE, is a welfare state. We take far more from the federal government than we contribute. For every $1 Kentucky gives to the federal government, the state receives $1.76 in return. The two largest areas of federal funding for Kentucky are Medicaid and public education.
This “leave it to the states” mentality will bring states like California and New York windfalls of money they no longer contribute to the federal government to support states like Kentucky. Meanwhile, our public education system will collapse.
Our state constitution requires by law that an efficient system of common schools is provided via legislation. But, how efficient can it be if we can only afford half of the schools we have now? With 120 county public school districts plus independent districts, which districts do you think are going to be most effected? (Hint: It’s not the urban ones.)
What are working parents supposed to do if their children have to travel an hour or more one way just to get an education? What if there’s no bus service at all? Do you honestly believe there will be enough money for things like special education, family resource centers, arts programs, extra curricular activities? Wave goodbye to your prideful state champion basketball and football programs. Kids don’t need to eat lunch or breakfast, right?
Lest we forget, the public school system is often the largest employer in rural counties in Kentucky. What are all of those individuals supposed to do for jobs when they live in employer deserts? The fallout from this will be disastrous in epic proportions. People will leave the state to find employment. Homes will be lost. Children will be left unsupervised so their parents or primary caregivers can work multiple jobs just to try to make ends meet. This isn’t hyperbole. This isn’t fear mongering. This is the logical step-by-step progression of how things will play out.
Considering that Mr. Massie lives in Lewis County and went to public school there, you’d think he’d give a damn about the people living, quite literally, in his back yard. Of the 120 counties in Kentucky, Lewis County comes in at 13th highest poverty level (Robertson County, also in Congressional District 4, comes in at 9th).
The Congressman can’t be bothered to show up at a public Town Hall, and can’t be bothered to show up to public events in his own county when invited – so why should a legislator who has never brought a single dollar to his district, never brought in a single project or business in over a decade care about anything other than an ideology that hurts his constituents while benefitting himself and those like him who are independently wealthy?
The move to abolish the Department of Education must be stopped at all costs. The lives, livelihoods, and futures of Kentuckians depends on it.
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Written by Ann Dickerson, a former public school teacher and co-founder of Indivisible NKY.
