The devastation of America would begin with the passage of such a budget, they intoned while chanting predictions of the doom and gloom they say lies ahead. Education was one specific topic mentioned. Demagogues appeal to the uneducated or uninformed. The facts do not support the theory. Education is the duty and responsibility of state and local governments.
Federal funding is a minor part of the local education budget.
Some federal spending is waste, but if it all stopped tomorrow, the state and local governments would restore that which truly is needed. Bush actually proposes to increase federal spending on education, but not as much as the Democrats or the teacher union bosses who provide Democratic politicians with huge sums of money would like. We don't think federal education spending should be increased. Studies indicate what has been spent has not been cost-effective. Recent results of fourth-grade reading tests are further evidence that spending more on education has not produced better education.