Do you remember the recent kerfuffle in Indiana related to the federal Pre-K grant? Governor Pence was the recipient of a lot of negative press regarding his decision to not apply for the grant. IAHE believes he did the right thing for the citizens of Indiana.
Federal dollars always come with strings, and this grant was no exception. It was a Trojan Horse. Hoosiers would have received more than they bargained for with this federal grant.
Another important reason to avoid taking federal dollars for education is that it is unconstitutional. Education is not an enumerated power found in the U.S. Constitution that gives authority to the federal government in this area. The Founders left education under the jurisdiction of the states. Hoosiers would be wise to remember that our Constitution was written to protect citizens. It is meant to limit the power of the federal government and to protect our freedom.
Constitutional attorney, Michael Farris, of Home School Legal Defense Association has developed an extremely helpful Constitutional Literacy course that many homeschoolers have used to help their students understand the blessing of our U.S. Constitution. Dr. Farris has graciously given permission to IAHE to link to the session related to the General Welfare and Commerce Clauses. In this “must-see” session, he explains, by considering the original intent of the Founders, the reasons why states should not take federal funding for education. IAHE believes it would be a good reminder as to why Governor Pence made the decision regarding the federally-funded Pre-K grant. Our governor was actually protecting Indiana citizens from an overreaching federal government.
If you’d like to purchase the entire set of DVDs to learn more about the US Constitution, click here.
You may watch the session here for free.
IAHE Indiana Association of Home Educators