GOP support for No Child Left Behind wanes
by Jim Brown
February 16, 2007
(OneNewsNow.com) - - A conservative political analyst says a growing number of Republicans are indicating they will oppose reauthorization of President Bush's federal education law, No Child Left Behind. One reason, he says, is because they feel it intrudes into what has traditionally been a local issue: education.No Child Left Behind was authorized under a Republican Congress five years ago and signed into law by President Bush. It is now up for review in the House and Senate, which are now both in Democratic hands. Jon Gizzi, political editor of the conservative periodical Human Events, says the law has some noble goals -- such as increasing test scores and improving the plight of students in failing schools -- but many believe that should be the prerogative of state and local bodies.
"All told, No Child Left Behind has enhanced the federal role in education and increased the size of the Department of Education to a greater level than under Democratic President Bill Clinton," Gizzi observes. But this time around, he says, the president and his education program are coming up against "something that's a little bit bigger" than when No Child Left Behind first came into existence -- opposition from his own party.
According to Gizzi, more and more Republicans resent the cost of the program and the "intrusionary" role it has in a local prerogative -- education. He says Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) recently told him he voted against the program when it first came up and has seen nothing the past five years to change his opinion of it. And both Congressman Pat McHenry (R-NC) and second-ranking House Republican Roy Blunt have also indicated they are inclined to vote against the law, says the conservative journalist.
"Whatever the opinion of this program, whatever its virtues, Republicans are taking a second look at it," says Gizzi. And that is happening in large part, he says, "because in contrast to five years ago, the program's wording and scope will be in the hands of two people a little different and a little more powerful than five years ago -- Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, and in the House, Democratic Congressman George Miller of California."
Republican Senators Jim DeMint and John Cornyn have introduced an alternative bill to No Child Left Behind called "The A-PLUS Act of 2007."
