Thank you for your insights on public education. Surely, we would both agree that education is in need of reform in some areas.

But you say, >" Turning education over to the federal government isn't likely to make anything better."

Apparently, in some areas it just might. Please look back at my posts however, I never suggested turning education over to the federal government. I did advise you to run for your school board. That is pretty local to me.

>" Look at recent stories about screw-ups at the federal level in Medicare, the FBI, the INS, and yes, even the military. I honestly believe the federal government has yet to prove itself very competent to do most things, so I don't see turning education over to them."

Let's add the CIA and NSA to the list and once more we will both be in agreement.

The US government was never designed to be efficient. Democratic states are by nature inefficient, that is a defining characteristic. Dictatorships are efficient. In 1937 Mussolini was given an award by the US Chamber of Commerce for installing a competent government and making the railroads run on time.

If you served in education, then you know that progress sometimes comes in "baby steps." This does not mean the system should be destroyed, it means we have to work harder to improve a system that has served this nation rather well--and still could do better.