Brunswick Beacon, 01.30.25
Studies by psychologists reveal that incompetent people overestimate their abilities because they don’t know what they don’t know. In plain English, the dumber you are, the smarter you feel.
Once again, Congressman David Rouzer has filed a bill to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), as he did in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. It’s his signature legislation. Each time he has filed, Rouzer’s bill went to the House Committee on Education and Workforce, where his colleagues made sure it died. His 2025 bill went to the same committee, where, if common sense prevails again, it will die yet another ignominious death.
Rouzer said education should be handled by state and local officials “without interference from the Federal government.” But what Rouzer calls ‘Federal interference’ brings $3.9 billion in Federal funds to NC annually. Eliminating Federal dollars would be disastrous. NC ranks 48th in public education funding per student, spending 30% less than the national average. It’s DEAD LAST as a percentage of GDP.
NC’s Republican officials aren’t indifferent to public education: they’re actively hostile. Republicans took over NC’s state legislature in 2010 and diverted $4 billion in taxpayer money over ten years to vouchers so wealthier families can send their kids to unaccountable private schools. In the Leandro decision, NC’s Supreme Court ruled that the legislature violated its constitutional obligation to provide public school students access to a sound basic education and ordered it to comply with a Comprehensive Remedial Plan. The Republican legislature refused, and challenged the ruling instead.
Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey rank first, second and third, respectively, in quality of education. Each gets less than 10% of their education funding from USDOE. NC ranks 34th, but gets 20% of its education funding from USDOE. The fact that NC does so much worse with so much more is NC’s fault, not USDOE’s.
Psychologists would not be surprised that a congressman whose state is bad at education thinks he knows best how to educate.
Linda McConnell Baker
Leland
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