EDUCATION

The problem with today's system is the loss of accountability the schools should have to the parents and the community. The funding and concealment of poor performance, indoctrination lobbies, misguided school board members and teacher unions like the N.E.A. inhibit the addressing and the solving of the problems of education. There needs to be involvement of localized, classic P.T.A.s and the like who are more interested in providing the best education. Funding of education by distant and big governments or entities comes with a price of the loss of local control over education and loss of the parental and community command over values and standards.

Where public education is entrenched, the Commonwealth Party endorses vouchers without undue stipulations so that education revenue flows to the better schools. As a hedge the money returned as vouchers may be a little less than the revenue originally put in the system. Thus, the students who remain in attendance at public school will obtain more funding per student which may help relieve some budget pressure. This sweetens the deal with the school board and if used wisely allows for better performance. In the end, everyone can more likely get a better education.

Actually, the best way to achieve in education is to dismantle the public schools which are really government-controlled schools and instead implement a patron school system that charges pupils' parents for access as it should be instead of taxes. The cost per student would be less due to the efficiencies of competitive price pressure and better education would be gained. This is how the industries and businesses work in the real economy and supply most of all the goods and services we need and desire. Why should the education product be any different?

Private schools are well known for their success and it is the public schools that are in a failing mess. Thus, the commercial or private option should be considered and parents will be able to demand more choice and hold accountable as to which type of school best educates their child. Charity would provide education to those of lower income before any public or government approach of last resort. Doing similar to state universities would drive down tuition costs and remove excess. Government education loans make bidding up the price of tuition even easier with overly generous forgiving terms that bankrupts taxpayers. Such loans should be taken back to private lenders who will demand payment - not more debt.

Regional/local candidates and constituents of the party are free to propose the educational structure and funding plans for their communities by these guidelines that they feel will best fulfill the freedom of choice, achieve standards, invoke accountability and instill competitive principles for education as described above. Even where the dismantling of public schools is not possible due to insurmountable odds, the implementation of vouchers and private educational systems should still be considered as complimentary alternatives.

As far as content in the public schools, we stand against centralized educational directives such as 'Common Core' which practices fuzzy math. History books should be reviewed to check the facts and ensure that historical conflicts are analyzed from different angles without brainwashing students to become anti-American or anti-West nor becoming blind patriots. In public schools, evolution should be presented as a theory -- not a totally proven fact. Natural selection should be studied through a case-by-case basis. Creationism or intelligent design will be presented as a factual description of a religious belief or theory/philosophy. These realms of belief should be examined in an atmosphere where students are not pressured to believe one over the other, investigating either side while able to express or hold to their own beliefs. They can present arguments as to why they do or do not believe if part of a discussion while coming to their own conclusions publicly or privately as they desire.

A similar approach applies to environmental issues and climate change (global warming). Open and unbiased research and data both pro and con with all controversies should be made available to students where they measure the evidences and present or avail themselves to their own conclusions. Basically the public schools will openly examine, not dictate through curricula students' positions on these open theories and religious beliefs. They should not restrain too much on philosophies. Of course, the private schools are more able to present such topics by their religious or secular missions.

For sex education, parents will be able to opt-out their dependents, choose piecemeal or delay instruction. The texts and content of the program should be transparent to parents. Just the biology and indisputable facts should be given: Abstinence is 100% prevention against pregnancy and STDs. People who engage in sex should use birth control and barriers against STDs but they are not 100% effective. Abortion is not contraception and can be a costly, invasive procedure with possible physical or emotional side effects that's best avoided. There is no need for the teaching of erotic arts or the titillation of condoms on bananas. Instead, make known the instructions on the birth control package or the availability of instruction from sources such as an OBGYN on the proper use of such items. Gender theory need not be taught to the younger pupils and there should be no steering or encouragement about non-binary lifestyles to older students. Values should be guided more by the home of the pupil.

As well, imposed political correctness should be purged from all educational installations and a balance should be struck between the freedom of thought/expression of the individual and the preservation of inclusiveness/tolerance for all. Critical Race Theory and all such in-doctrinal Marxist or oppressor/oppressed divisive role prescription will be banned from the public schools.