Education: America 2000 v. Goals 2000:
   We need to send education back to states, communities and families --
   where it belongs. That was the idea behind America 2000. The Clinton
   Administration's Goals 2000 goes in exactly the opposite direction.
   They've turned a national movement into a federal program.
    * America 2000 was all about encouraging high standards in the core
   academic subjects. Goals 2000 is about how much is spent on education.
    * America 2000 was about making schools more accountable for their
   performance. Goals 2000 makes it harder to know how well schools are
   doing.
   * America 2000 sought to give all families more choices of all
   schools. Goals 2000 creates more obstacles for choice.


Education: The Federal Role:
   Abolish the Department of Education in order to liberate parents and
   schools. On January 26, I testified before the U.S. Congress and
   argued that it should take each activity currently housed in the
   Department of Education and do one of three things with it: (a) send
   it home to states and communities; (b) entrust it to another federal
   agency; or (c) terminate it and return the money to the taxpayers.
   I've been looking at this issue for more than 15 years and I am
   convinced that the people in a position to know what is best for
   education are those closest to the child. Education policy should be
   geared toward giving parents and teachers more control over what goes
   on in the classroom.



History Curriculum Standards Sponsored by the Administration:
   They are not standards Lynne Cheney and I had in mind when we
   encouraged school boards to adopt voluntary educational standards. The
   history panel ended up presenting a warped view of our nation's past.
   President Clinton should condemn these standards and make sure they
   are not promulgated or endorsed by the federal government.


School Prayer:
   I signed a bill permitting a moment of silence in schools in 1981 and
   I would sign one again today. We should remember that on the first day
   of the very first session of Congress, the House and the Senate
   adopted the Bill of Rights. On the second day, they adopted a national
   day of prayer called "Thanksgiving."