Fascinating. Who ever thought that the Republicans would become pro-choice regarding education?
The Republican Party in Canadian County in Oklahoma has expressed its desire for an end to public funding of education.
The party in Canadian — the fourth-largest county in the state — is sending a letter to the Oklahoma legislature calling for swift cuts in education funding. It says, “If public education shall continue as a state institution, we should move towards reducing its dependence on the tax structure by funding it through such means as sponsorships, advertising, endowments, tuition fees, etc.”
An earlier version of the letter, according to KFOR News 4, was more explicit: “A better pathway would be to abolish public education, which is not a proper role of government, and allow the free market to determine pay and funding, eliminating the annual heartache we experience over this subject.”
But party leader Andrew Lopez told News 4 he recognizes that there is “going to be a transition period between properly funding and dealing with education as a public institution and letting the public assume their rightful responsibility of self-education and not allowing it to be a part of government’s role.”
While many Americans see the public education system as the nation’s most important civic institution, there are others, such as the GOP in Canadian County, who don’t believe funding education is a government function. They are at one end of the national debate on America’s schools and how they should be funded, which has taken on new urgency in recent years with growing attacks on public education and the rise of Betsy DeVos as U.S. education secretary under President Trump.
Analysis | Republican Party in an Oklahoma county makes clear its opposition to public education
The Republican Party in Canadian County in Oklahoma has expressed its desire for an end to public funding of education. The party in Canadian – the fourth-largest county in the state – is sending a letter to the Oklahoma legislature calling for swift cuts in education funding.