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Maple River Education Coalition PAC
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October 22, 2001

Government Holds Parents Accountable

The National Education Goals Panel (NEGP) is an executive branch agency of the federal government, charged with supporting "progress toward the Goals." [Goals 2000] (See their website for the history of the NEGP.)

The NEGP Weekly and the NEGP Monthly send updated information about progress toward achieving the Goals 2000 outcomes to over 5,500 individuals across America and around the world.

The excerpt below is from their weekly news update on America's Education Goals (Goals 2000). This excerpt reveals the true nature of "Parental Involvement," a euphemism for holding parents accountable to the federal government. "Accountability." It sounded so sweet. Schools would demonstrate that they were actually teaching and that students were actually learning.

But below we demonstrate that Goal 8 of Goals 2000 is turning our Republic upside down. Instead of government being accountable to the people, the people are accountable to the government! Goal 8 is: "Schools will promote parental involvement and participation." Who could be against that? Unfortunately, the benign-sounding "goal" was codified into federal statute in 1994. "Schools WILL..." "ALL students WILL..." "Teachers WILL..." "EVERY ADULT WILL..." Such legal language, unbeknownst to most Americans, transforms goals into requirements. And it puts the federal government in authority over all of it.

Every state is on its way toward fashioning accountability measures for parents. This is only the beginning. Rewards and sanctions will rest partially on the results of those measurements.

BEGIN QUOTATION:

***************** THE NEGP WEEKLY *****************
A weekly news update on America's Education Goals and school improvement efforts across America from the NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL

Friday - October 22, 2001 -- Vol. 2 -- No. 122
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STATE POLICY NEWS
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3.) ******** New Haven's Accountability Plan: It Does Take A Village (Goal Three: Student Achievement and Citizenship, and Goal Eight: Parent Involvement)

Placing the education of children on the shoulders of the entire community is the foundation of New Haven, Connecticut's, accountability plan (Reid, EDUCATION WEEK, 10/17). "The whole community should be rallying around developing young people academically and socially," said Superintendent Reginald Mayo. "Therefore, other people should be held accountable: parents, business, higher education institutions and the faith community."

For example, parents who make sure their children complete homework and attend school will be recognized on a "parent honor roll" and given discounts at local businesses. However, parents who fail to live up to expectations could be referred to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, charged with neglect, notes the paper.

For more information on New Haven schools visit http://www.nhps.net/main.