Dallas County Democrats
State Republican Platforms: Education

These are excerpts from Platforms and Resolutions passed by various state Republican parties this year. They show how far out of the mainstream are the extremists that have taken over the Republican party.

• North Carolina: ...we support tuition tax credits for public, private, or religiously affiliated schools which return to parents the responsibility for deciding where their child will be educated.
• West Virginia: We support school vouchers
• South Carolina: Along with our national Republican leadership, we repudiate the new national goals, termed "Goals 2000".
• Missouri: We oppose efforts, like Goals 2000, the Show Me Plan and so-called School to Work legislation, that usurp local control of education, parental influence and an individual's choice of occupation.
• Washington: We support: ... The elimination of federal health care programs in schools.
• Oregon: We stand opposed to state and federal funding of pre-schools.
• California: ...we support school choice programs whereby parents may choose from among public and private schools to educate their children. We also support reforming the State Department of Education as well as an end to social engineering programs such as Goals 2000 and School to Work.
• Iowa: We oppose compulsory preschool. We oppose government sex education in government schools.
• Minnesota: We support... withdrawing from Goals 2000.
• Missouri: Therefore, the Missouri Republican Party supports: ... efforts at the state and federal levels to adopt a fair system that grants parents the ability to send their children to the school of their choice by using vouchers, tax credits or direct payments.
• Nebraska: ...we support parental choice in the area of education as adding to the richness and diversity of our culture and the pluralistic matrix of American society. These alternatives include private, parochial, and home schools. We support an education system based on a parental choice voucher program, thus driving education through the principles of free market competition. We oppose the provision of comprehensive health services in the schools which are the right and exclusive responsibility of the parent(s) and/or guardian...
• Nevada: We believe a voucher system should be established to promote freedom of choice in education without government encumbrance.
• New Hampshire: We propose: ... Allow all parents to choose the best public, private, or home school program for their children. Terminate mandatory state and local participation in federal School To Work programs and encourage locally sponsored vocation education.
• New Mexico: We support the parents' right to educate their children as they see fit, and to send their children, and their tax dollars, to the school of their choice.
• North Carolina: Republicans oppose school-based clinics.
• North Dakota: Be it resolved: That the North Dakota Republican Party acknowledges and strongly supports North Dakota's right to issue vouchers to parents to partially fund the education of their children.
• Oregon: Science shall include scientific creationism. We support the return of curriculum planning to local communities and oppose state mandated textbooks, materials, and curriculum. All materials required for use in government systems should be subject to local school board approval. We support privatization of non-educational support services now being performed by government school districts to foster cost effectiveness in such areas as transportation, school meals, etc. As the cost of education rises, we believe competitive solutions such as tuition tax credits, vouchers, and school choice should be available to all K thru 12 students, public and private. We propose the following: ... An educational voucher system, or tax credit which returns tax money to the parent or guardian, fosters competition and efficiencies, and should not be construed as government sponsorship of their educational choice, be it public, private, charter, parochial, or home school.
• South Carolina: We support the concept of "school choice" and do not fear the healthy competition that will result from equitable voucher and charter school plans. A voucher system should be instituted from kindergarten through 12th grade.
• Texas: We oppose school-based clinics, whether or not they dispense condoms and contraceptives and that refer, aid, or advise minors to have abortions. We support a state constitutional amendment that prohibits state or federal regulations imposed on private schools. Further we call upon the Governor and Texas Legislature to oppose the implementation of... programs that neglect students' academic skills, such as School-to-Work and Goals 2000. We support individual teachers' right to teach creation science in Texas public schools.
• Washington: We support: ... a tax credit or voucher system to facilitate [school] choice.*Washington: We support: ... Discontinuing Washington State's involvement in centralized federal programs and canceling Goals 2000, School-to-Work, and the systemic reforms in our schools resulting from these federal planning grants and interagency partnerships.
• Wyoming: Believes that in order to ensure the best possible educational opportunity for our children that alternatives and choices in school education be made available, funded at least in part by public funds.
• Wisconsin: We applaud Governor Thompson's Milwaukee School Choice program, and call for its expansion statewide. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Republican Party of Wisconsin... Continues to support School Choice so that parents have the option of sending their children to the school, be it public, private, or home-school, religious or non-religious that can best meet the needs of their children's educational goals... Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Republican Party of Wisconsin... Recommends that a voucher type system or a tax credit be employed to offset the cost of education at the various institutions and that the basic allocation per pupil will be based on the average cost per pupil in the local school district...

• Texas: We call for the abolition of the U.S. Department of Education and the prohibition of the transfer of any of its functions to any other federal agency. We call upon our next governor, Rick Perry to fulfill in 2001, Governor George W. Bush's 1994 pledge to abolish the regulatory authority of the Texas Education Agency and to transfer its responsibilities to the elected State Board of Education (SBOE).
• Oregon: We support the abolition of the United States Department of Education and the Oregon Department of Education.
• West Virginia: The Republican Party supports: ... The elimination of federal involvement in education.
• Iowa: We favor the abolition of the U.S. Department of Education and are opposed to a National Board of Education. We encourage elimination of federal involvement in local education. We support the elimination of the Iowa Department of Education.
• Missouri: Therefore, the Missouri Republican Party supports: ... the abolition of the federal Department of Education.
• South Carolina: Along with our national Republican leadership, we... join the call for the abolition of the United States Department of Education.
• Washington: We support: ... Public education as properly a function of local and state government. And, based on the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the prohibition of all federal involvement in education.
• Wisconsin: Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Republican Party of Wisconsin... Urges that the Wisconsin Constitution be amended to abolish the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Urges that the Federal Department of Education be eliminated.

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