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not being american.... why don't you guys have national standards for things like education?

by keithnz 4y ago

WalterBright 4y ago
> national standards We don't like central planning.
jasonfarnon 4y ago
federalism? more practically, because there's a greater diversity of values?
codingdave 4y ago
We do, but states can over-ride them with their own choices. There are many layers of government in the USA - Federal, State, County, City, and sometimes even more granular. There are also school districts which have their own policies, and that doesn't even get into all the small government entities that even Americans don't think about much like library systems, utilities, water districts, etc. Between all that, one layer of government having standards is not always as meaningful or decisive as one might think.
crazygringo 4y ago
I'm not defending it -- but it's because it's a federal government, not a centralized government. One of the key tenets is therefore that governing is left to the states if there isn't a compelling reason that it needs to be done at a national level. Things like national defense and regulating interstate commerce can only be done nationally, so they are. But education is actually one of the classic examples in a federal system where it's hard to argue a compelling reason for nationalization. To the contrary, it's argued that if states are free to experiment then they can come up with better education standards and copy each other organically. But they can also tailor education to meet their local cultural values and history. Of course, more and more things have become "nationalized" over the past century just because it's more efficient and less complicated. But wow do people argue about it.
offlinenative 4y ago
Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or people, education has not been delegated to the federal government. Many do not want Montana lawmaker influence anywhere near their child’s education standards and vice versa.
duxup 4y ago
Education is run mostly by states, and school districts themselves are their own level of independence/ authority beyond that.
bediger4000 4y ago
No. Some states have state-level standards, but even that is weak because most states are "home rule". The local school board can decide most of the curriculum. In combination with financing schools through property taxes, we've got a recipe for disaster.

not being american.... why don't you guys have national standards for things like education?

WalterBright 4y ago

> national standards We don't like central planning.

jasonfarnon 4y ago

federalism? more practically, because there's a greater diversity of values?

codingdave 4y ago

We do, but states can over-ride them with their own choices. There are many layers of government in the USA - Federal, State, County, City, and sometimes even more granular. There are also school districts which have their own policies, and that doesn't even get into all the small government entities that even Americans don't think about much like library systems, utilities, water districts, etc. Between all that, one layer of government having standards is not always as meaningful or decisive as one might think.

crazygringo 4y ago

I'm not defending it -- but it's because it's a federal government, not a centralized government. One of the key tenets is therefore that governing is left to the states if there isn't a compelling reason that it needs to be done at a national level. Things like national defense and regulating interstate commerce can only be done nationally, so they are. But education is actually one of the classic examples in a federal system where it's hard to argue a compelling reason for nationalization. To the contrary, it's argued that if states are free to experiment then they can come up with better education standards and copy each other organically. But they can also tailor education to meet their local cultural values and history. Of course, more and more things have become "nationalized" over the past century just because it's more efficient and less complicated. But wow do people argue about it.

offlinenative 4y ago

Powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or people, education has not been delegated to the federal government. Many do not want Montana lawmaker influence anywhere near their child’s education standards and vice versa.

duxup 4y ago

Education is run mostly by states, and school districts themselves are their own level of independence/ authority beyond that.

bediger4000 4y ago

No. Some states have state-level standards, but even that is weak because most states are "home rule". The local school board can decide most of the curriculum. In combination with financing schools through property taxes, we've got a recipe for disaster.